TLA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP PRESENTS
Philadelphia Film Festival AND
MARCH 26– APRIL 6, 2009
PRESENTED BY
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Special Thanks to Our Sponsors Presenting Sponsors
Official Sponsors
Partner Sponsors
Patron Sponsors
Industry Partners
Community Partners
Dolfinger-McMahon founDation
TURN YOUR CAMERA ON The Ibrahim Theater @ International House Philadelphia presents
INDEPENDENT SCREEN In September 2009 IHouse launches Independent Screen, a new monthly program for film and video makers. Once a month Independent Screen presents a wide range of new works by artists from the Philadelphia region and beyond. Meet local artists and enthusiasts in an informal setting and discuss the work with the filmmakers.
SUBMISSIONS: Independent Screen is curated by the Arts @ International House staff. The deadline for selection for Fall is Friday, June 5, 2009. Please send your work with synopsis on DVD to International House Philadelphia, c/o Jesse Pires, Film and Music Curator, 3701 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 19104. For more information, please contact jesse@ihphilly.org.
The Ibrahim Theater @ International House • 3701 Chestnut Street • Philadelphia • www.ihousephilly.org • 215.387.5125
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Urban State.
Over 130 Stores in the Heart of Center City! • Old Navy • Five Below • ALDO Sale Outlet • Borders Express • GameStop
9th & Market Streets www.galleryatmarketeast.com A Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust Property
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Table of Contents Philadelphia Film Festival and CineFest 09 Festival Basics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Tickets and Festival Map. . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Opening / Closing Parties. . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Restaurant Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Audience & Jury Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 The 5th “Archie� Award. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Festival Calendar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26-29 Opening Night Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Closing Night Film. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Centerpiece Screenings . . . . . . . . . . . 35-39 Honorees Alfre Woodard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Jeff Daniels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Brothers Quay . . . . . . . . . . . . 43-44 Special Presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Fade to Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46-49 American Independents . . . . . . . . . . . 50-53 World Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56-65 The French Reconnection. . . . . . . . . . 66-69 International Comedies. . . . . . . . . . . . 70-71 Cinema of the Muslim Worlds. . . . . . 72-74 Latino Cinema Today . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76-79 The Documentary Tradition. . . . . . . . 80-85 Festival of Independents presented by DIVE. . . . . . . . . . . . . 86-90 Danger After Dark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92-97 Panels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Festival Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Index of Films. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 On the Cover: A still from the festival film Before the Fall composited with the Philadelphia skyline.
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Welcome... From the Artistic Director, Raymond Murray “What fools these mortals be” (said with a Puckish grin). That’s all we’re going to say on the “subject” and we promise from this day forward to keep the drama on the screen! Welcome to the Philadelphia Film Festival/CineFest 09 and its 12 days of movies, panels, parties and special events – a true cinematic orgy for ravenous film-lovers. While similar in size, programming and venues of past years, this Festival offers some exciting new features too, such as the introduction of the sidebar Fade to Black: Perspectives in Black Cinema. Curated by a diverse group of local film professionals and enthusiasts, this series offers a needed spotlight on African-American cinema and is highlighted with the presentation of a Festival Award to trailblazer Alfre Woodard. For Francophiles, this is your year – ten of France’s most interesting releases of 2008 will be screened – though it’s only the tip of the iceberg, given the country’s fine filmmaking history. Let’s cut to the chase and let me close by wishing you all a great Festival! I promise you that our offerings hold something for everyone.
From the Development Director, Thom Cardwell Each year, film lovers from across th region are treated to two major film festivals in the City of Philadelphia, one in the spring and another in the summer. In 2009, despite the challenges that nonprofits and all businesses face with this global economic downturn, the partnership of the Philadelphia Film Society (PFS) and the newly formed Philadelphia Cinema Alliance (PCA) bring you another exciting and provocative film festival just as we always have. Collaboration with other non-profits in the region has always been our goal and this year is no exception. Native sons the Quay Brothers will be returning to Philadelphia for screenings, an exhibition and an award that will be presented in partnership with the University of the Arts; the Festival trailer was produced in conjunction with Drexel University and the animation trailer with the Animation Department at U Arts; and affiliations also produced panels, seminars, members benefits and special events for this year’s festival. Our partners have included such educational and cultural institutions as International House, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Philadelphia Independent Film and Video Association, WHYY, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Lisa M. Reisman et cie, Greater Philadelphia Film Office/Multicultural Diversity, Reel Black, Urban Philly, heyphilly.com, Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, The Backseat Film Festival, One Film and the Philadelphia Asian-American Film Festival. Of course our dedicated staff deserves acknowledgment, but there are many others who are essential to our success. We would like to express our deepest gratitude for the tireless efforts of our loyal volunteers. This diverse group ranging from high school students to senior citizens fuels the festival in immeasurable ways. We would also like to thank the state and city governments, foundations, corporate sponsors, advertisers, hoteliers, restaurants and individual donors for their support that is crucial to making this festival possible.
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asual yet chic. Intimate yet play-
ful. Magical views on the AVENUE
OF THE
ARTS. You’ll find it all at this premier twostory Center City dining destination. Perfect for romantic dining, pre-theater dining and
More information at www.varalliusa.com
private parties. Dine in elegant surroundings, choosing from our Award Winning combined menu of the best Northern Italian and freshest Seafood creations, all exquisitely prepared to order. Join us before and after your movie and for piano vocal jazz weekends.
231 S. Broad St. at Locust Street (N.E. Corner of Broad and Locust Streets) Center City Philadelphia
215-546-6800 Convenient discount parking available
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Ad # VAR-110-PCF Size: 7.5" W x 9.75"H Color Publication: The Philadelphia CineFest Prepared by Advertising Collaborative (215) 242-2005 02-19-09
festival basics
A quick reference guide to help you get the most out of your festival experience
Many screenings sell out Especially the Opening, Closing and Centerpiece films – Plan your festival schedule ahead of time, and buy tickets as early as possible – or better yet, buy a badge. But remember – After show time, no one (including badge-holders) is guaranteed a seat!
Day of show tickets are only available at the venue If you want to buy a ticket for a same-day movie, go straight to the place where that movie will be showing. The tickets for the entire day go on sale one half hour before the first show of the day at that venue.
Theater box offices are Cash Only Check your wallet or visit the closest ATM before arriving at the movies – venue ticket sales are cash only!
Advance ticket pickup
Arrive to the theater early
We do not show any previews
To start the film on time, we must seat as many people as possible in a very short time.
Screenings start within five minutes of the scheduled time – However, the Festival cannot be held accountable for late starts!
If you order your tickets in advance, all of the tickets you purchase will be available for pickup at your first movie’s screening venue. If you don’t pick them up there, you must call the Festival Box Office to re-route the tickets to your next venue – this will not happen automatically.
Allow plenty of time for your transportation, especially on weekend nights! Visit the Festival Map (on the next page) for tips on parking and basic public transportation information.
Remember your umbrella
Children are welcome ...sometimes
The Festival attracts thousands of people, so don’t be surprised by lines that extend outside – and prepare accordingly.
Seats cannot be held You must be present to take a seat. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no “standing room” admission at any Festival film or program.
Suitable
for Families Few Festival films are intended for “all audiences,” and fewer have MPAA ratings attached – audience discretion is advised and, as a general rule, children are encouraged to attend only designated films.
We take movies seriously Please silence your wrappers, voices, communication devices and alarms to ensure a quality audience experience!
The venues are staffed by volunteers... ...who can answer many of your questions and make the festival possible by donating their time. Please be patient, and don’t forget to thank them for their efforts.
Keep on top of breaking Festival News Screening, event and guest updates are posted and announced regularly by such means as:
www.phillyCineFest.com Including real-time interactive posting features such as film trailers, user reviews, and personalized Festival calendar options!
Daily E-Newslines
Festival Hotline
Sent via e-mail or RSS Feed every morning before breakfast!
24-hour automated information at 267-765-9800 x701 11
Get Your Tickets Here! *Please note that all tickets are non-refundable
General Admission $10.00
PFS & PCA Members $9.00
Matinee Price (Screenings before 4:00pm)
$8.00
$7.00
Children (12 & under, to specified family events)
$7.00
$7.00
$15.00
$15.00
Single Tickets Single Ticket Price
Opening or Closing Night Film Only
(Film only, on sale day of show, based on availability)
Sales Locations STARTING MARCH 6: PFS & PCA Members sales: 267.765.9800 x4 STARTING MARCH 9: Public sales: Online: www.phillycinefest.com Call: 267.765.9800 x4 11:00am until 9:00pm daily 1520 Locust St. Rittenhouse Square 215.735.7887
Parties & Events
(Must be 21 years or older for all parties)
Opening Night Combination (Film & post-screening party)
$65.00
$60.00
Opening Night Party Only (At the door)
$55.00
$55.00
Closing Night Combination (Film & post-screening party)
$55.00
$50.00
Closing Night Party Only (At the door)
$45.00
$45.00
Matinee 5-Pass Good for any matinee before 4:00pm
$35.00
$30.00
Festival 10-Pass Not valid for Opening & Closing Nights
$90.00
$85.00
Film-Access Badge (No Parties)
$260.00
$235.00
Film & Party Badge (Includes Selected Parties)
$340.00
$315.00
Passes & Badges
IMPORTANT! • AFTER SHOWTIME, NO ONE CAN BE GUARANTEED SEATS (INCLUDING BADGE HOLDERS)
517 S 4th St. South Street 215.922.3838 7630 Germantown Ave. Chestnut Hill 215.248.4448 763 Lancaster Ave. Bryn Mawr 610.520.1222
STARTING MARCH 27: Ritz East 6:00pm-9:00pm daily 125 S 2nd St.
Venues 1. Ritz East
125 S 2nd St.
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get ‘em in advance...
some important details...
All advance orders must be placed by 9pm the day before the movie or event. All of your tickets will be waiting for you at the venue of your first screening. Phone/Internet Badge orders are available for pickup at TLA Video, 1520 Locust St. ONLINE (Credit card sales only) Visit our website www.phillycinefest.com “open day and night!” BY PHONE (Credit card sales only) Call 267-765-9800 x4 10am-9pm daily
Please arrive early – after showtime no one, not even a badge holder, is guaranteed a seat. Refunds – all sales are final. No refunds are available unless a screening is cancelled. All Sales Are Final – No refunds and no exchanges. Lost tickets cannot be replaced. All advance tickets must be purchased before the day of the show. Screening updates and ticket availability information is regularly updated on our website at www.phillycinefest.com and on our Festival hotline: 267-765-9800 x701 Service Fees: There is a $1.00 fee per ticket on all advance sales and $5.00 fee per badge, 5-pass, or 10-pass. Avoid Sellouts – Plan your Festival ahead of time and purchase tickets as early as possible – or better yet, buy a badge!
and finally, a few more important details... How Badges Work
Cash Only Sold only where the film is shown. Subject to availability. Go to the venue where the film will be shown no earlier than one half hour before the first Festival screening of the day to purchase same day tickets.
The default pickup location for all phone, mail or internet badge sales is TLA Video, 1520 Locust St., unless prior pickup arrangements have been made. When purchasing a badge by phone, mail or internet, you may provide your own passport-sized photo (email jpeg file to jbendik@phillycinema.org).
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How Passes Work Your 5- and 10-pass vouchers must be redeemed for tickets to the film of your choice. You can do this when you purchase in ADVANCE (recommended) or at the door (see SAME DAY SALES). Online buyers: Any unredeemed passes will remain on your account UNTIL your first TICKET pickup at will call — at which time the leftover passes will also be given to you. Avoid Sell Outs! Have we said this enough? Plan your festival schedule ahead of time and purchase tickets as early as possible – or better yet, buy a badge! To check for screening updates and ticket availability, call the Festival Hotline at 267-765-9800 ext. 701 or dial ext. 4 to speak to a service representative.
Badges are available in limited quantities. Badge holders must be present at all venues at least 20 minutes prior to screenings. They will receive their tickets in a designated VIP line. Both badges include admission to all films, admission to Opening and Closing Night films. The Film & Party Badge also includes access to selected parties (including Opening and Closing Night) – the Film-Access badge does not.
D E L A W A R E
IN PERSON (All payment methods) See Advance Sales Locations (at left)
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A century of great artists and their shared inspiration
Additional funding is provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, The Annenberg Foundation Fund for Exhibitions, The Florence Gould Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Andrew W. Mellon Fund for Scholarly Publications, the National Endowment for the Arts, and an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Promotional support provided by NBC 10 WCAU; Philadelphia Visitors and Convention Bureau (PCVB) and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC); The Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News, and Philly.com; and Amtrak.
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ONLY IN PHILADELPHIA Buy tickets now and save! Call 215-235-SHOW
LaPlaca Cohen 212-675-4106
February 26 – May 17
Publication:
CINEFEST
Insertion date:
FEB 2009
16.5 X 10.75 SPrEad
Philadelphia Museum of Art (Left to right) Le Luxe I, 1907, by Henri Matisse (Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris) © Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York; The Large Bather, c. 1885, by Paul Cézanne (The Museum of Modern Art, New York: Lillie P. Bliss Collection, 1934); Canuck Yankee Lumberjack at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, 1940–41, by Marsden Hartley (Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.: Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1966). Photography by Lee Stalsworth
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2/18/09 6:20:16 PM
Discover AN ELECTRONIC FILM FESTIVAL AT THE TOUCH OF YOUR REMOTE BUTTON! NOW PLAYING THE WILD MAN OF THE NAVIDAD On Demand: 2.11.09-5.11.09 “WILD MAN nails it! Gives the impression that you are actually watching a forgotten classic from the Dixie drive-in circuit.” — Fantastic Fest Director: Justin Meeks & Duane Graves Runtime: 1hr, 25min Festivals: Tribeca/Fantastic Fest Nationality: USA From a producer of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE comes the chilling story of a Texas town terrorized for years by a mysterious creature.
“Kormákur gets robust seriocomic performances from his game ensemble!” — Eye Weekly (Toronto) Director: Baltasar Kormákur Runtime: 1hr, 36min Festivals: Toronto Nationality: Iceland An uproarious comedy/drama about a middle-aged professor who has second thoughts about marrying a woman half his age.
ANGEL
On Demand: 2.18.09-5.18.09
On Demand: 3.18.09-6.18.09
“Has abundant charm in the AMÉLIE mold, and a winning personality all its own!” — Russell Edwards, Variety
“Garai gives her all in a display that zips from hysterical to wild to vulnerable and sexy and back.” — Philip French, The Observer (UK)
The fanciful tale of an introverted little girl who grows up believing she has the power to make wishes come true.
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On Demand: 2.25.09-5.25.09
MERMAID
Director: Anna Melikyan Runtime: 1hr, 55min Festivals: Sundance/Berlin Nationality: Russia
Watch
WHITE NIGHT WEDDING
Director: François Ozon Runtime: 2hrs, 14min Festivals: Berlin/Toronto Nationality: France (in English) Romola Garai, Charlotte Rampling, Sam Neill & Michael Fassbender star in this romantic drama about a young writer who is seduced by the glamour of high society.
LEFT BANK
SAUNA
On Demand: 2.25.09-5.25.09
On Demand: 3.25.09-6.25.09
“Builds a pregnancy nightmare in the same register as ROSEMARY’S BABY and POSSESSION.” — Edinburgh FF
“Powerful and riveting…featuring imagery that will occupy your nightmares.” — Toronto FF
Director: Pieter Van Hees Runtime: 1hr, 42min Festivals: Edinburgh/Fantastic Fest Nationality: Belgium
Director: Antti-Jussi Annila Runtime: 1hr, 23min Festivals: Toronto/Fantastic Fest Nationality: Finland
A chilling thriller about a woman, who upon moving in with her new boyfriend, becomes obsessed with the fate of the previous tenant.
A chilling baroque horror film set in 1595 about two brothers who commit a terrible sin and must live with the consequences.
on Comcast
Opening/Closing Night Celebrations Thursday, March 26
Monday, April 6
Opening Night CELEBRATION
Closing Night CELEBRATION
You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll definitely want to sing along as we kick off the Festival with (500) Days of Summer (see pg. 31), the “anti-romantic” comedy that inspired Sundance 09 audiences to standing ovations. The old romantic comedy is given a fresh spin with this bubbly yet authentic, intelligently funny and visually delightful film about dating in the new millennium. Director Marc Webb and cast members will be also be on hand to help us get the Festival started. And to top it all off, the fantastic soundtrack will put you in the perfect mood to party the night away! The laughter and music (and who knows? – maybe romance) continue after the screenings on the 19th Floor of the Park Hyatt Bellevue in the hotel’s Promenade, Rose Garden and Bar, and Cafe XIX with light bites and a limited open bar featuring sponsors’ select products (and other specialty drinks at the cash bar). This hip but historic setting is the perfect place to mix and mingle with old and new friends alike – just don’t forget your dancing shoes! Opening Night Admissions Combination Ticket $65 Public/$60 PFS & PCA Members 6pm or 8:30pm Screening of (500) Days of Summer, Prince Music Theater 10pm-1am Opening Night Party XIX Nineteen, Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue, 19th Floor, Broad and Walnut Sts. Admission for film only: $15 Sold day of show at the Prince (cash only) based on availabilty. Admission for party only: $55.00 (21+). Sold at the door
CineFest 09 came in like a lion, but it won’t go out like a lamb! Closing Night kicks off with the presentation of the Festival Awards (see pg. 24) that are chosen by dedicated filmgoers – our jurors and YOU! Join us to congratulate the winners of the Jury Awards, Audience Awards,“Archie” Award and the Festival of Independents Awards. Following the ceremony, the Closing Night feature Lymelife (see pg. 33) is teeming with excellent performances from a star-studded cast, led by a remarkably nuanced Rory Culkin and including Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, and Kieran Culkin. It’s a sarcastically bemused look back at the halcyon days of the late ’70s, set in suburban Long Island. The celebration continues at G lounge – Philly’s hotspot for style and sophistication. Music, dancing, light bites and a limited open bar featuring sponsors’ select products (and other specialty drinks at the cash bar) will be offered as we bid farewell to another amazing year! Closing Night Admissions Combination Ticket $55 Public/$50 PFS & PCA Members 7:15pm Awards Ceremony and screening of Lymelife, Prince Music Theater 9:30pm-1am Closing Night Party, G Lounge, 111 S 17th St. (between Chestnut and Sansom Sts.) Admission for film only: $15 Sold day of show at the Prince (cash only) based on availability. Admission for party only: $45.00 (21+). Sold at the door Closing Night Party 21+. ID required to purchase combo or party ticket.
Opening Night Party 21+. ID required to purchase combo or party ticket.
Pick up a free copy of the official fEsTIvAL EvENT CALENdER for an updated lisitng of event party locations and details 17
Robert Lepage’s
Thu, Jun 11 – Sat, Jun 13 | Merriam Theater
THE ANDERSEN PROJECT A Modern Fairy Tale (U.S. East Coast Premiere) “A theatrical conjurer, whose dazzling shows have captivated audiences around the world with their mixture of storytelling and stunning imagery.” – The Guardian, London on Robert Lepage From acclaimed Canadian writer-director Robert Lepage comes The Andersen Project, a boundary-pushing work freely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s stories “The Dryad” and “The Shadow.” A spellbinding one-man show, The Andersen Project draws on some of Lepage’s favorite themes: the juxtaposition of past and present, of Romanticism and Modernism, and of established and underground art forms. This fascinating multimedia theater piece also delves into more clandestine territories of sexual identity, unfulfilled fantasies and the thirst for fame that derive from Andersen’s life and writings.
THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY!
Tickets on Sale Spring 2009. Visit kimmelcenter.org/lepage This presentation of THE ANDERSEN PROJECT is funded by the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage through the Philadelphia Theater Initiative.
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Restaurant Guide Dinner and a movie, what could be more natural?
Center City Akoya
1904 Chestnut St. 215-564-9090 www.akoyaphilly.com
Bistro St. Tropez
2400 Market St. 215-569-9269 www.bistrosttropez.com
Chima Brazilian Steakhouse
1901 John F. Kennedy Blvd 215-525-3233 www.chimasteakhouse.com
D’Angelo’s Ristorante Italiano
256 S 20th St. 215-546-3935 www.dangeloristorante.com
Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse
111 S 17th St. 215-563-4810 www.davios.com/Philly.htm
Mantra
122 S 18th St. 215-988-9060 www.mantraphilly.com
Mission Grill
1835 Arch St. 215-636-9550 www.themissiongrill.com
Mixto
1141 Pine St. 215-592-0363 www.mixtophilly.com
XIX Nineteen at
138 S 2nd St. 215-413-1443 www.citytavern.com
Fork Restaurant
306 Market St. 215-625-9425 www.forkrestaurant.com
Haru
241 Chestnut St. 215-861-8990 www.harusushi.com
Keating’s River Grill and Bar
Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing 201 S Columbus Blvd. (at Walnut St.) 215-928-1234
Radisson Warwick Hotel 1701 Locust St. 215-772-1201 www.theprimerib.com
Public House
2 Logan Square 215-587-9050 www.publichousephilly.com
Rum Bar
215-751-0404 2005 Walnut St. www.rum-bar.com
Philadelphia Park Hyatt at the Bellevue 200 S Broad St. (at Walnut) 19th Floor 215-893-1234 www.nineteenrestaurant.com
Valanni
Palace at the Ben
1200 Market St. 213-231-7300 www.solefoodrest.com
Ben Franklin House 834 Chestnut St. 267-232-5600 www.thepalaceatheben.com
Pita Pit
1601 Sansom St. 215-564-1080 www.phillypitapit.com
Old City City Tavern
The Prime Rib
Mexican Post
104 Chestnut St. 215-923-5233 www.mexicanpost.com
National Mechanics
22 S 3rd St. 215-701-4883 www.nationalmechanics.com
Patou
312 Market St. 215-928-2987 www.patourestaurant.com
Tangerine
232 Market St. 215-627-5116 www.tangerinerestaurant.com
1229 Spruce St. 215-790-9494 www.valanni.com
Solefood
Upstares & Sotto Varalli Restaurant 1345 Locust St. 215-564-4200 www.varlliusa.com
South Street/ Queen Village Ansil
627 S 3rd St. 215-627-2485 www.ansilfoodandwine.com
Gayle
617 S 3rd St. 215-922-3850 www.gaylephiladelphia.com
La Fourno
636 South St. www.lafourno.com
University City Mikey’s American Grill & Sports Bar 3180 Chestnut St. 215-222-3226 www.mikephilly.com
Marathon Grill
200 S 40th St. 215-222-0100 www.marathongrill.com
Pod
3636 Sansom St. 215-387-1803 www.podrestaurant.com
12 Lounge at The Bridge Cinema De Lux
40th & Walnut Sts. 215-386-7971 www.thebridgecinema.com
White Dog Café
3420 Sansom St. 215-386-9224 www.whitedog.com
World Café Live
3025 Walnut St. 215-222-1400 www.worldcafelive.com
Zocalo
3600 Lancaster Ave. 215-895-0139 www.zocalphilly.com
Northern Liberties A Full Plate Café 1009 N Bodine St. 215-627-4068 www.afullplate.net
Bar Ferdinand
Art Museum
1030 N 2nd St. 215-923-1313 www.barferdinand.com
London Grill
North Third
2301 Fairmount Ave. 215-978-4545 www.londongrill.com
801 N 3rd St. 215-413-3666 www.norththird.com 19
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vw10_philly_Ad.ai
2/11/09
4:37:49 PM
naturally sweetened only 10 calories per serving (because the camera adds 10 pounds)
introducing... proud to hydrate the philadelphia film festival
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Awards and Juries
Three juries will confer prizes on Monday, April 6 at an Awards Ceremony preceding the Closing Night film at the The Prince Music Theater. Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
Jury Prize for Best Feature Film Jury Prize for Best Documentary Film Jury Prize for Best First Film Jury Prize for Best Director Jury Prize for Best American Independent Film Audience Prize for Best Feature Film Audience Prize for Best Documentary Film Audience Prize for Best Danger After Dark Film HEAD OF JURORS Michael Feighan is an insurance executive whose real vocation is cinephilia. Movies are his true obsession, though he is also an avid student of opera, theater, music and the visual arts. He is an experienced head of jurors, having served in that capacity for other film festivals. His involvement in film festivals in Philadelphia has lead to his interest in attending others all over the world, including Venice, Transylvania and Santa Barbara in 2008 and 2009. He regularly sees over 200 theatrically-released films each year.
FEATURE FILMS
AMERICAN INDEPENDENTS
Marilyn Schaffer is professor emeritus at the University of Hartford, Connecticut. She has studied the history of film, specializing in international films, and is a member of the Film Society at the Wadsworth Athenaeum in Hartford. She participates in various international film festivals annually, including Palm Springs, and views over 150 films per year.
James Breckenridge (SAG, AFTRA, EQUITY) is founder and director of The PlayCrafters Group, specializing in helping writers develop scripts for film and theatre. He teaches screenwriting at Bryn Mawr Film Institute and is a regular presenter at the L.A. Screenwriting Expo where he has been named a Star Speaker. He received his MFA from Temple University and has performed extensively in film, television, radio and on the stage. He divides his time between Philadelphia and New York.
Nicole Shiner is the Director of Operations & Government Affairs at the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. She has been with the film office for five years and was previously employed by both the Pennsylvania Legislature and U.S. House of Representatives. She earned dual degrees in English and Communication Arts from Ursinus College and has over 18 years of theatrical training. Nicole is honored and very excited to be serving on the jury for the festival for the first time. Rodney Whittenberg, an Emmy Award-winning composer, is a unique presence in the arts community. As owner of Melodyvision, he works as a composer, film and video producer, editor and educator with numerous local and national scores to his credit, including music for the horror film Return to Sleepawaycamp (for which he also served as associate producer), as well as festival winners In Sickness and In Health and Electile Dysfunction. His TV credits include programs airing on A&E, HBO, Family, Oxygen, PBS, NBC and the TNT networks.
Joe Kim is the Festival Director for the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival (PAAFF) and an independent filmmaker. In October 2008, he founded the festival to celebrate the works of Asian American filmmakers and to bring those films to a new and emerging audience in Philadelphia. He earned a degree in film at Temple University and has had his work screened at the Philadelphia Film Festival. This year PAAFF will take place October 8-11, 2009. Nancy Resnick is a lifelong resident of Philadelphia and works as an employee benefits consultant for a firm in King of Prussia. Nancy’s addiction to film started early; it was easy to see all those Saturday matinee double features growing up next door to the Jackson theater. More recently, Nancy has attended several international film festivals and is thrilled to be on the jury of the Philadelphia CineFest 09.
DOCUMENTARIES Nancy Katz Colman’s devotion to cinema gradually dawned on her in elementary school, when she would come home to sit and watch old movies on TV instead of going outside to play. She parlayed that passion into an undergraduate degree in film at Wesleyan University under the excellent tutelage of renowned scholar Jeanine Basinger, and went on to earn a Master’s degree in Film Studies at UCLA. Nancy has published film reviews for various newspapers and magazines, and is a member of the selection committees for the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival and One Film Philadelphia.
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Judy Gelles is a Philadelphia artist working in photography and film. Her documentary, From Philadelphia to the Front, was the first documentary to focus on Jewish American World War II veterans. The film has been shown worldwide and was the 2005 Audience Favorite at the Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. Her work is included in the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum or Art. She is represented by Pentimenti Gallery in Philadelphia.
Seymour Levin is a documentary filmmaker from the Philadelphia area. He’s worked on several notable projects including Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and A World of Discovery for the Philadelphia Museum of Art. As the son of Holocaust survivors and a certified Gestalt counselor, he is particularly drawn to projects that promote social justice and healing. His award winning feature length documentary, Hard Coal: Last of the Bootleg Miners, reveals the crushing injustices faced by independent coal mine owners.
The Fifth Archie Award The “Archie” Award, named in memory of Archie Perlmutter, will be presented to the best first-time director of a film at the Awards Ceremony preceding the Closing Night film at the The Prince Music Theater Almost five years have passed since Archie’s death — and five years since the first “Archie’ for best first-time director for a film was given. Of the many film festivals that he attended throughout the world, Archie particularly liked the Philadelphia Film Festival of which he was a founding member, making great use of his immense passion for film combined with a keen intelligence and delicious wit. Educated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Archie became a chemical engineer. He spent what he called “the War Years” with the United States Army in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, working on the Manhattan Bomb Project. He married Ruth, sired three children — Bonnie, David and Sharon — and served for many years as owner and manager of a brass foundry in Reading, Pennsylvania. Influenced by Ruth’s mid-life career as a film teacher and scholar, Archie reinvented himself and together, they traveled to film festivals around the world—Istanbul, Jerusalem, Moscow, London, Karlovy Vary, Telluride, Palm Springs, and dozens more in the United States and Canada. Cinema went to the very core of Archie’s intellect. There was nothing he had undertaken or accomplished during his lifetime that stimulated and excited him in quite the same way. Archie combined his deep interest in movies with his love of all things Jewish when he became co-director of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival in 1981.
For 24 years, he selected and presented films that reflected and embraced the broad secular Jewish concepts of tolerance, “mending” the world, concern for social issues and commitment to forever remembering the Holocaust and its lessons. Archie believed these principles were universal. Small wonder that he thought ALL films, ultimately, were Jewish. Whenever the traditional toast, “L’Chayim,”— to life! — was offered in Archie’s presence, he personally acknowledged the honor — Chaim was, indeed, his Hebrew name. Those of us who had the good fortune to know Archie are grateful that his spirit and life are remembered annually through the “Archie” Award given each year at the city’s film festival. This year’s distinguished panel of jurors for the “Archie” Award for 2009 will include: Maureen Abrams, Joy Bannett, Elizabeth (Sweetie) Caulk, Romayne Sachs, Carol Saline and Dr. Stanley Shapiro. Please — everyone — enjoy this year’s festival! Thanks also for supporting the region’s film community and its many events in our wonderful city. Ruth Perlmutter, Artistic Director, Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival; Founding Board Member, Philadelphia Film Society; and Co-Director, One Film! In partnership with One Book, One Philadelphia, a project of the Office of the Mayor and the Free Library of Philadelphia.
2008 Philadelphia Film Festival Award Winners “ARCHIE” AWARD FOR BEST FIRST-TIME DIRECTOR Daniel Barnz for Phoebe in Wonderland
JURY AWARD WINNERS: Best Feature Film: Nothing to Lose, director Pieter Kuijpers Best Documentary: Song Sung Blue, director Greg Kohs Best First Film: In A Dream, director Jeremiah Zagar Best Director: Ramin Bahrani for Chop Shop Best American Independent: Choose Connor, director Luke Eberl Best Animation Feature: Vexille, director Fumihiko Sori Best Animation Short: Breakout, director Arnaud Demuynck
AUDIENCE AWARD WINNERS:
FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENTS AWARD WINNERS:
Best Documentary: Body of War, directors Ellen Spiro and Phil Donahue Danger After Dark: Timecrimes, director Nacho Vigalondo Best Feature Film: Universal Signs, director Ann Calamia
Best Feature Film: The New Year Parade, directorTom Quinn Best Documentary Film: First Person, director Ben Herold Best Narrative Film: Figure Study #7, director Jena Serbu Best Animated Film: Hedgehug, director Dan Pinto Best Experimental Film: AYND, director Lindsay Kovnat
SCION FIRST TIME DIRECTOR AWARD Ben Herold for First Person
DIVE Technical Achievement Award: In A Dream, director Jeremiah Zagar
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PFF/cinefest 09 Calendar of Screenings
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the prince
ritz east theater 1
ritz east theater 2
ritz 5
the bridge international cinema de lux house
other venues
thursday, march 26 6:00 & 8:30 Opening Night (500) Days of Summer (95 min, pg.31)
friday, march 27 2:30 2:30 2:15 2:30 Love, Soccer and Blind Loves Landscape #2 Cowards other Catastrophies (77 min, pg.81) (90 min, pg.61) (89 min, pg.77) (116 min, pg.61) 5:00 5:15 4:45 4:30 5:00 4:45 The Perfect Season Kabuli kid Revanche Rumba Old Partner The Sea Wall (75 min, pg.45) (94 min, pg.72) (121 min, pg.62) (86 min, pg.71) (87 min, pg.84) (115 min, pg.66) 7:15 7:15 7:30 7:00 7:15 7:15 Moon The Nail: The Story Art & Copy Mommy Is at the Lake Tahoe The Glass House (97 min, pg.38) Hairdresser’s of Joey Nardone (86 min, pg.80) (89 min, pg.79) (92 min, pg.82) (95 min, pg.86) (97 min, pg.56) 9:30 9:45 9:30 9:15 9:30 9:30 Back Soon I Sell the Dead Eldorado The Country Teacher Marcello, Marcello Left Bank (92 min, pg.70) (85 min, pg.92) (85 min, pg.58) (113 min, pg.57) (97 min, pg.62) (102 min, pg.94)
saturday, march 28 12:15 Hunger
12:00 12:15 12:15 12:15 The Joy of Singing All Inclusive The Other One Love, Soccer and (96 min, pg.36) (96 min, pg.68) (85 min, pg.77) (97 min, pg.69) other Catastrophies (116 min, pg.61)
2:30 2:15 2:30 2:30 2:30 Children of Invention Chef’s Special Kisses Mommy Is at Back Soon (97 min, pg.51) (111 min, pg.70) (92 min, pg.61) the Hairdresser’s (92 min, pg.70) (97 min, pg.56) 4:30 4:45 4:30 4:45 4:45 5:15 Before the Fall Herb and Dorothy Marcello, Marcello The Sea Wall The Merry Gentleman 9 to 5: Days in Porn (93 min, pg.77) (91 min, pg.82) (97 min, pg.62) (115 min, pg.66) (95 min, pg.83) (110 min, pg.52) 6:30 7:15 7:00 7:15 7:30 7:00 Pressure Cooker Saving One Day You’ll Rumba It’s Not Me I Swear! No Boundaries (99 min, pg.46) Grace B. Jones Understand (86 min, pg.71) (105 min, pg.60) (109 min, pg.87) (95 min, pg.52) (89 min, pg.69) 9:15 9:45 9:15 9:30 10:00 9:30 The Magic Hour Sun Dogs 20th Century Boys Revanche Not Quite Hollywood The Rocky Balboa (137 min, pg.71) (91 min, pg.53) (142 min, pg.96) (121 min, pg.62) (102 min, pg.94) Picture Show 2... (Shorts, 87 min, pg.90)
Centerpiece Screenings Special Presentations Fade to Black
American Independents World Focus French Reconnection
Cinema of the Muslim Worlds International Comedies Latino Cinema Today
Documentary Tradition Festival of Independents Danger After Dark
the prince
ritz east theater 1
ritz east theater 2
ritz 5
the bridge international cinema de lux house
other venues
sunday, march 29 12:15 12:00 12:15 12:00 12:15 Saving Grace B. Herb and Dorothy One Day You’ll Lake Tahoe Salt of This Sea Jones (91 min, pg.82) Understand (89 min, pg.79) (109 min, pg.74) (95 min, pg.52) (89 min, pg.69) 2:45 2:15 2:45 2:15 2:30 Sun Dogs The Nail: The Story Marcello, Marcello The Country Teacher The Other One (91 min, pg.53) of Joey Nardone (97 min, pg.62) (113 min, pg.57) (97 min, pg.69) (95 min, pg.86) 5:00 4:45 5:00 4:30 4:30 5:00 Food, Inc. Pressure Cooker Back Soon It’s Not Me I Swear! Mommy Is at the The Sitting Machine (94 min, pg.81) (99 min, pg.46) (92 min, pg.70) (105 min, pg.60) Hairdresser’s (95 min, pg.88) (97 min, pg.56) 7:15 Hunger
7:00 7:15 7:00 7:15 7:00 The Merry Gentleman Tyson The Sea Wall Eldorado …Even Jesus Had an (96 min, pg.36) (110 min, pg.52) (90 min, pg.49) (115 min, pg.66) (85 min, pg.58) Accountant (Shorts, 72 min, pg.89)
9:30 9:15 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:15 Number One 20th Century Boys: GS Wonderland Not Quite Hollywood Before the Fall Straight for the Kill With a Bullet Chapter Two (100 min, pg.59) (102 min, pg.94) (93 min, pg.77) (Shorts, 125 min, pg.97) (101 min, pg.48) (139 min, pg.96)
monday, march 30 12:15 Dioses
12:00 For My Father (93 min, pg.78) (100 min, pg.73)
2:30 2:15 2:15 2:15 Art & Copy Stone of Destiny The Brothers Bloom The Other One (86 min, pg.80) (96 min, pg.63) (109 min, pg.51) (97 min, pg.69) 4:00 5:00 4:45 4:45 4:45 4:30 bryn mawr Salt of This Sea The Way We Get By Kisses Three Blind Mice All Inclusive Don’t Look Down (109 min, pg.74) (80 min, pg.85) (92 min, pg.61) (94 min, pg.63) (85 min, pg.77) 7:00 (90 min, pg.78) The King of Ping Pong 6:15 7:15 7:00 7:00 6:45 7:00 (107 min, pg.60) Left Bank Kabuli kid Goodbye Solo Sugar A Game for Girls Garbage Dreams (102 min, pg.94) (94 min, pg.72) (91 min, pg.51) (120 min, pg.48) (94 min, pg.58) (82 min, pg.82)
whyy studios
8:30 9:30 9:15 9:30 9:00 9:15 The Answer Man Plague Town The Chaser Landscape #2 20th Century Boys The Enemy Is Us (115 min, pg.35) (88 min, pg.96) (125 min, pg.57) (90 min, pg.61) (142 min, pg.96) (91 min, pg.89)
7:00 Taking Root... (81 min, pg.49)
tuesday, march 31 12:15 12:00 9 to 5: Days in Porn Landscape #2 (95 min, pg.83) (90 min, pg.61) 2:30 2:15 2:15 2:15 The Answer Man Goodbye Solo Lemon Tree The Desert Within (95 min, pg.35) (91 min, pg.51) (100 min, pg.73) (112 min, pg.78) 4:45 5:00 4:45 4:45 5:00 4:45 Stone of Destiny Art of the Devil 3 GS Wonderland Love, Soccer and The Glass House 4bia (96 min, pg.63) (87 min, pg.93) (100 min, pg.59) other Catastrophies (92 min, pg.82) (120 min, pg.93) (116 min, pg.61) 7:00 7:15 7:00 7:15 7:00 Phantom Punch Boy Interrupted For My Father I’d Rather Kisses (104 min, pg.48) (92 min, pg.81) (100 min, pg.73) be a Shellfish (92 min, pg.61) (139 min, pg.59) 9:15 9:30 The Brothers Bloom Able (109 min, pg.51)
bryn mawr
7:15 7:00 My Voice Is It’s Not Me I Swear! in My Sword (105 min, pg.60) (Shorts, 79 min, pg.90)
9:15 9:45 9:15 9:30 The Girl Don’t Look Down The Magic Hour Cuttin’ Da Mustard (75 min, pg.93) from Monaco (90 min, pg.78) (137 min, pg.71) (98 min, pg.47) (95 min, pg.67)
the prince
ritz east theater 1
ritz east theater 2
ritz 5
the bridge international cinema de lux house
other venues
wednesday, april 1 12:15 12:00 The Song The Magic Hour of Sparrows (137 min, pg.71) (96 min, pg.74) 2:30 2:45 2:15 2:15 Lightbulb Loose Rope Don’t Look Down Worlds Apart (92 min, pg.52) (82 min, pg.73) (90 min, pg.78) (116 min, pg.65) 4:45 4:45 5:00 4:45 4:45 4:45 Jury Duty I Sell the Dead All Inclusive The Chaser Food, Inc. Mortadelo and (88 min, pg.68) (85 min, pg.92) (85 min, pg.77) (125 min, pg.57) Filemon: M.S.P. (94 min, pg.81) (94 min, pg.71)
bryn mawr
7:00 7:00 7:15 7:15 7:00 6:45 7:00 The Hurt Locker Bitter & Twisted Stone of Destiny The Tour GS Wonderland Wages of Spin Three Blind Mice (130 min, pg.37) (90 min, pg.57) (96 min, pg.63) (108 min, pg.63) (100 min, pg.59) (88 min, pg.88) (94 min, pg.63) 9:30 4bia
9:15 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:15 Mississippi Damned The Desert Within A Game for Girls God’s Forgotten Town Blind Loves (120 min, pg.93) (120 min, pg.47) (112 min, pg.78) (94 min, pg.58) (90 min, pg.79) (77 min, pg.81)
thursday, april 2 12:15 12:00 Old Partner A Game for Girls (87 min, pg.84) (94 min, pg.58) 2:00 2:30 2:15 The Hurt Locker Bitter & Twisted The King of (130 min, pg.37) (90 min, pg.57) Ping Pong (107 min, pg.60) 4:45 4:45 4:45 4:30 5:00 4:45 Number One Boy Interrupted The Desert Within The Tour Art of the Devil 3 Dioses with a Bullet (92 min, pg.81) (112 min, pg.78) (108 min, pg.63) (87 min, pg.93) (93 min, pg.78) (101 min, pg.48)
bryn mawr
7:00 7:00 7:00 7:15 7:15 6:45 7:00 A French Gigolo Burning Plain White Night Wedding Loose Rope Summer Hours Cuttin’ Da Mustard Heart of Stone (100 min, pg.67) (111 min, pg.50) (94 min, pg.64) (82 min, pg.73) (102 min, pg.69) (98 min, pg.47) (85 min, pg.87) 9:30 Able
9:30 9:30 Of Time and the City Zift (75 min, pg.93) (94 min, pg.83)
9:30 9:15 9:30 Blind Loves 20th Century Boys: Kassim the Dream (92 min, pg.65) (94 min, pg.81) Chapter Two (87 min, pg.83) (139 min, pg.96)
friday, april 3 12:30 12:15 12:15 12:15 Garbage Dreams Lemon Tree The Girl Snow (82 min, pg.82) (100 min, pg.73) from Monaco (100 min, pg.74) (95 min, pg.67) 3:00 2:45 2:30 2:30 The Way We Get By God’s Forgotten Town The Tour A French Gigolo (80 min, pg.85) (90 min, pg.79) (108 min, pg.63) (100 min, pg.67) 4:45 5:30 5:00 4:45 4:45 5:00 Kassim the Dream Bitter & Twisted Worlds Apart 4bia Plague Town The Song (87 min, pg.83) (90 min, pg.57) (116 min, pg.65) (120 min, pg.93) of Sparrows (88 min, pg.96) (96 min, pg.74) 6:45 7:00 7:45 7:15 7:00 7:15 Rock Prophecies Sita Sings the Blues Cuttin’ Da Mustard The King of Il Divo Tulpan (121 min, pg.39) (82 min, pg.45) (98 min, pg.47) Ping Pong (118 min, pg.60) (100 min, pg.64) (107 min, pg.60) 9:15 10:00 9:30 9:30 9:30 9:30 Institute Hanger Youssou Ndour: I I’m Going to Explode Cowards Morris County Benjamenta... (90 min, pg.94) Bring What I Love (107 min, pg.79) (89 min, pg.77) (96 min, pg.87) (124 min, pg.44) (102 min, pg.49)
PFF/cinefest 09 Calendar of Screenings the prince
ritz east theater 1
ritz east theater 2
ritz 5
the bridge international cinema de lux house
other venues
saturday, april 4 12:00 12:00 12:30 12:30 12:30 The Joy of Singing Mississippi Damned Mortadelo and Before the Fall Children of Invention (96 min, pg.68) (120 min, pg.47) Filemon: M.S.P. (93 min, pg.77) (97 min, pg.51) (94 min, pg.71) 2:00 2:30 2:45 2:30 2:45 A Quay Brothers White Night Wedding Youssou Ndour: I Burning Plain Go Go 70s Sampler (94 min, pg.64) Bring What I Love (111 min, pg.50) (118 min, pg.59) (72 min, pg.44) (102 min, pg.49) 4:15 4:45 5:00 4:45 5:30 The Beautiful Person Playing Columbine Treeless Mountain The Equation Zift (90 min, pg.67) (94 min, pg.84) (89 min, pg.64) of Love and Death (95 min, pg.58)
prince black box
4:30 4:30 The Great The Way We Get By (80 min, pg.85) (92 min, pg.65) Northeaster (Shorts, 84 min, pg.89)
6:30 7:00 7:15 7:00 7:45 7:00 7:00 American Violet Training Rules A French Gigolo My Dear Enemy Chef’s Special See What I’m Saying: Pressure Cooker (140 min, pg.47) (77 min, pg.84) (100 min, pg.67) (123 min, pg.62) (111 min, pg.70) The Deaf... (99 min, pg.46) (107 min, pg.88) 9:30 9:15 9:30 9:30 10:00 9:30 9:15 Surveillance Julia Rudo y Cursi Three Blind Mice Art of the Devil 3 Best of the Backseat Boy Interrupted (98 min, pg.53) (140 min, pg.68) (103 min, pg.76) (94 min, pg.63) (87 min, pg.93) Film Festival (92 min, pg.81) (Shorts, 99 min, pg.45)
sunday, april 5 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:00 12:15 See What I’m Saying: Tulpan I’d Rather be My Dear Enemy Training Rules The Deaf... (100 min, pg.64) a Shellfish (123 min, pg.62) (57 min, pg.84) (107 min, pg.88) (139 min, pg.59) 2:30 2:15 2:45 2:30 2:45 American Violet Julia Treeless Mountain Surveillance Hanger (120 min, pg.47) (140 min, pg.68) (89 min, pg.64) (98 min, pg.53) (90 min, pg.94) 5:00 Il Divo
prince black box
4:45 5:00 4:45 4:30 4:00 5:00 Sita Sings the Blues Rock Prophecies Mortadelo and Straight for the Kill Children of Invention Of Time and the City (121 min, pg.39) Filemon: M.S.P. (118 min, pg.60) (82 min, pg.45) (97 min, pg.51) (94 min, pg.83) (Shorts, 125 min, pg.97) (94 min, pg.71)
7:30 7:00 7:15 7:00 7:15 Lightbulb Jury Duty Cowards The Equation I’m Going to Explode (92 min, pg.52) (88 min, pg.68) (89 min, pg.77) of Love and Death (107 min, pg.79) (95 min, pg.58)
7:00 6:15 Hardcore Heroes Snow and Heroins (100 min, pg.74) (Shorts, 93 min, pg.90)
9:30 9:30 9:15 9:15 9:30 9:30 8:30 Go Go 70s Playing Columbine God’s Forgotten Town The Beautiful Person 9 to 5: Days in Porn I Sell the Dead The Joy of Singing (118 min, pg.59) (94 min, pg.84) (90 min, pg.79) (90 min, pg.67) (95 min, pg.83) (85 min, pg.92) (96 min, pg.68)
monday, april 6 5:00 4:45 4:45 Kabuli kid Chef’s Special TBA 1 (94 min, pg.72) (111 min, pg.70)
4:45 Salt of This Sea (109 min, pg.74)
7:15 7:15 Closing Night Ceremony TBA 2 Lymelife (123 min, pg.33)
7:00 TBA 3
7:00 TBA 4
9:30 TBA 5
9:15 TBA 6
9:15 TBA 7
Centerpiece Screening Special Presentations Fade to Black
American Independents World Focus French Reconnection
Cinema of the Muslim Worlds International Comedies Latino Cinema Today
Documentary Tradition Festival of Independents Danger After Dark
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opening night
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(500) Days of Summer Thursday, March 26 • 6:00 • The Prince Thursday, March 26 • 8:30 • The Prince East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 95 min
This “anti-romantic” comedy inspired Sundance 09 audiences to standing ovations for its bubbly yet authentic, intelligently funny and visually delightful approach to dating in the new millennium. A modern, fresh spin on the tired romantic comedy formula, Marc Webb infuses his directorial debut with a light touch, enthusiastically exploring the hopes, fears and melancholic joys that love brings into our lives. Tom (GordonLevitt), a romantic at heart, breezes through his work days as a greeting card writer hoping to meet his soul-mate. He realizes it’s a little naïve, but who can blame him when pop culture continues to present ideas of what love should look like? The new temp in his office, Summer (freshfaced Deschanel), is the complete opposite — she doesn’t believe that true love exists since her parents are divorced. Their courtship takes off; over the course of 500 days, the couple will experience the ups and downs of love, while receiving advice from friends and family (Summer’s little sister is exceptionally wise for her age). As the film initially proclaims, this is not a love story. Steeped in vibrant colors, the film features an amazing soundtrack that includes The Smiths, Feist, Regina Spektor and showcases visually memorable moments such as a dance number with a song from Philadelphia’s own Hall & Oates. Add the natural, charmingly believable performances of both Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel, who present the real emotions that anyone who has ever dated will immediately understand, and you’ll realize why (500) Days of Summer is winning entertainment that is smart, instantaneously relatable and wonderfully fun. —Lewis Tice Director: Marc Webb Cast: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Clark Gregg, Minka Kelly, Matthew Gray Gubler, Rachel Boston, Geoffrey Arend, Chloe Moritz Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael Weber Producers: Mark Waters, Jessica Tuchinsky, Mason Novick, Steven J. Wolfe Cinematographer: Eric Steelberg Editor: Alan Edward Bell Print Source: Fox Searchlight
(500) Days of Summer is Marc Webb’s debut. Join us after the 8:30 screening for our Opening Night Party, see page 17 for more information.
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closing night
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Lymelife Monday, April 6 • 7:15 • The Prince Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 93 min
A bevy of excellent performances (led by a remarkably nuanced Rory Culkin) anchor this bittersweet and slightly surreal tale in which the impending threat of Lyme Disease surrounds the adolescent tedium of suburban Long Island in the late 1970s. If The Ice Storm had had a sense of humor, it might look a little something like this year’s Festival closing night film, in which director Derick Martini (who, with his brother Steven, co-wrote the film based in part on their own Long Island upbringing) offers a sarcastically bemused look back at the “halcyon” days of the late ‘70s and explores the dark underbelly of the societal decay of the period without its predecessor’s opprobrium. Rory Culkin stars as Scott Bartlett, a disaffected teen who’s surrounded by dysfunctional adults. His father Mickey (Alec Baldwin) is a gung-ho real estate developer who has hauled his reluctant, streetwise wife Brenda (Jill Hennessy) to Long Island. Pining for the Bronx, Brenda is so freaked about deer ticks that she duct tapes Scott’s sleeves closed whenever she fears he’s venturing into the woods. Scott spends his days languorously, trying to find himself amidst the emotional chaos of his family — a task complicated when his brother (real-life bro Kieran) comes home on military leave. He is also suffering an awkward sexual awakening, propelled by an intense puppy crush on his neighbor Adrianna Bragg (a dazzling Emma Roberts), whose mother (Cynthia Nixon) is shagging, coincidentally, his dad. With witing humor and spot-on acting, this accomplished drama captures the painful excitement of coming-of-age. —Eric Moore Director: Derick Martini Cast: Alec Baldwin, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton, Cynthia Nixon, Emma Roberts Screenwriters: Derick Martini, Steven Martini Producers: Steven Martini, Jon Cornick, Barbara De Fina, Alec Baldwin, Michele Tayler, Angela Somerville Cinematographer: Frank Godwin Editors: Derick Martini, Steven Martini, Mark Yoshikawa Print Source: Screen Media Films
Lymelife is Derick Martini’s debut. Screening preceded by Festival Awards Ceremony, see page 24 for details. Join us after the screening for our Closing Night Party, see page 17 for more information.
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centerpiece screenings
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The Answer Man Monday, March 30 • 8:30 • The Prince Tuesday, March 31 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 Philadelphia Premiere USA 2009, 95 min
Shot in Philadelphia and featuring a winning performance by Jeff Daniels, this Sundance 09 romantic comedy turns its lens on a spiritual selfhelp author who actually doesn’t have a clue when it comes to life and love. First time writer/director John Hindman, a stand-up comedian for 10 years, delivers a sarcastically funny yet touchingly effective film about finding spirituality through relationships and humor. Twenty years ago, Philadelphiabased author Arlen Faber (Daniels) penned a book titled “Me & God,” and it changed the way people looked at life. But Arlen has since been reclusive; at the end of the day, he doesn’t want to answer questions from strangers such as, “If God is good, why is there evil?” Arlen doesn’t have any ideas himself. When Kris — a local bookstore owner fresh out of rehab — learns Arlen’s identity, questions about God come fast and furious. Enter Elizabeth (Lauren Graham), a single chiropractor who treats Arlen for his stressed-out back. As Arlen begins a friendship with Kris and a blossoming romance with Elizabeth, he realizes he’s engaging in the world again, kicking and screaming all the way. Actor Daniels is at his best here, seasoning his character with sensitivity, expert comic timing and deft physical comedy. Partnered with the appealing Graham, they are a match made in heaven with fast talking, sharply funny dialogue that’s reminiscent of the romantic comedies from the ‘40s and ‘50s. —Lewis Tice Preceding the March 30 screening, Jeff Daniels will receive the Artistic Achievement Award. (See pg. 42) Director: John Hindman Cast: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings, Nora Dunn, Tony Hale, Annie Corly, Max Antisell Screenwriter: John Hindman Producers: Kevin Messick, Jana Edelbaum Cinematographer: Oliver Bokelberg Editor: Gerald Greenberg Print Source: Magnolia Pictures
The Answer Man is John Hindman’s debut. Sponsored by:
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Hunger Saturday, March 28 • 12:15 • The Prince Sunday, March 29 • 7:15 • The Prince Philadelphia Premiere Britain 2008, 96 min
This startlingly intense political and human drama tells the harrowing story of IRA leader Bobby Sands and his fellow prisoners in the hands of British authorities in the early 1980s. The imprisonment and cruel treatment of Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners — and the starvation death of one of its iconic leaders, Bobby Sands — is dramatized in this gut-wrenching drama ,which was awarded the Caméra d’Or at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. The film is set in 1981 — a period of political upheaval in Northern Ireland and to a lesser extend in Britain itself — as the IRA engage in a terrorist war against the Protestant and British authorities in their pursuit of a united Ireland. It is in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison where convicted IRA members are sent and where, behind the imposing stone walls and out of the public’s eye, the political prisoners face cruel treatment at the hands of the British authorities (eliciting comparisons to Abu Ghraib and Guatanamo for viewers). The men are stripped naked, beaten and starved; spurred by the authorities’ decision to deny them the status of political prisoners, they revolt in their own fashion. This startling directorial debut by Anglo-African visual artist Steve McQueen stars Michael Fassbender as Bobby Sands, a fellow prisoner who becomes a leader, hero and inspiration when he decides to sacrifice himself for the movement with a hunger strike. Fassbender’s is an amazingly transformative performance — magnetic yet human, intense yet increasingly frail, quiet yet strong. A highlight of the film is a single-take discussion between Sands and a priest (Liam Cunningham) who discuss, in an eerily composed fashion, the merits of political dissent. Rarely has a film so successfully transported the audience into an inescapable hell, one in which torture, deprivation and psychological assault reign, but where human strength still prevails. The result is an uncompromising drama of one man’s harrowing triumph through pain and death. Please be warned, this film depicts a reality rarely seen in any film so the sensitive or fainthearted should stay away. —Raymond Murray Director: Steve McQueen Cast: Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham, Helena Bereen, Larry Cowan, Liam Cunningham, Dennis McCambridge, Liam McMahon, Laine Megaw, Brian Milligan, Rory Mullen, Lalor Roddy Screenwriters: Steve McQueen, Enda Walsh Producers: Robin Gutch, Laura Hastings-Smith Cinematographer: Sean Bobbitt Editor: Joe Walker Print Source: IFC
Hunger is Steve McQueen’s debut. Sponsored by:
centerpiece screenings
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The Hurt Locker Wednesday, April 1 • 7:00 • The Prince Thursday, April 2 • 2:00 • Ritz 5 Special Advance Screening USA 2008, 130 min
Powerful in both sound and visuals, this suspenseful story of a crack trio of bomb-disposal experts on the hostile streets of Baghdad will get your adrenaline pumping and leave you breathless. It’s remarkable that although we are six years into the U.S.-led military campaign in Iraq, there has been no definitive Iraq war movie released until now. Helmed by visionary director Kathryn Bigelow and based on journalist Mark Boal’s real experiences following bomb disposal experts in Iraq, The Hurt Locker will blow you away. Bomb disposal is a high-stakes, palm-sweating, beatthe-clock exercise in problem solving. Swaggering new sergeant James (Jeremy Renner — also see Lightbulb in the Festival) has a record of 900 defused devices and counting. Following an incident, he joins a highly trained bomb disposal unit where he surprises his two subordinates, Sanborn (Anthony Mackie) and Eldridge (Brian Geraghty), by behaving as if he’s indifferent to death. Psychopathic or heroic, James’s risk-taking creates discord. With less than 40 days left in their rotation before a break from service, Bravo Company will have to learn to trust each other and bond together in order to survive work that has zero margin for error. —Carol Coombes Director: Kathryn Bigelow Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse Screenwriter: Mark Boal Producers: Nicolas Chartier, Greg Shapiro, Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal Cinematographer: Barry Ackroyd Editors: Bob Murawski, Chris Innis Print Source: Summit Entertainment
Kathryn Bigelow’s Filmography: K-19: The Widowmaker (2002); The Weight of Water (2000); Strange Days (1995); Point Break (1991); Blue Steel (1990); Near Dark (1987); The Loveless (1982) Sponsored by:
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09 Moon Friday, March 27 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2 East Coast Premiere Britain 2009, 97 min
In this independent science fiction thriller, Sam Rockwell’s brilliant performance and Duncan Jones’ (David Bowie’s son) expert direction made this one of the must-see films at Sundance this year. Set in the near-future, Sam Bell (Rockwell) is reaching the end of a three year stint harvesting clean energy from the moon’s surface for Earth. With only occasional message transmissions with his wife and daughter, Sam lives in almost complete isolation with robot Gerdy (voiced by Kevin Spacey), who assists with his daily work chores. Hallucinations begin to weave in and out of Sam’s mind and one day he crashes his lunar vehicle into a harvester. He awakes disoriented, but Gerdy is there to help nurse him back to health. As Sam gets back to his daily routine, he notices that he isn’t alone anymore. Writer/director Jones respects and genuinely loves the science fiction movies of days gone by; the influences of 2001, Silent Running and Solaris are definitely here. But Moon is an original creation because it succeeds in carefully balancing a thoughtful, human story with impeccable design and non-intrusive, beautiful special effects. Add Rockwell’s emotionally stirring, multi-layered portrayal of a man grappling with reality, and you have a film that breaks the borders of mainstream science fiction entertainment. —Lewis Tice Director: Duncan Jones Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry, Kaya Scodelario, Malcolm Stewart, Robin Chalk Screenwriter: Nathan Parker (from an original story by Duncan Jones) Producers: Stuart Fenegan, Trudie Styler Cinematographer: Gary Shaw Editor: Nicolas Gaster Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics
Moon is Duncan Jones’ debut. Sponsored by:
centerpiece screenings
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Rock Prophecies Friday, April 3 • 6:45 • I House Sunday, April 5 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 85 min
Filled with interviews of rock guitar luminaries (such as Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana and Slash) and brimming with close-up concert footage, Rock Prophecies is a sure-fire music lover’s delight that chronicles the 40-year career of photographer Robert Knight. In a culture obsessed with the video game “Guitar Hero,” one might think that rock photographer Robert Knight would be a household name, but somehow this gregarious shutterbug, who for 40 years has snapped many of rock’n’roll’s most celebrated performers (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Stevie Ray Vaughn to name a few), remains relatively obscure. John Chester’s highly engaging and entertaining rock doc should change that. Beginning with the death of the legendary Vaughn, whom Knight had just photographed prior to his fateful helicopter crash, we get a revealing glimpse into Knight’s persona as he declares that, while inundated with offers for the photos, he rejected them all as he did not want to profit on the death of a friend. (Oddly, just prior to boarding the ill-fated craft Vaughn had pulled him aside and prophetically told him to be on the lookout for the next great blues guitarist.) Knight is a jovial character, the wayward son of a evangelical minister who at age 18 pursued his passion for rock’n’roll (and guitarists in particular) by talking his way into the Whisky a Go Go to photograph a new band called Led Zeppelin. Since then he has made it his life’s mission to find and photograph new talent as it emerges from the brine of the rock’n’roll seas. Filled with fantastic concert footage and intimate interviews with the likes of Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Slash, Steve Vai and Joe Bonamassa, the film is guaranteed to satisfy guitar enthusiasts and novices alike and is particularly fulfilling for bringing to light a young guitarist from Honeygrove, Texas named Tyler Dow Bryant, who Knight discovered on YouTube and who plays some smokin’ Mississippi Delta Blues. Enjoy! —Eric Moore Director: John Chester Cast: Robert Knight, Jeff Beck, Slash, Carlos Santana, Steve Vai, ZZ Top, Def Leppard, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa, Steve Lukather, Jason Bonham, John 5, James Burton, Duff McKagan, Kerry King Producer: Tim Kaiser Cinematographer: John Chester Editors: John Chester, Amy Wilson Overbeck Print Source: RockDoc, LLC
John Chester’s Filmography: Lost in Woonsocket (2007); Euphoria (2005) (co-director) Special guests from the film will be in attendance at the screening. For further details on an after-party (not confirmed as we are going to print) visit our website www.phillycinefest.com. Program includes the short (before the April 3 screening only):
Q: The Man
(USA, 2008, 36 min, Adam Bardach) Featuring interviews and appearances by Bono, Alicia Keys, Terrence Howard, Rakim, Chris Tucker and even former President Bill Clinton (amongst others), director Adam Bardach pays homage to the ‘Godfather’ role of music legend Quincy Jones in this enlightening documentary.
Sponsored by:
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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS IS PROUD TO HONOR ITS
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
THE QUAY BROTHERS RECIPIENTS OF THE VIS ION AWARD FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACH IEVEMENT IN FILMMAKIN G WWW.UARTS.EDU/GO
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Alfre Woodard The Fade to Black Quest Award Saturday, April 4 • 6:30 • The Prince • Followed by the screening of American Violet (pg. 47) One of the most intense and versatile actresses of her generation, Alfre Woodard has earned an Oscar nomination as well as multiple Emmy wins during her prolific career which has produced a challenging body of work. Focusing primarily, but not exclusively, on drama, she has been celebrated as an undeniably powerful force in films as she frequently plays troubled women with broken pasts in films like Crooklyn (1994) and Down in the Delta (1998). On television she takes on equally demanding roles, garnering accolades for dealing with the African-American experience in movies including James Baldwin’s Go Tell it on the Mountain (1985), The Piano Lesson (1995), and Miss Evers’ Boys (1997). Although she considers herself a working actress rather than a movie star, Woodard’s rich gallery of characterizations - whether rural and poverty-stricken or educated women in positions of power - embody an instinctual savvy and realistic viewpoint that has placed her in a league of her own. Woodard, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, started out her acting career as a “stone-head hippie; semi-black nationalist” graduating from Boston University in 1974, going straight to work and quickly landing a breakthrough role in the 1977 Los Angeles production of the innovative “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf.” After a string of distinguished small screen performances, an unexpected breakthrough occurred when Woodard was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in the film Cross Creek (1983), solidifying her as one of the most successful African-American actresses of the day. From that point on she drew a lot of attention on television, receiving a pair of Emmy Awards for guest work on “Hill Street Blues” (NBC, 1981-87) as the grieving mother of a inner-city youth shot by the police, and “L.A. Law” (NBC, 1986-94) delivering a powerhouse portrayal of a physical assault victim. During the 1990s, Woodard’s film career focused on issue-driven drams like the socially challenging nurse-confidante of a wheelchair-bound actress (Mary McDonnell) in John Sayles’ Passion Fish (1992). The strength of her career has been her consistent inclination to take on culturally resonant work, such as in What’s Cookin? (2000), an ensemble drama that depicts four racially diverse families discussing ethnicity, politics and sexual identity. Speaking of sexual identity, Woodard joined the cast of ABC’s twisted comedic sensation “Desperate Housewives” in 2005, playing Betty Applewhite, a new resident of Wisteria Lane with a mysterious man chained in her basement — she earned another Emmy nomination for her year with the show. Now, with her infinitely expanding popularity, Alfre Woodard’s decision to dedicate her career to some of the most ethically conscious filmmaking today, in films like The Family that Preys (2008) and American Violet, (2008) continues to inspire future African-American artists. —Nicole Ross
Jeff Daniels The Artistic Achievement Award Monday, March 30 • 8:30 • The Prince • Followed by the screening of The Answer Man (pg. 35) In three decades that span leading performances (The Squid and the Whale) and supporting parts (Good Night, and Good luck), comedy (Dumb & Dumber) and drama (Terms of Endearment), blockbusters (Arachnophobia) and indies (The Answer Man, playing in this year’s festival), Jeff Daniels has achieved remarkable success on-screen. As an artist, those accomplishments are just the tip of the iceberg. For 30 years he has remained active onstage as an actor and offstage as a director/playwright and executive director of a not-for-profit professional theatre. Mr. Daniels is also a musician and songwriter who has produced two full-length albums. In honor of his distinguished career, and dogged dedication to the independent spirit, we are proud to present Jeff Daniels with our 2009 Artistic Achievement Award. Born on February 19, 1955 and raised in northern Michigan, Daniels attended Central Michigan University for 3 years, tirelessly performing in student productions, before heading to New York City when he was recruited to join the Circle Repertory Company. On and off Broadway, success and recognition came quickly; in 1981 he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in Lanford Wilson’s Fifth of July. Big breaks continued to come fast and furious when he landed the role of philandering husband Flap Horton in Terms of Endearment, the biggest Oscar winner in 1983. Expanding his range, Daniels elaborated on the dependable type he plays so convincingly in Jonathan Demme’s masterpiece Something Wild. He was at once sound and dependable but with a mischievous look in his eye, handling the film’s transition from comedy to thriller with aplomb. Utilizing his old-fashioned handsomeness, he starred as a smooth movie star in Woody Allen’s delightful depression era fantasy The Purple Rose of Cairo, a role so iconic that Daniels would later appropriate the title when naming his own theatre company. Great directors would continue to seek him out, from Mike Nichols (Heartburn) to Robert Altman (The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial). Two back to back performances might best exhibit his range. Avoiding heroic war clichés in favor of a stunning combination of fear and determination, he anchored the four-hour Civil War epic Gettysburg as Col. Joshua Chamberlain. The next year, he let loose with unknown directors Peter & Bobby Farrelly in the vulgar comedy of the ‘90s, Dumb & Dumber, proving himself the equal of Jim Carrey at the top of his game. Parlaying his success into personal projects, Daniels wrote and directed the film festival hits Escanaba in da Moonlight and Super Sucker.He maintains a strong connection to Michigan where he founded The Purple Rose Theatre Company in 1991, which offers a yearlong apprenticeship for artists entering their career. Apprentices gain experience in every facet of stage production along with maintaining the facilities. Inspiration for The Purple Rose came from Daniels’ experience with the Circle Repertory Company; his generosity undoubtedly comes from someplace deeper.
artistic achievement awards
Brothers Quay
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Vision Award presented by The University of the Arts and Philadelphia Film Festival and CineFest 09 Friday, April 3 • 9:15 • The Prince • Followed by the screening of Instite Benjamenta (pg. 44)
Identical twin brothers Stephen and Timothy Quay were born in Norristown, just outside Philadelphia. The brothers graduated in the late ‘60s from what is now The University of the Arts, Stephen with a degree in illustration and Timothy with one in film. They credit a Polish poster exhibition they saw on their first day at the then Philadelphia College of Art as opening up the world of eastern European art to them. The brothers eventually followed two of their heroes, Jan Lenica and Walerian Borowczyk, both Polish visual artists, in crossing over into animation. The Quays moved to London to attend the Royal College of Art at the urging of a visiting professor. There they met Keith Griffiths, a fellow student who subsequently became their producer, a role he’s occupied to this day. Griffiths and the Quays established a film company, Atelier Koninck, (named after one of their favorite Belgian beers) and began to create one of the most unique bodies of film in the history of cinema. Some of their sublimely executed animated shorts include Street of Crocodiles (1986), Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies (1987), The Comb (From the Museums of Sleep) (1990), In Absentia (2000) and Phantom Museums (2003). The Quays have made two feature-length films, Institute Benjamenta (1995) and The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005). Brothers Quay films resemble sumptuous, little Chinese boxes that the viewer can interact with again and again. Each viewing reveals new insights and connections. The Quays have also directed stunning music videos (for Peter Gabriel, Michael Penn, Tom Waits and Pere Ubu) and clever commercials (from Slurpee, Nikon and Kelloggs to Partnership for a Drug Free America). The Quays’ recent work may have passed below the radar of an American audience, primarily focused as it is on direction and designs for theater, opera and ballet. One of their most recent projects, Eurydice — She, So Beloved (2007), combines film, opera, dance, sculpture and painting to create an utterly unique experience. The Brothers Quay are currently working on an adaptation of Stanislaw Lem’s The Mask. —Ed Waisnis
Sponsored by:
Special Exhibition in conjuction with The Brothers’ Quay appearance at this year’s Festival
Dormitorium, Film “Décors”
by the Bros. Quay (Art and Design @ 50) • February 27 – April 9 Reception with special guests Stephen and Timothy Quay April 3, 5:00pm–8:00pm • Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery (Anderson Hall) Free and open to the public
Eleven original sets (décors) from puppet animation films by the Quay Brothers – Stephen ’69 (Film) and Timothy ’69 (Illustration). The Quay Brothers emigrated to the United Kingdom following graduation from the Philadelphia College of Art and continued their studies at the Royal College of Art in London. Subsequently, they built a career making dark and moody films, often based on or influenced by Eastern European film, literature and music. The exhibition is the first time the décors will be shown in North America.
Pod, a super-chic, futuristic Asian restaurant, offers extraordinary Asian-fusion cuisine served in a fun and thrilling sensory setting. Conveniently located just around the corner, Pod is now extending a
10%
disCount to all Film Fest patrons.
simply present your ticket and receive 10% your entire food purchase.* * Offer only valid for the date shown on your Annenberg Center tickets. One discount per table. Discount applied to your food purchase only and does not include alcohol.
3636 sansom street / 215.387.1803
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Eurydice — She, So Beloved
Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life
A Quay Brothers Sampler
Friday, April 3 • 9:15 • The Prince
Shorts Program • 72 min
Britain 1995, 104 min
Curated by The University of the Arts in association with the Quay Brothers, we are delighted to present early masterpieces in short form by Stephen and Timothy Quay.
Stephen and Timothy Quay have carved out a niche for themselves as preeminent animators, but with 1995’s Institute Benjamenta, they broke new ground for their work — a film without puppets. Playing with fairy tale tropes, especially those of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, and derived from the novella “Jakob von Gunten” (1908) by the Swiss author Robert Walser — who slowly succumbed to schizophrenia in an asylum, and was found dead in a snowy field — Institute Benjamenta, the Quays first feature-length film, vacillates between stark existentialist philosophy and Zen enlightenment. Inside a school that trains servants, the slowly decaying Institute Benjamenta, an eighth-grade student Jakob von Gunten (Mark Rylance) joins and takes his place as its potential prince and savior. The Institute trains Jakob to be subordinate in all things by draining his every impulse for individuality and originality. Eventually, even his ability to daydream fades. The school’s dogmas coalesce in the character of Kraus (Daniel Smith), an exemplar of the Institute’s ideology as the perfect zero. Kraus expects nothing and is willing at any moment to perform any task, innumerable times. He is the perfect organism. Though Jakob’s inability to “do something,” as Kraus begs, thwarts any fairy tale closure we might expect, the Quay’s overarching aesthetic is central to this cautionary tale about the dangers of subordination and desire. —David Spolum Directors: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay Cast: Mark Rylance, Alice Krige, Gottfried John Screenwriters: Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay, Alan Passes (from a novel by Robert Walser) Producers: Keith Griffiths, Karl Baumgartner, Janine Marmot, Katsue Tomiyama Cinematographer: Nicholas D. Knowland Editor: Larry Sider Print Source: Zeitgeist Films
Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay’s Filmography: The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (2005)
Eurydice — She, So Beloved (Britain, 2008, 11 min, Zanaida Yanowsky, Simon Keenlyside, Kenneth Olumuyiwa Tharp) This film constitutes one third of a museum installation that the Quays created gratis to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first opera, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo. Inspired by the poem, “Orpheus. Eurydice. Hermes” by Rainer Maria Rilke, the Quays explore Rilke’s interpretation that Eurydice was relieved not to be led back into the realm of the living. The film follows Orpheus’s sonic descent from a doorway of light, through the scaffolding of Hades, to the side of Eurydice, who has just been re-awakened by his aria.
In Absentia (Britain, 2000, 20 min) This collaboration with Karlheinz Stockhausen creates a realm of palpable madness in which light reveals what we fear but remain curious to discover. Unbeknownst to the Quays, Stockhausen’s mother died in an asylum; during the film’s first screening, he wept.
Stille Nacht I (Britain, 1988, 2 min) The Quays transform dancing iron filings into aesthetic objects, symbolic drifting snow, and Robert Walser’s encroaching madness.
Stille Nacht II (Britain, 1993, 3 min) An attempt to sell useless objects: diabolic ping-pong balls and “socks with only one vocation in life”.
Stille Nacht III (Britain, 1992, 4 min) Explores the genesis of rare, asymmetrical deer horns caused when a bullet wounds one testicle, creating an abnormality in the respective horn’s growth.
Street of Crocodiles Sponsored by:
Preceding the screening The Brothers Quay will receive The Vision Award. (See pg. 43)
Saturday, April 4 • 2:00 • The Prince
(Britain, 1986, 21 min) Inspired by the writings of Bruno Schulz, murdered during the Holocaust, a puppet awakes in a metaphysical labyrinth within a rusty kinetoscope...
This Unnameable Little Broom (Britain, 1985, 11 min) In this reduction of The Epic of Gilgamesh, the “hero” sets a trap to capture and tame the wild man, Enkidu, by sending a temple prostitute to seduce him. —David Spolum
Directors Stephen and Timothy Quay will be in attendance.
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
special presentations
Best of the Backseat Film Festival Showcase
The Perfect Season
Saturday, April 4 • 9:30 • I House
Friday, March 27 • 5:00 • The Prince
Shorts Program
USA 2008, 75 min
2009 not only brings Philadelphia the 7th edition of the Backseat Film Festival, but it also gives us a chance to look back at the history of this long-running Philly-based film festival. Over the years, Backseat has been fortunate and proud to show over 500 of the coolest, edgiest, most exciting films around! This year, the good people at CineFest will be hosting a program of rock’n’roll short films, featuring some of the award winners and crowd favorites from the previous seven years of Backseat, including some winners and local favorites from this year’s screenings. This is a long overdue “best-of-the-best” of this most unique film festival!
The Perfect Season chronicles the Phillies’ journey from spring training through the World Series with exclusive player footage and interviews, as told by the words and deeds of the Phillies team. Narrated by All-Star closer Brad Lidge, this 75-minute feature covers all the highlights of the ’08 campaign; everything from the hard-fought rivalry with the Mets to the incredible September run that brought another National League East title and our second World Championship. Writer/Director Dan Stephenson and 94-year-old baseball historian Jesse Branson (featured in the film) will be in attendance as well as the Phillie Phanatic and, of course, the Phillies World Series Trophy.
“(The Backseat Film Fest) is an absolute must. No Excuses. You don’t go, you miss out BIG TIME!” —Baltimore City Paper
Find out more at www.backseatfilmfestival.com!
Best of the Backseat Film Festival includes: Tyger (USA, 2008, 5 min, Guilherme Marcondes); Man vs Woman (USA, 2006, 14 min, Juan Carlos Vargas); Kabumei: The Art of the Sharpened Grenade (USA, 2006, 5 min, Bob Forward); Full Metal Slacks (USA, 2005, 8 min, Scott Colonico); Robot Bastard (USA, 2002, 17 min, Rob Schrab); TV Head - Family Dinner Party (USA, 2002, 5 min, Kevin Maher); The Hives “Abra Cadaver” (USA, 2008, 2 min, John Michael McCarthy): Arab on Radar “God Is Dad” (USA, 2008, 2 min, Rusty Nails); Riverboat Gamblers “Don’t Bury Me.I’m Still Not Dead” (USA, 2007, 3 min, Christopher Rose); Naked Ape “Fashion Freak” (USA, 2006, 4 min, Eric Althin); The Phenomenauts “Mission” (USA, 2007, 2 min, The Phenomenauts)
The Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival 2009 Winning Shorts The Greater Philadelphia Student Film Festival (GPSFF) is run by college students across the Philadelphia region. Founded in 2006, its goal is to facilitate student film production and celebrate the results at its annual awards ceremony. Preceding The Best of the Backseat Film Festival screening, we will showcase the winners of their film festival in the following categories: Comedy; Drama; Documentary; Animation; Experimental.
Suitable for Families
Director: Dan Stephenson Cast: Narrated by Brad Lidge, featuring the Philadelphia Phillies Screenwriter: Dan Stephenson Producer: Dan Stephenson Print Source: Arts Alliance America
Dan Stephenson’s Filmography: Richie Ashburn: A Baseball Life (2008)
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Sita Sings the Blues Friday, April 3 • 7:00 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 5:00 • Ritz East 1 Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 82 min
A rousing mash-up of shadow puppetry and fullon Technicolor Bollywood splendor, director Nina Paley’s autobiographical, animated concoction explodes on the screen. Our story begins as three shadow puppets, representing Indian gods, narrate the romantic woes of modern woman Nina and mythological diva Sita, whose lives bear a striking resemblance to each other. Nina is an animator living a blissful life in San Francisco with her boyfriend and cat, until said boyfriend’s relocation to India causes a break-up. In the mythic Indian text “Ramayana,” Sita is a goddess separated from her beloved Lord and husband Rama, which also has unfortunate consequences. Mix in energetically, witty ’20s jazz music, toss both women’s stories together and soon you have the most entertaining break-up story ever told. Five years in the making and crafted completely on her PC, Paley’s accomplished film is a labor of love (and loss) with lots of humor and flair. Fusing East-West sensibilities into a mélange of colors, animation styles and high-energy musical numbers, Sita Sings the Blue reminds us that when it comes to a modern woman’s desire for love, a 3,000-year-old story can just be as relevant today. —Lewis Tice Director: Nina Paley Cast: Featuring the Voices of: Annette Hanshaw, Aseem Chhabra, Manish Acharya, Bhavana Nagulapally, Reena Shah, Deepti Gupta, Sanjiv Jhaveri, Pooja Kumar, Debargo Sanyal, Aladdin Ullah, Nitya Vidyasagar Screenwriter: Nina Paley Producer: Nina Paley Cinematographer: Reena Shah Editor: Nina Paley Print Source: Jean Paley
Sita Sings the Blues is Nina Paley’s debut.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
Arts Alliance America
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Pressure Cooker Saturday, March 28 • 6:30 • The Prince Sunday, March 29 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 7:00 • Black Box at Prince Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 99 min
Pressure Cooker is an inspiring look at the work of tough-as-nails teacher Wilma Stephenson and the three catering class students who strive to excel in the kitchen and beyond. Within the first 10 minutes of this awe-inspiring documentary filmed at Frankford High School in Northeast Philadelphia, Culinary Arts instructor Wilma Stephenson lets the students know that passing her class will be no easy feat. Her no-nonsense demeanor (more like that of a boot camp sergeant than that of a public school teacher) and tough-love nature are what immediately draw some students to her. While some will opt out of her class before the first week is even over, the ones that stay will have you cheering for them. Three students in particular (Erica, Dudley and Fatoumata) struggle to compete for scholarships to some of the best culinary colleges while fighting to overcome personal, financial and family difficulties. Documenting two semesters in a video journal style, stress levels both at home and in the classroom build, but the sheer drive and determination of these innercity high school seniors will leave you wishing that there were more audacious characters like Wilma Stephenson and more hard-working students in every classroom. This is a thrilling look at three young adults’ focused drive for success. —Denise Beek Directors: Jennifer Grausman, Mark Becker Featuring: Wilma Stephenson, Fatoumata Dembele, Tyree Dudley, Erica Gaither, Brandon Allen, Stephanie Desir, Latoya Jacobs, Julia Raphaël, William Ray, Nayery Rodriguez-Abreu, Omar Rosado, Jerome Scott, Eugene Thomas, Warren Tinsley. Also Featuring: Chef Wilhemina Bell, Mei Campanella, Coach Mike Capriotti, Quenetta Cooper, Tierra Cooper, Tianna Cooper-Pierce, Diassiqui Dembele, Sheila Dembele, Hasan Dudley, Ariel Gaither, Eric Gaither, Sheryl Gaither, Richard Grausman Producer: Jennifer Grausman Cinematographers: Mark Becker, Justin Schein, Leigh Iacobucci Editor: Mark Becker Print Source: Participant Media
Jennifer Grausman, Mark Becker’s Filmography: Mark Becker: Romántico (2005); Lost Boys of Sudan (2003)
Sponsored by:
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American Violet
Cuttin’ Da Mustard
Mississippi Damned
Saturday, April 4 • 6:30 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 2:30 • The Prince
Tuesday, March 31 • 9:30 • I House Thursday, April 2 • 6:45 • The Bridge Friday, April 3 • 7:45 • Ritz East 1
Wednesday, April 1 • 9:15 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 12:00 • Ritz East 1
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 98 min
Bitterly honest and profoundly subtle writer/ director Tina Mabry draws on her own life experiences to successfully capture the feelings of growing up in a world where opportunities seem to die in a myriad of destructive compulsions. Set in 1986 and 1998, Mississippi Damned is based on the true story of three impoverished kids from a run-down rural community who must navigate their family’s cycle of abuse, addiction and violence. Kari (played by Kylee Russell/Tessa Thompson) is a talented pianist, but she is hiding a dark secret from her family. Kari’s aunt acts as her surrogate mother but she has her own troubles with her husband. Independently struggling to escape their circumstances, each character must decide whether to confront and conquer what has plagued their family for generations or to succumb to that same crippling fate and be forever damned in Mississippi. In Mabry’s carefully observed drama, they are torn between chasing dreams and caring for family members, and sometimes just having a good time gambling away the electric bill money or numbing the pain with alcohol. Resonating with raw emotion, this is a must-see story that has the courage to stand up and champion those who have the courage to be different or free. —Eugene Haynes/ Nicole Ross
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 120 min
This must-see drama will inspire inner strength and a determination to fight for what’s right, even when the odds are stacked against you. Based on actual events that transpired in a small government housing project in Melody, Texas during the 2000 election, director Tim Disney (yes, he is related) delivers a powerful message of faith, justice and truth in this endearing drama. Single working mom Dee Roberts (up-and-coming star Nicole Beharie) finds her life is turned upside down when Calvin Beckett (Michael O’Keefe), an all-powerful district attorney, leads a racially motivated drug raid through the lowincome housing project where she lives with her four young daughters. Aggressively cuffed and dumped in jail, Dee steadfastly refuses to accept a plea bargain that will set her free. Pitted against a cutthroat and uncaring public defender, and with her children’s future in a tug-of-war between their grandmother (Alfre Woodard) and their abusive father, she turns to a local drug-cop-turned-attorney who is determined to prove her innocence and end the discrimination and bias long-waged against the African-American community. —Ernestine Johnston Preceding the April 4 screening, Alfre Woodard will receive the Fade to Black Quest Award and will participate in an onstage discussion of her career. (See pg. 42) Director: Tim Disney Cast: Nicole Beharie, Michael O’Keefe, Alfre Woodard, Xzibit, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, Scott A. Martin, Charles Dutton Screenwriter: Bill Haney Producer: Bill Haney Cinematographer: Steve Yedlin Editor: Nancy Richardson Print Source: IDP/Samuel Goldwyn Films
Tim Disney’s Filmography: Tempesta (2004); A Question of Faith (2000) Sponsored by:
This entertaining and fast-paced independent comedy chronicles the lives, loves, ambitions and fears of a group of young actors in Queens. Aspiring actor Rolo (Tropic Thunder’s Brandon T. Jackson in his first starring role) feels misunderstood when he reenacts a classic monologue from Menace II Society at a Shakespearean acting class, so he enrolls at the smaller Queens theater company. There he meets a mixed bag of dreamers, all confident they’ve got what it takes to make it in show business, including his best friend Patrick (Lil’ Zane) and a Nuyorican hottie named Erma (Adrienne Bailon of “The Cheetah Girls”). When the company’s director (Half and Half’s Chico Benymon) leaves for a sitcom gig, Rolo is asked to take over and keep everyone’s dream alive. But before he can do this, he must overcome some very serious personal obstacles and prove he has what it takes to “cut the mustard.” An entertaining and polished debut, writer/director Reed R. McCants’ autobiographical feature that was 12 years in the making includes strong ensemble acting from some of our brightest young stars (including a grownup Keisha Knight Pulliam from The Cosby Show) and solid appearances by Hollywood veterans like Charles S. Dutton and Sinbad. Cuttin’ Da Mustard is a smart independent comedy that the whole family will enjoy. —Michael Dennis Director: Reed R. McCants Cast: Brandon T. Jackson, Debra Wilson, Adrienne Bailon, Sinbad, Chico Benymon, Wesley Jonathan, Charles S. Dutton, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Lil’ Zane Screenwriter: Reed R. McCants Producers: Neema Barnette, Bonita Brisker, Daisy Lawrence, Reed R. McCants, Kimberly Ogletree, Raymond Reed Cinematographer: Joseph W. Calloway Editors: George Artope, Debra I. Moore Print Source: Reed McCants
East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 120 min
Director: Tina Mabry Cast: Adam Clark, Malcolm Goodwin, Chasity Kershal Hammitte, Michael Hyatt, Malcolm David Kelley, Kylee Russell, Tonea Stewart, Jossie Harris Thacker, Tessa Thompson, Simbi Kali Williams, D.B. Woodside Screenwriter: Tina Mabry Producers: Lee V. Stiff, Morgan R. Stiff Cinematographer: Bradford Young Editor: Morgan R. Stiff Print Source: Morgan’s Mark
Mississippi Damned is Tina Mabry’s debut.
Cuttin’ Da Mustard is Reed R. McCants’s debut.
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Number One with a Bullet
Phantom Punch
Sugar
Tuesday, March 31 • 7:00 • The Prince
Monday, March 30 • 7:00 • Ritz 5
Sunday, March 29 • 9:30 • The Prince Thursday, April 2 • 4:45 • The Prince
Special Advance Screening USA 2008, 104 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 120 min
Director Robert Townsend connects us with a little boxing history that may have been overshadowed by the phenomenon that succeeded it. The right hook that led to the quote “I shook up the world! I’m pretty! I’m a baaaad man!” was a punch that no one actually saw land. Long before the days of slow motion and playback, the Phantom Punch that took out the most punishing heavyweight boxing champions of record may reveal more about the complex character of Sonny Liston outside of the ring in which it was landed than in it. The mob ties, the lurid affairs, the conflicts with law enforcement and a silent craving for acceptance are colorfully depicted in this film set in the early 1960s. Ving Rhames is the Sonny Liston you love to hate and root for all at once. Nicholas Turturro channels Liston’s hot-headed manager, Caesar Novak, and Stacey Dash (as Geraldine Liston) reveals mature, emotional depth in this keenly insightful story that inspires empathy, disappointment, joy, pain and a series of unanswered questions. Did he really throw the fight? A heroin overdose, really? What happened to a once proud, healthy, champion? This is a treat for boxing fans. —Nicole Ross
Sugar tells the story of a Dominican teenager’s journey from poverty to self-realization. Miguel “Sugar” Santos (Algenis Perez Soto), like many other Dominicans his age, hopes that his exceptional talent as a baseball player will save him and his family from poverty. After years of grueling training, Miguel finally earns a chance to fulfill his dreams: a scout recruits him to pitch for a minor league team in Bridgetown, Iowa. After a cheerful farewell from his expectant community, Miguel faces many challenges both on and off the field in his new home. While his host family is warm and welcoming, he feels out of place in rural America. As his feelings of isolation increase, Miguel soon begins to question the validity of his once-certain dreams. Fleck and Boden resist the conventions of the generic sports movie or fish-out-of-water tale in this realist drama, which combines naturalist acting and beautifully constructed cinematography on the backdrop of America’s favorite pastime. (English and Spanish with English subtitles) —Elena J. Bonomo
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2009, 101 min
Featuring Ice Cube, Fat Joe, The Last Mr. Bigg and many other talented and charismatic rapstars who have all survived the deadly impact of a bullet. While hip hop has greatly influenced the behavior and culture of young, urban Black America, the violence perpetrated in some of its lyrics is just as sociopathic and horrifying as the plot of any slasher film, old-time Western or action-packed espionage thriller…and therein lies the debate. Are the rappers to blame for being irresponsible? Are the record labels that sign and promote this talent to blame for the content? Is society to blame? Renowned poet Nikki Giovanni and the original gangsta rap financier Jerry Heller both provide honest perspectives. Hip hop pioneers KRS-One, Ice Cube and B-Real put into context the biggest influence of all — poverty. The poverty that inspired NWA in Compton is the same that inspired Mobb Deep in Brooklyn and that brings this story full circle back to Philadelphia as the Temple University Hospital Trauma Unit takes center stage. This is not just a tale about rappers talking about being shot — this documentary examines the inertia that, tragically, perpetuates the deadly cycle. —Nicole Ross Director: Jim Dziura Cast: Young Buck, Ice Cube, Mos Def, KRS-One, Obie Trice, Prodigy, Damon Dash, Fat Joe, Jerry Heller, Nikki Giovanni, 40 Glocc, The Last Mr. Bigg, Louis Freese Screenwriters: Jim Dziura, Joshua Krause Producer: Joshua Krause Cinematographer: Jeff Bollman Editors: Jim Dziura, Farah Khalid Print Source: QD3 Entertainment
Jim Dziura’s Filmography: Whiskey on a Sunday (2006)
Director: Robert Townsend Cast: Ving Rhames, Stacey Dash, Nicholas Turturro, Alan Van Sprang, Bridgette Wilson, David Proval, Gord Rand, Rick Roberts, Jennifer Donison, Joseph Motiki Screenwriter: Ryan Combs Producers: Marek Posival, Ving Rhames, Hassain Zaidi Cinematographer: John Dyer Editor: Michael Doherty Print Source: Cinesavvy
Robert Townsend’s Filmography: [Selected] Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy (2009); Black Listed (2003); Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001); Holiday Heart (2000); Livin’ for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000); Little Richard (2000); Up, Up, and Away! (2000); B.A.P.S. (1997); The Meteor Man (1993); The Five Heartbeats (1991); Eddie Murphy Raw (1987); Hollywood Shuffle (1987)
Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Cast: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, Andre Holland, Michael Gaston, Jaime Tirelli, Jose Rijo, Ann Whitney, Richard Bull, Ellary Porterfield, Alina Vargas, Kelvin Leonardo Garcia, Joendy Peña Brown Screenwriters: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck Producers: Paul Mezey, Jamie Patricof, Jeremy Kipp Walker Cinematographer: Andrij Parekh Editor: Anna Boden Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Filmography: Half Nelson (2006); Young Rebels (2005)
Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
fade to black
Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai
Tyson
Monday, March 30 • 7:00 • WHYY Studio
Mike Tyson is the subject and executive producer of this docu-biography, which – dare we say it? – really packs a punch. In Tyson, the ultimate tough guy describes growing up on the mean streets of New York, where his first bout was over one of his pet pigeons. Constant bullying coupled with his life of broken homes, crime, and correctional facilities honed his fighting skills, and an unusual tenacity and willingness to learn from the champs contributed to his impulse to destroy opponents with rapid-fire punches in the boxing ring. Filmmaker James Toback (Two Girls and a Guy, Black and White), tracks Tyson’s rise to the big time and his fall from grace as personal struggles –including multiple marriages and a rape conviction -– make him lose almost everything. For all of his bad luck, Tyson feels like a victim. (He says he had to bite off Evander Holyfield’s ear to stop his humiliating head-butts.) Always game for a rematch, the champ is currently enjoying a second wind — he was the toast of the town when Tyson played at Sundance this year. What’s he up to these days? “I’m trying to stay clean, trying to stay sober — and trying to stay out of trouble.” —Brenda Benthien
Sunday, March 29 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2 East Coast Premiere USA 2008, 90 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 81 min
ITVS, WHYY and Philadelphia Film Festival and CineFest Present a Community Cinema Special Event Premiere of Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai. Taking Root follows Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai in her quest to help village women regain the basic resources of water, firewood and food through the simple act of planting trees. This led to environmental improvements, community action and political justice that helped bring down Kenya’s 24-year dictatorship. As Maathai articulates: “It is the people who must save the environment. It is the people who must make their leaders change. And we cannot be intimidated. So we must stand up for what we believe in.” (English and Swahili with English subtitles) —Cindy Bernstein
A Q&A with Lisa Merton, co-producer/ director, will follow the film. This event is a co-presentation with the African Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. Taking Root is coming to the Emmy Award–winning PBS series Independent Lens in April 2009. Directors: Lisa Merton and Alan Dater Cast: Wangari Maathai, Lilian Wanjiru Njehu, Kamoji Wachiira, Veristine Mbaya, Ngorongo Makanga Producers: Lisa Merton, Alan Dater Cinematographer: Alan Dater Editors: Mary Lampson, Tom Haneke, Jim Klein, Print Source: Marlboro Productions
Lisa Merton, Alan Dater’s Filmography: The World in Claire’s Classroom (2000); Home to Tibet (1996); Bridge of Fire (1991); Wolf Kahn: Landscape Painter (1989); Blanche: A Profile of Blanche Honegger Moyse (1986); The Stuff of Dreams (1976) Sponsored by:
Director: James Toback Cast: Mike Tyson Screenwriter: James Toback Producers: Damon Bingham, James Toback, Mike Tyson, Harlan Werner Cinematographer: Larry McConkey Editor: Aaron Yanes Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics
James Toback’s Filmography: When Will I Be Loved (2004); Harvard Man (2001); Black and White (1999); Two Girls and a Guy (1997); The Big Bang (1989); The Pick-up Artist (1987); Exposed (1983); Love and Money (1982); Fingers (1978)
Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love Friday, April 3 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 Saturday, April 4 • 2:45 • Ritz East 2 Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 102 min
A treat for lovers of world music and Afro-pop, this heartfelt documentary follows legendary Senegalese crooner Youssou N’Dour through his struggles with his 2004 Grammy Award-winning release, “Egypt.” N’Dour spent the ’80s and ’90s putting West African pop music on the map through his collaborations with Peter Gabriel, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Neenah Cherry and dozens of other notables. In 2000, he set out to pay tribute to the Egyptian Sufi mystics and poets who had brought Islam to his native Senegal. He crafted a departure album (“Egypt”), eschewing his familiar Afro-pop rhythms for strings-laden Arabic orchestrations. The result was remarkable, but his timing was terrible. Slated for release just weeks after the attacks of 9/11, a tribute to Islam, he decided, was not what the world wanted. Vasarhelyi’s documentary is a treat, offering up plenty of excellent concert performances while also rendering an affectionate portrait of an extraordinary musician and selfconfident political activist who, despite being dubbed as “perhaps the most famous singer in the world” by Rolling Stone, is as easy-going greeting West African cabbies on the streets of Manhattan as he is hanging with Bono at Live 8. (English, French, Wolof and Arabic with English subtitles) —Eric Moore Director: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Cast: Youssou N’Dour, Fathy Salama, Kabou Guèye, Peter Gabriel, Moustapha Mbaye Screenwriter: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Producers: Sarah Price, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi Cinematographers: Scott Duncan, Nick Doob, Jojo Pennebaker, Hugo Berkeley Editors: Jonathan Oppenheim, Fernando Villena Print Source: Chai Vasarhelyi
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi’s Filmography: A Normal Life (2003) Sponsored by:
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Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
50
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
american independents
From low budget discoveries to minimajor presentations, this selection of films offer a sampling of the state of American independent cinema today.
Burning Plain Thursday, April 2 • 7:00 • The Prince Saturday, April 4 • 2:30 • Ritz 5 East Coast Premiere USA 2008, 111 min
Messy relationships have been central to Guillermo Arriaga’s art as a screenwriter, as has his penchant for a certain narrative disconnect that brings disparate pieces together –- these qualities are what drive his fascinating first film as a director. People are complicated. So why are so many movies about them pat and uncomplicated? Enter Mexico’s Guillermo Arriaga, who in his previous incarnation penned scripts for Alejandro González Iñárritu and Tommy Lee Jones that investigated the confusions and contradictions that drive most of us, while examining how both the past and geography can impact the present. Arriaga brings this mastery of psychoanalysis, time and place-shifting to The Burning Plain, his first feature-length film (after previously dabbling in shorts). His subject, not surprisingly, is human relationships in all their madding forms –- relationships between men and women, parents and children, relationships past and present, relationships from a distance and up close. The result is a puzzle whose pieces, at first, are still askew. Arriaga’s trademark fragmented writing style challenges his excellent cast and, as a director of actors, he brings out the best in Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger and newcomer Jennifer Lawrence. —Joe Baltake Director: Guillermo Arriaga Cast: Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Joaquim de Almeida, Robin Tunney, Brett Cullen, Danny Pino, José María Yazpik, Jennifer Lawrence, J.D. Pardo, Tessa Ia, Diego J. Torres Screenwriter: Guillermo Arriaga Producers: Walter Parkes, Laurie MacDonald Cinematographers: Robert Elswit, John Toll Editor: Craig Wood Print Source: Magnolia Pictures
Burning Plain is Guillermo Arriaga’s debut.
Sponsored by:
american independents
The Brothers Bloom
Children of Invention
Goodbye Solo
Monday, March 30 • 2:15 • Ritz 5 Tuesday, March 31 • 9:15 • The Prince
Saturday, March 28 • 2:30 • The Prince Saturday, April 4 • 12:30 • The Bridge Sunday, April 5 • 4:00 • Black Box at Prince
Monday, March 30 • 7:00 • Ritz East 2 Tuesday, March 31 • 2:15 • Ritz East 2
Special Advance Screening USA 2008, 109 min
The Bloom brothers Stephen and Bloom (Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody) are con men extraordinaire in this lavish rollicking highoctane caper film and road movie. The lads who staged the Great Train Robbery had nothing on these guys, and even Bernie Madoff’s international wheelings and dealings pale in comparison to the antics of the Brothers Bloom. From Athens to Prague, Mexico to Saint Petersburg, the brothers’ latest and greatest con will also be their most spectacular. Stephen and Bloom got their start as Dickensian orphans with nothing but their wits and each other. Mentored in craftiness as mere boys by a Fagin figure (Maximilian Schell), they have long since perfected their art. Stephen cooks up intricate larcenous scenarios and Bloom is the enactor. Tired of the racket, the more sensitive Bloom wants to call it quits, and Stephen promises this will be their final act. In need of a mark to bankroll their operation, the boys focus on Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a quirky heiress based in exotic New Jersey. Enthralled by the thought of some action, she agrees to give them money, but only if they take her along on the job. When Penelope and Bloom become more than just co-conspirators, the plot begins to thicken. —Brenda Benthien Director: Rian Johnson Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi, Maximilian Schell, Robbie Coltrane Screenwriter: Rian Johnson Producers: Ram Bergman, James D. Stern Cinematographer: Steve Yedlin Editor: Gabriel Wrye Print Source: Summit Entertainment
Rian Johnson’s Filmography: Brick (2005)
East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 92 min
Two Asian-American children are left to fend for themselves when their mother goes missing in director Tze Chun’s accomplished, semiautobiographical feature. Single mother Elaine Cheng lives outside Boston with her two young children, Raymond and Tina. Broke and struggling (dad, who lives in Hong Kong, is a deadbeat), the family is evicted from their house, but with a friend’s help they end up squatting in an unoccupied apartment complex. When a seemingly lucrative opportunity arises — a pyramid scheme of incredibly dubious merit — Elaine naively signs up. She proves an effective recruit but when she goes to collect her first paycheck, she disappears. Left with nothing but ramen noodles and in danger of being found alone in the apartment, Raymond takes Tina into the city so he can withdraw his savings of $300 to buy materials to fabricate his own invention — a spaghetti twirler made with a plastic fork and hand-held fan — and sell it for big money. Chun’s superbly acted indie is by turns suspenseful, funny, heartbreaking and inspirational, representing the good, bad, selfish and compassionate within our multicultural society. —Lawrence Ferber Director: Tze Chun Cast: Cindy Cheung, Michael Chen, Crystal Chiu Screenwriter: Tze Chun Producers: Mynette Louie, Trevor Sagan Cinematographer: Chris Teague Editor: Anna Boden Print Source: Mynette Louie
Children of Invention is Tze Chun’s debut. Program includes the short:
The Moth and the Firefly
(USA, 2008, 5 min, Aron Epstein, Daniel Stedman) A beautifully simple animated fairy tale about a moth in search of a light to call its own.
Sponsored by:
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Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 91 min
From Ramin Bahrani, one of the most distinctive voices working in American independent cinema today, comes this absorbing, touching drama of a Senegalese immigrant’s relationship with a man determined to kill himself. Award-winning Iranian-American filmmaker Ramin Bahrani’s (Man Push Cart, Chop Shop) interest has long been in the lives and resolve of working-class people (mostly immigrants and people of color) and their struggles to succeed in America. In his third feature, talkative and effervescently optimistic Solo (Souléymane Sy Savané) — a Senegalese immigrant married to a Mexican woman — drives a taxi in North Carolina. He may not have much, but sees only bright possibilities in the future. That view is challenged when he picks up William (Red West), a grumpy and disheveled white man in his 60s with a dark, almost impenetrable secret. Much to William’s annoyance (even anger), Solo instantly befriends him; when he is thrown out of his home, he actually moves into a seedy motel room with William. When Solo realizes that the man is planning his suicide, he feels compelled to talk him out of it. And here it is: the American Dream — is it something that still shines bright, or is it about to be extinguished? This is an engrossing, intimate and rewarding drama from an independent filmmaker with a unique filmic voice. —Raymond Murray Director: Ramin Bahrani Cast: Souléymane Sy Savané, Red West, Diana Franco Galindo Screenwriters: Bahareh Azimi, Ramin Bahrani Producers: Jason Orans, Ramin Bahrani Cinematographer: Michael Simmonds Editor: Ramin Bahrani Print Source: Roadside Attractions
Ramin Bahrani’s Filmography: Chop Shop (2007); Man Push Cart (2005); Strangers (2000)
Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
52
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Lightbulb
The Merry Gentleman
Saving Grace B. Jones
Wednesday, April 1 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 7:30 • The Prince
Saturday, March 28 • 5:15 • The Bridge Sunday, March 29 • 7:00 • Ritz East 1
Saturday, March 28 • 7:15 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, March 29 • 12:15 • The Prince
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2009, 88 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 110 min
World Premiere USA 2009, 95 min
Witty, charming and smart, Lightbulb is the story of two dreamers on a search for “the” idea that will make them rich. Have you ever had a dream and ran with it? A seriously funny drama, Lightbulb is the story of two men who refuse to simply give up. Matt (Dallas Roberts), the inventor, and Sam (Jeremy Renner), the salesman, owned a struggling gift company. Long on ideas and short on cash, these two best friends longed to find the one invention that would make them rich. After Matt’s long-suffering wife gave up, and there were just too many bills, the two folded up shop and got real jobs. While hammering nails during the day, Matt still dreamed up gadget ideas and a different life. All that changes when Matt brainstorms a wacky invention that just might sell, if only he can convince some investors. Directed with a crisp visual style, written with superb wit and acted with natural charm, Lightbulb is one of the most exciting low-budget indies we’ve seen in some time. In a film buzzing with positive energy, you’ll be rooting for these guys, too. —Scott Cranin
Prolific actor Michael Keaton (who achieved superstardom in the early ‘90s as the caped crusader Batman) has one foot behind the camera and the other in front in this comedic dark drama set on the streets of a Christmassy Chicago. Set against a chillingly cold backdrop, three loners’ lives collide when a suicidal killer is saved from his own staged death. Kate (Kelly McDonald, No Country for Old Men) is a battered wife running away from an abusive marriage seeking anonymity and a fresh start in a new city. Frank (Keaton), a lonewolf hit-man with a hacking cough, made worse by the inclement weather is seriously contemplating his future. Dave (Tom Bastounes) a dishevelled alcoholic detective is looking for love and thinks he’s found it when a pretty woman gets accidentally involved in a murder investigation. While the themes of isolation, discovery and learning to love oneself (and others) are paramount to this story, the film’s greatest strength are found in the deep silences and powerful emotions these seasoned actors bring to bear on each of their characters. Beautifully lensed by veteran cinematographer Chris Seager, this redemptive romantic fable proves that love can be found even in the most unexpected of places.—Noelle Reilly
Connie Stevens steps away from her pervasive image and moves behind the camera for this companionable, old-fashioned melodrama about a small-town Missouri family thrown for a loop when the titular Grace comes home. First, full disclosure: I’m crazy about Connie Stevens. Her performance in Delmer Daves’ Susan Slade (1961) is an unheralded triumph, expressively internal and timorous, and her Cricket Blake on the TV series Hawaiian Eye is downright iconic. A seriously underrated performer, Stevens has experimented with directing – first with A Healing, a 1997 documentary about nurses who served in Vietnam, and now with her first narrative, the Missouri-set Saving Grace B. Jones, an old-fashioned ’50s melodrama, in which Tatum O’Neal delivers an affecting comeback performance as Grace, a troubled woman reconnecting with her family following years of institutionalization. Reminiscent of the work of William Inge, Stevens’ movie is handsomely filmed and boasts a cast that includes Piper Laurie, Penelope Ann Miller, Michael Biehn, Scott Wilson and Joel Gretsch as a guy who was once married to Grace for a day. Stevens, seemingly the eternal starlet, is now 70 and with Saving Grace B. Jones, perhaps her career will be rediscovered/redefined, affording her the credit she so richly deserves. With the world premiere of her new film in our lineup we are sure to build on the buzz recently created on Dave Kehr’s essential blog. —Joe Baltake
Director: Jeff Balsmeyer Cast: Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner, Ayelet Zurer, Marguerite Moreau, Amanda Anka, Richard Kind, Eddie Jemison, Judith Scott Screenwriter: Mike Cram Producer: Mike Cram Print Source: Pacific Productions
Jeff Balsmeyer’s Filmography: Danny Deckchair (2003) Program includes the short:
Downtown Train
Director: Michael Keaton Cast: Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald, Tom Bastounes, Darlene Hunt, Guy Van Swearingen, William Dick, Bobby Cannavale Screenwriter: Ron Lazzeretti Producer: Steven A. Jones Cinematographer: Chris Seager Editors: Howard E. Smith, Grant Myers Print Source: IDP/Samuel Goldwyn Films
(USA, 2008, 4 min, Todd Kormarnicki) A beautiful woman breaks social rules on the NYC subway in this very funny short.
The Merry Gentleman is Michael Keaton’s debut.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
Director: Connie Stevens Cast: Michael Biehn, Tatum O’Neal, Joel Gretsch, Penelope Ann Miller, Evie Thompson, Melinda Chilton, Rylee Fansler, Tricia Leigh Fisher Screenwriter: Connie Stevens Producers: Ralph S. Singleton, Connie Stevens Cinematographer: Denis Maloney Editor: Clarinda Wong Print Source: Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens’s Filmography: A Healing: Women of Vietnam (1997)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
american independents
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visit any of our 4 locations and get
25%off
any purchase*! expires Thursday April 16th 2009 at 11:59pm.
Sun Dogs
Surveillance
Saturday, March 28 • 9:45 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, March 29 • 2:45 • The Prince
Saturday, April 4 • 9:30 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 2:30 • Ritz 5
East Coast Premiere USA 2008, 91 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA, Germany 2008, 98 min
Booze, blood and fireworks converge in this offbeat romance set in post-Katrina New Orleans. Michael (Matt Palumbo) is an aimless alcoholic on break from his teaching job, currently selling blood in exchange for hip flasks of bourbon. His new (old) house, on a sinking foundation, serves as a resting place for his head and his still-packed possessions. Through the haze he manages to mentor Andy (Tyler Chetta), a latchkey kid with an inquisitive mind and a pyromaniac’s interest in blowing shit up. A regular trip to the local karaoke bar leads to a chance meeting with the feisty Ashley (Christina DeRosier). Her tryst with Michael becomes an odd-couple relationship that mirrors young Andy’s previous female tribulations. Writer-director Jason Affolder, also an accomplished photographer, contributes an expert eye and sense of place that’s rarely seen in mainstream cinema. Having lived in New Orleans for years, he presents a city we don’t see in news reports: a shrunken but vibrant and sprawling metropolis filled with characters no different from people you already know. Great chemistry between Palumbo and DeRosier, a delightful setting on the bayou, and a cinematic vision reminiscent of early David Gordon Green are enough to make you think summer is coming a bit early this year. —David Gorgos Director: Jason Affolder Cast: Tyler Chetta, Christina DeRosier, Matt Palumbo, Melo Matus, Rebecca Guy, Devin Wallgren, Erin Allen Screenwriter: Jason Affolder Producers: Jason Affolder, Giachery Parkes Cinematographer: Randy Perez Editor: Bargus Mortimer Print Source: Gargantuan Motion Pictures
Sun Dogs is Jason Affolder’s debut.
When a series of shocking and grotesque murders disrupts the normally tranquil open plains of America’s heartland, the FBI is called in to piece together the three survivors’ very different stories. When two FBI agents, played by Julia Ormond (Smilla’s Sense of Snow) and Bill Pullman (Phoebe in Wonderland), arrive at the police station of a remote rural town, the reception from the local authorities is less than warm. They have been called in to invesigate the sudden outbreak of a killing spree that has left a trail of destruction and just three eyewitnesses: a police officer, a drug addict and an eight-year-old girl (played superbly by Ryan Simpkins of Revolutionary Road.) Through their statements, we learn the innocent are not as blameless as they initially seem to be. As the story slowly unfolds through flashbacks and personal narrative, the truth seems to grow increasingly lost in a series of compelling subplots, trapping the audience in a voyeuristic haze. Director Jennifer Lynch (daughter of David and director of Boxing Helena) builds the tension very subtly, until a barrage of twists and turns hit you like a car crash. When the dust settles, Surveillance will leave you a bit dazed and confused as to where exactly your sympathies lie. —Noelle Reilly
*Discount excludes Blu-ray players and special items. One coupon per customer. Must present coupon at time of purchase. This offer expires Thursday April 16th 2009 at 11:59pm.
Director: Jennifer Lynch Cast: Julia Ormond, Bill Pullman, Pell James, Ryan Simpkins, French Stewart, Kent Harper, Kyle Briere, Hugh Dillon, Michael Ironside, Cheri Oteri Screenwriters: Kent Harper, Jennifer Lynch Producers: Kent Harper, Marco Mehlitz, David Michaels Cinematographer: Peter Wunstorf Editor: Daryl K. Davis Print Source: Arclight Films
Jennifer Lynch’s Filmography: Boxing Helena (1993) Sponsored by:
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
world focus Culled from over 1,500 films, these international dramas, romances, thrillers and actioners showcase the best of international filmmaking.
Mommy Is at the Hairdresser’s Maman est chez le coiffeur Friday, March 27 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 Saturday, March 28 • 2:30 • Ritz 5 Sunday, March 29 • 5:00 • The Bridge Philadelphia Premiere Canada 2008, 97 min
Director Léa Pool (Set Me Free, Lost and Delirious) shows a keen eye for detail in this breezy French-Canadian period piece full of serious dramatic elements as well as youth and spirited freedom. It’s 1966 in a picturesque Montreal suburb and three children — Élise, Coco and Benoit — are on summer holiday. On the surface, family life is cookie-cutter perfect. Mom ably juggles domestic duties while maintaning her career as a journalist. Dad is a specialist in tropical diseases but always has time for Benoit’s constant barrage of questions. And while Coco is lost in his own world in the garage, Élise has ahead of her a hot summer of running barefoot through cornfields and partaking in kissing competitions. Scratch just below the surface and the relationship between the two adults is as cold as a popsicle. When Élise challenges her mother to eavesdrop on a secret telephone call involving her father, Élise’s rose-tinted view of the world is forever changed. Drawing on a rich palette of supporting characters that includes the ginger-haired mechanic’s son who insists gas, not blood, runs through his veins; twins who dress alike and speak in unison; and Mr. Fly, the strange deaf neighbor who lives in a trailer, Pool offers a skewed view of the world seen through the eyes of a young woman who, in coming of age, realizes the value of protecting the ones you love. (French with English subtitles) —Carol Coombes Director: Léa Pool Cast: Céline Bonnier, Laurent Lucas, Marianne Fortier, Gabriel Arcand Screenwriter: Isabelle Hébert Producers: Lyse Lafontaine, Michel Mosca Cinematographer: Daniel Jobin Editor: Dominique Fortin Print Source: Seville Pictures International
Léa Pool’s Filmography: The Blue Butterfly (2004); Lost and Delirious (2001); Emporte-moi (Set Me Free) (1999); Gabrielle Roy (1998); Mouvements du désir (Desire in Motion) (1994); La Demoiselle sauvage (The Savage Woman) (1991); Hotel Chronicles (1990); À corps perdu (Straight for the Heart) (1988); Anne Trister (1986); La Femme de l’hôtel (A Woman in Transit) (1984); Strass Café (1980)
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world focus
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Bitter & Twisted
The Chaser
The Country Teacher
Wednesday, April 1 • 7:00 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 Friday, April 3 • 5:30 • Ritz East 1
Chugyeogja
Venkovský Ucitel
Monday, March 30 • 9:15 • Ritz East 2 Wednesday, April 1 • 4:45 • Ritz 5
Friday, March 27 • 9:15 • Ritz 5 Sunday, March 29 • 2:15 • Ritz 5
Philadelphia Premiere Australia 2008, 90 min
Philadelphia Premiere South Korea 2008, 125 min
An emotionally powerful family drama about a suburban Sydney family and how the unexpected death of a son affects them. Made by 28-year-old Christopher Weekes, Bitter & Twisted offers a much more insightful and mature look at family dynamics and repressed emotions than one would expect from someone so young. It is three years since the unexpected death of their son Liam and the Lombard family, living in a sunny suburban Sydney, remain trapped in their own individual emotional shock. Mother Penelope (Noni Hazelhurst) is delusional (a false pregnancy) and seeks sexual comfort with a much younger man – a man of her dead son’s age; lonely father Jordan is quickly gaining weight and his false joviality at his car salesman job is beginning to break; the surviving brother Ben (director Weekes) is sexually confused and becomes uncomfortably close his brother’s former girlfriend. With surprisingly little dialogue, what life remains from these emotionally damaged people is revealed in a startlingly assured observational fashion. The film’s evocative soundtrack includes songs by Marianne Faithful. —Raymond Murray
A violent, action-packed crime thriller about a serial killer and the lowlife pimp forced to act as vigilante. A huge popular hit in Korea. Winner of seven 2008 Korean Film Awards (including best picture, best actor for Kim Yun-suk, best screenplay, best director) and a box office hit in South Korea, this hyperventilating crime thriller grabs the viewers throat and refuses to unclench for two hours. Set in the dark, rain-soaked streets of Seoul, former police officer turned pimp Jung-ho (Kim Yun-Suk) is getting increasingly angry when several of his girls have gone missing, possibly murdered by a serial killer who delights in taunting the buffoonish police. What makes the film so interesting is that the young killer Young-min (Time’s Ha Jung-woo) is revealed quite early in the film and even confesses to his crimes to the police. But with no evidence, he is released and the lowlife pimp becomes an obsessive vigilante trying to track him down. Fierce action, violence and suspense in this noirish film. See the original before it is watered down by a planned Warner Bros. remake. (Korean with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Philadelphia Premiere Czech Republic, Germany, France 2008, 113 min
Director: Christopher Weekes Cast: Noni Hazlehurst, Steve Rodgers, Leeanna Walsman, Gary Sweet, Matt Newton, Christopher Weekes Screenwriter: Christopher Weekes Producer: Bridget Callow Cinematographer: Sam Collins Editor: Simon Wright Print Source: Odin’s Eye Entertainment
Bitter & Twisted is Christopher Weekes’ debut.
Director: Na Hong-jin Cast: KimYun-suk, Ha Jung-woo, Sea Yeonghie Screenwriters: Hong Won-Chan, Lee Shinho, Na Hong-jin Producers: Kim Sujin, Yon In-beom Cinematographer: Lee Sung-je Editor: Kim Sun-min Print Source: IFC
The Chaser is Na Hong-jin’s debut.
A poignant and affecting drama about a repressed gay schoolteacher who moves to a Czech farming village and befriends a lonely widow and her teenage son. A lonely, closeted city teacher escapes to the Czech countryside in search of a new life in this tender, poignant drama. Dark-haired, bespectacled and painfully shy, young natural sciences teacher Petr (Pavel Liška) inexplicably leaves a prestigious Prague school to work with students in a small school in the countryside. The farmers and villagers are perplexed but quickly accept him into their community. Among them is widow Marie (Zuzana Bydžovská), who, with her 17-year-old son, rigorously tends a farm. The young man becomes friends with the woman, but romance does not develop, much to Marie’s disappointment. It soon becomes clear that the painfully unhappy Petr is gay but fears that that he cannot tell a soul, especially the conservative villagers. But an indiscretion on his part threatens to destroy all that he has worked for. Vividly drawn, complex characters (including some memorable supporting ones); the beautiful Czech countryside; and themes such as the fear of intimacy, and the search for affection, acceptance and redemption make this both an entertaining and affecting story. (Czech with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Bohdan Sláma Cast: Pavel Liška, Zuzana Bydžovská, Ladislav Šedivý, Marek Daniel, Tereza Voríšková Screenwriter: Bohdan Sláma Producers: Pavel Strnad, Petr Oukropec Print Source: Film Movement
Bohdan Sláma’s Filmography: Stestí (Something Like Happiness) (2005); Divoké vcely (The Wild Bees) (2001) Sponsored by:
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
The Equation of Love and Death
Eldorado Friday, March 27 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, March 29 • 7:15 • The Bridge
Li Mi de Cai Xiang
Philadelphia Premiere Belgium 2008, 85 min
Rarely does a film successfully combine elements of melancholy and personal loneliness with existential absurdness and surreal humor, but the Belgian-made Eldorado does so — and entertainingly succeeds. Far from your typical European fare, this delightfully weird existential road movie follows two misfits as they venture through a strangely American Westlike Belgium. Bungling, rail-thin loner Elie (Fabrice Adde) tries to burgle the mobile home of the portly auto dealer Yvan (director Bouli Lanners). Caught in the act, Yvan instead takes pity and decides to drive Elie back to his parent’s house in Yvan’s gigantic 1970s Chevrolet. It is then, as the two “buddies” begin a trip through an increasingly bizarre Belgium, that their journey becomes surreal. There’s nudist Alain Delon (no, not that one); a man who collects cars damaged by fatal collisions with pedestrians; and a Doberman flying in the air. Infused with dry wit, a great soundtrack (original score by Renaud Meyeur), striking visuals and an unusually sensitive and melancholy understanding for the two lead characters, Eldorado is an alternately sad and absurdly funny take on two lonely outsiders just trying to get by. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Bouli Lanners Cast: Bouli Lanners, Fabrice Adde, Philippe Nahon, Didier Toupy, Françoise Chichéry Screenwriter: Bouli Lanners Producer: Jacques-Henri Bronckart Cinematographer: Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd Editor: Ewin Ryckaert Print Source: Film Movement
Bouli Lanners’s Filmography: Ultranova (2005)
Saturday, April 4 • 4:45 • Ritz 5 Sunday, April 5 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 East Coast Premiere China 2008, 95 min
Five characters — a tough lovelorn female cabbie, two inept smugglers from the countryside, a man of multiple personas and a baffled policeman are all caught up together in this fast-paced Chinese thriller. The New Wave of Chinese filmmaking is very much alive in this edgy, exhilarating urban tale about five strangers all strangely intertwined with each other. Innovatively directed by Cao Baoping, this puzzle of a film stars Zhou Xun as Li Mi, a tough, foulmouthed chain-smoking cab driver obsessed with her long missing fiancé. Though it’s been four years since she last saw him, Li Mi continues to cling to his letters and photos. She grills all who enter her cab if they know his whereabouts. When two hicks and would-be drug smugglers enter her taxi, their presence propels Li Mi into a frenzied chase that involves kidnapping, a suicide, amnesia, mistaken identity and more, all told at a breakneck pace and not always in chronological order. Part action, part comedy, part romance, one will be in for a wild ride with this modern Chinese thriller. (Mandarin with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Cao Baoping Cast: Zhou Xun, Deng Chao, Wang Yanhui, Wang Baoqiang, Zhang Hanyu Screenwriter: Cao Baoping Producers: Wang Zhonglei, Tsui Sui-Ming Cinematographer: Yang Shu Editor: Mou Xiaojie Print Source: Huyai Brothers Pictures
Cao Baoping’s Filmography: Trouble Makers (2006)
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A Game for Girls Un gioco da ragazze Monday, March 30 • 6:45 • The Bridge Wednesday, April 1 • 9:30 • Ritz 5 Thursday, April 2 • 12:00 • Ritz East 2 North American Premiere Italy 2008, 94 min
Set in a privileged world of rich young Italians, this drama follows the lives of four beautiful teenage girls and their charismatic queen who plots sexual revenge on a teacher she both likes and hates. It is an unusually pop selection for a film festival, but why shouldn’t an admittedly derivative film (think Dangerous Liaisons meets the seemingly hundreds of Hollywood “rich kids in high school” dramas made over the years) be included, especially since it is vastly entertaining, socially biting and surprisingly dark? Elena, Michaela, Alice and Livia — four impossibly beautiful girls — attend high school among other upper-middle-class and rich Italians. Their lives revolve around school, casual sex, shopping binges and raucous parties. The gang’s leader is the charismatic, raven-haired Elena (Chiara Chiti) — part innocent little girl, part temptress and part scheming, cynical bitch. Elena is used to getting anything she wants — from her adoring friends, doting parents and subservient teachers — but when one of her new teachers, the masculine and attractive Mario (Filippo Nigro), sees through her, she plots a strangely sick, sexual game of revenge. While still pop, A Game for Girls carries more weight than its American counterparts, offering both a fast-paced story as well as a searing social drama and an indictment on the moralistic corruption of the Italian upper classes. (Italian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Matteo Rovere Cast: Filippo Nigro, Chiara Chiti, Desiree Noferini, Nadir Caselli, Valentina Carnelutti, Chiara Paoli, Valeria Milillo, Stefano Santospago, Franco Olivero, Elisabetta Piccolomini Screenwriters: Teresa Ciabatti, Andrea Cotti, Sandrone Dazieri, Matteo Rovere Producer: Maurizio Totti Cinematographer: Arnaldo Catinari Editor: Claudio Di Mauro Print Source: Rai Trade
Matteo Rovere’s Filmography: Unconventional Toys (2004)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
world focus
Go Go 70s
GS Wonderland
Saturday, April 4 • 2:45 • The Bridge Sunday, April 5 • 9:30 • The Prince
GS wandârando Sunday, March 29 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 Tuesday, March 31 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 Wednesday, April 1 • 7:00 • The Bridge
North American Premiere South Korea 2008, 118 min
One of Korea’s biggest box office sensations of 2008, this music biopic will have you dusting off those go-go boots, working that miniskirt and shimmying down the aisle. This film is based on a true story from the 1970s, when South Korea went through a dark period ruled by an autocratic military regime. So it’s no surprise when singer Sang-gyu (Jo Seung-woo) and guitarist Man-shik (real-life rocker Cha Seung-woo) formed “The Devils” rock group, quickly shooting to stardom, giving the youth a voice in turbulent times. The six-member group also includes Mimi (Shin Min-ah of A Bittersweet Life), a sexy go-go dancer who wears miniskirts and quickly becomes a fashion icon with the jet set. Performing at Seoul’s Nirvana club, the band’s success is thrilling but tensions in the group begin to boil. With the oppressive dictatorship shutting down venues, Sang-gyu decides its time to fight back and organize a passionate concert for “The Devils”. Bursting with vibrant colors, raw musical numbers and archival footage, Go Go 70s is a definite crowd pleaser and demonstrates the power of music to tear down barriers and free an entire generation. (Korean with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice Director: Ho Choi Cast: Jo Seung-woo, Shin Min-ah, Cha Seung-woo, Son Gyeong-ho, Choi Min-cheol, Kim Min-gyu, Hong Gwang-ho, Lee Cheong-min Screenwriter: Ho Choi Producer: Shim Bo-gyeong Cinematographer: Kim Byeong-seo Editors: Kim Sang-beom, Kim Jae-beom Print Source: FineCut
Ho Choi’s Filmography: Sasaeng gyeoldan (Bloody Ties) (2006); Who Are You? (2002); Bai Jun (Bye June) (1998) Sponsored by:
World Premiere Japan 2008, 100 min
Playfully re-creating Japan’s answer to the Britpop invasion that influenced ‘60s Japanese music and style, GS Wonderland charts the time when the pop sensibility of the Beatles collided with an entirely different culture. Wearing oversized sunglasses and a bright dress, Miku Ono (Chiaki Kuriyama, Kill Bill Vol.1) slowly smokes a cigarette outside the Nippon Grand Theater in the summer of 1968. She doesn’t know it yet, but Kajii Ryosuke (Shinji Takeda), a sharp-dressing music agent with a mandate to find a GS (Group Sounds) band, is about to change her life and the destiny of three young male musicians. Following the flop of their first single, the four-man band — repackaged with a new sound and image as “The Tightsmen” — finds instant success with an army of young female fans prone to screaming, fainting and peeing in their pants. Mick (Miku passing as a boy) is king of these pop princes in tights. Cresting the charts and at the height of their fame, a nefarious pitch for a million yen threatens to irrevocably sully the band’s reputation. Featuring newly composed songs by Jun Hashimoto and Kyohei Tsutsumi, the duo behind many original GS hits, this zany musical homage is guaranteed to leave the lyrics “We are the boys for summertime. The world was full of love for you…” stuck in your head. (Japanese with English subtitles) —Carol Coombes Director: Ryûichi Honda Cast: Chiaki Kuriyama, Takuya Ishida, Hiro Mizushima, Yosuke Asari, Shinji Takeda, Sosuke Takaoka Screenwriters: Ryuichi Honda, Yuji Nagamori Print Source: AMG Entertainment Inc.
Ryûichi Honda’s Filmography: Asatte dansu (2005); Ikusa (2005); My Wife’s Shell (2005); Watermelon (2005)
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I’d Rather Be a Shellfish Watashi wa kani ni naritai Tuesday, March 31 • 7:15 • Ritz 5 Sunday, April 5 • 12:00 • Ritz East 2 North American Premiere Japan 2008, 139 min
Katsuo Fukuzawa’s intimate epic about miscarried military justice is a poetic narrative with handsome cinematics, that honors a story that has become a beloved cultural and political touchstone in Japan. The title for this brilliant but troubling film from Japan’s Katsuo Fukuzawa is part of the heartbreaking coda spoken by its lead character, Toyomatsu (played with precise, silent-movie expressiveness by Masahiro Nakai), a struggling barber and young family man who is tragically railroaded on trumpedup war-crime charges near the end of WWII. The sturdy screenplay by Shinobu Hashimoto (a veteran of several Kurosawa titles) has classic contours, driven by Hashimoto’s poetic dialogue and narration, cinematographer Kosuke Matsushima’s shimmering images, and especially by Joe Hisaishi’s lilting score. The story arc neatly alternates between Toyomatsu and his wife Fusae (the lovely Yukie Nakama), and Fukuzawa’s staging of Toyomatsu’s initial meeting with Fusae following his imprisonment is as simple, stirring and memorable as the Fredric March-Myrna Loy reunion scene in Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). Based on a beloved Japanese teleplay from 1958, I’d Rather Be a Shellfish is something of an event, at once a humbling and powerful experience that bravely offers no promise of surcease. (English, Japanese with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake Director: Katsuo Fukusawa Cast: Yukie Nakama, Masahiro Nakai Screenwriter: Shinobu Hashimoto Producer: Katsuaki Setoguchi Cinematographer: Kosuke Matushima Print Source: Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS)
Katsuo Fukusawa’s Filmography: Satoukibi batake no uta (2003)
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more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Il Divo
It’s Not Me I Swear!
The King of Ping Pong
Friday, April 3 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 Sunday, April 5 • 5:00 • The Prince
C’est pas moi, je le jure!
Ping Pong Kingen
Saturday, March 28 • 7:30 • The Bridge Sunday, March 29 • 4:30 • Ritz 5 Tuesday, March 31 • 7:00 • Bryn Mawr
Monday, March 30 • 7:00 • Bryn Mawr Thursday, April 2 • 2:15 • Ritz East 2 Friday, April 3 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2
East Coast Premiere Canada 2008, 105 min
Philadelphia Premiere Sweden 2008, 107 min
Winning performances by two young lead actors anchor this darkly comic, rebellious coming-ofage story set in the suburbs of Montreal in the late 1960s. From its opening sequence, in which a 10-year-old boy comically attempts suicide, you know this pitch-black comedy is going to stray far from safety and convention. Set in late-1960s suburban Montreal, It’s Not Me, I Swear! is an unusual tale of familial dysfunction and childhood ennui that picks up where My Life as Dog left off and goes to the next level. The story centers on Léon Doré, a young lad whose father is an early Quebecois secessionist politician and whose mother is suffocating under the burden of their blasé perfect-family existence. Léon is a determined social misfit who, when he’s not trying to harm himself, is doing all he can to terrorize his family and the neighbors and to generally disrupt the phony tranquility of his community. When his mother finally has enough and flies the coop, he hatches a plan with the help of Léa (an equally malcontent neighbor girl) to steal some money, run away and find her. L’Écuyer and Faucher deliver outstandingly forthright performances as the two young leads whose persistent non-conformity serves as the perfect antidote for the inanity of the adult world. (French with English subtitles) —Eric Moore
This affecting coming-of-age tale avoids all the usual clichés but none of the compassion as it profiles two brothers holed up in a snow-bound rural town. Movies about sisters are ubiquitous and tend to be magical. Films about brothers, on the other hand, are much rarer and tend to be a tad complicated. Jens Jonsson’s affecting King of Ping Pong falls proudly into the latter category. Winner of both the World Cinema Dramatic Jury and Cinematography awards at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, Jonsson’s film is set in an atmospheric snow-bound town in northern Sweden where two strikingly dissimilar brothers lead strikingly dissimilar lives. The older of the two, Rille (in an impressively perceptive performance by Jerry Johansson), is overweight and unpopular, and uses his skills at ping-pong as a support system (hence the title). Younger brother Eric (Hampus Johansson) is physically fit and popular with girls — guess which one is taunted by school bullies. A detailed comingof-age film brimming with compassion follows as the two boys deal with the annual visit of their estranged, incorrigible father, the invasive nature of their mother’s new boyfriend and the mother herself — who has a weakness for cats and big plans for her future. (Swedish with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake
Philadelphia Premiere Italy, France 2008, 118 min
Imagine an Italian Mafia saga — replete with intrigue, shifting alliances, backstabbing, and violent and bloody retributions — and then set it all in the historically true world of contemporary Italian politics and you’ll get Il Divo, the Jury Award Winner at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival Truth be told, this writer was a little apprehensive about even seeing this film, fearful that one’s lack of knowledge of Italian politics (where prime ministers seems to change with the seasons) would lesson the film’s impact. All those fears were dashed as director Paolo Sorrentino — in brilliant fashion — plunges the viewer head-on into the chaotic and brutal world of Giulio Andreotti, seven-time Prime Minister, lifetime senator and the epicenter of power in Italy for decades. With a stiff body and a puffy face with an almost perpetually pained look, Andreotti (in an amazing performance by Servillo) makes for an enigmatic figure. Expressionless, almost benign, he may not fit the image of a ruthless power-hungry Don, and that’s what makes the story all the more fascinating. Most of the action takes place in the early 1990s when, in his seventh term as PM, he is accused of collusion with the Mafia and put on trial. Revolving around Andreotti are a vivid array of corrupted characters -– from politics, business, the crime world and the Vatican. Visually wild and possessing a witty, arched sense of humor, director Sorrentino has made a masterpiece based on one man’s lifelong pursuit of power. (Italian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Paolo Sorrentino Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Giulio Bosetti, Flavio Bucci, Carlo Buccirosso, Giorgio Colangeli Screenwriter: Paolo Sorrentino Producers: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima, Andrea Occhipinti, Maurizio Coppolecchia Cinematographer: Luca Bigazzi Editor: Cristiano Travaglioli Print Source: MPI Media Group
Paolo Sorrentino’s Filmography: The Family Friend (2006), The Consequences of Love (2004), One Man Up (2001)
Director: Philippe Falardeau Cast: Suzanne Clément, Daniel Brière, Antoine L’Écuyer, Gabriel Maillé, Catherine Faucher Screenwriter: Phillippe Falardeau Producers: Luc Déry, Kim McCraw Cinematographer: André Turpin Editor: Frédérique Broos Print Source: Films Distribution
Philippe Falardeau’s Filmography: Congorama (2006); La Moitié gauche du frigo (The Left-Hand Side of the Fridge) (2000)
Director: Jens Jonsson Cast: Jerry Johansson, Hampus Johansson, AnnSofie Nurmi, Georgi Staykov, Frederick Nilsson Screenwriters: Jens Jonsson, Hans Gunnarsson Producer: Jan Blomgren Cinematographer: Askild Vik Edvardsen Editor: Kristofer Nordin Print Source: Swedish Film Institute
The King of Ping Pong is Jens Jonsson’s debut.
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world focus
Kisses
Landscape #2
Saturday, March 28 • 2:30 • Ritz East 2 Monday, March 30 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 Tuesday, March 31 • 7:00 • The Bridge
Pokrajina St.2
Philadelphia Premiere Ireland, Sweden 2008, 72 min
Philadelphia Premiere Slovenia 2008, 90 min
In this spirited coming-of-age story, shot in both color and black-and-white, director Lance Daly skillfully balances the beauty and ugliness of human existence while coaxing wonderful performances out of his adventurous young leads. In a rough-and-tumble housing estate on the outskirts of Dublin, teen neighbors Kylie and Dylan (magnetic newcomers Kelly O’Neill and Shane Curry) manage to survive by acting tough and cussing just like everybody else. One day during the Christmas holidays, Dylan’s temper snaps and the two youngsters flee their dysfunctional homes with a pocketful of stolen cash. With the aid of a friendly stranger, they end up in the city centre. On the search for Dylan’s missing elder brother, Kylie and Dylan glide through the ancient city streets on their new wheeled sneakers, soaking in the magic, bright lights and fresh breaths of freedom. Along the way they encounter Bob Dylan (no not the real one, an Australian) who offers advice and a bottle of beer. As the dead of night engulfs them, the alley-ways and back-streets present menaces and dangers that will put Kylie and Dylan’s trust in each other to the test. Sure to be celebrated in the socio-realism lineage of the works of Ken Loach, Mike Leigh and Tony Richardson, Kisses heralds a new wave of Irish cinema that is unapologetically raw, energetic and engaging. —Carol Coombes Director: Lance Daly Cast: Kelly O’Neill, Shane Curry, Paul Roe, Neilí Conroy Screenwriter: Lance Daly Producer: Macdara Kelleher Cinematographers: Jake Corbett, Lance Daly, David Grennan Editor: Pat Duffner Print Source: Festnet Films
Lance Daly’s Filmography: The Halo Effect (2004); Last Days in Dublin (2001) Program includes the short:
I’ll Tell on You!
Friday, March 27 • 2:15 • Ritz 5 Monday, March 30 • 9:30 • Ritz 5 Tuesday, March 31 • 12:00 • Ritz East 2
(Italy, 2009, 20 min, Marco Gianfreda) 12-year-old Bruno wants a friend and thinks he finds him in Luca, his sister’s 25-yearold cool, motorcycle-riding boyfriend. Bruno sees his chance he catches Luca talking with another girl.
This dark, allegorical political thriller tells the story of a thief who accidentally uncovers a document revealing a post-WWII atrocity and soon finds himself the target of a coldly efficient assassin. Amidst the multitude of outstanding films offered at this year’s Festival, Landscape #2 is a real find — an involving political thriller replete with classic intrigue and infused with a noirish dread. When burglar Sergej steals a landscape painting from the house of an old Slovenian general, he does so not realizing that it includes a document that implicates the general in a post-WWII atrocity. Decrepit and seemingly benign, the old man retains his military coldness and hires an efficient killer to track Sergej and retrieve the document before it’s released to the public. The thief’s lover and friends soon fall victim as the assassin gets closer and closer to his target. No one is very nice as director Vinko Moderndorfer depicts a horrific world of greed, murder and revenge, and draws parallels between the violent past and the equally unsettling present. (Slovenian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Vinko Moderndorfer Cast: Barbara Cerar, Marko Mandic, Slobodan Custic, Maja Martina Merljak Screenwriter: Vinko Moderndorfer Producer: Eva Rohrman Cinematographer: Dusan Joksimovic Editor: Andrija Zafranovic Print Source: Wide Management
Vinko Moderndorfer’s Filmography: Predmestje (Suburbs) (2004)
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Love, Soccer and other Catastrophies Amore, bugie e calcetto Friday, March 27 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, March 28 • 12:15 • The Bridge Tuesday, March 31 • 4:45 • Ritz 5 East Coast Premiere Italy 2008, 116 min
A fast-paced comedy/drama about the tumultuous lives of five soccer-obsessed friends and how the game of sport affects their more important game of life. There are three obsessions in most men’s lives: Work, sport, and sex. In the traditionally romantic land of Italy, it seems that sport is taking over, especially for the five men at the focus of this delightful romantic comedy, which revolves around the often tumultuous lives of a group of soccer-obsessed friends. These include Vittorio (Claudio Bisio), a man in full-on midlife crisis mode trying, with the aid of performance-enhancing drugs, to keep up with the game and his much younger girlfriend; Vittorio’s son Adam (Andrea Bosca), who fears he’s turning into his roughish dad; and the 30ish Lele (Filippo Nigro), who finds his marriage strained by the pressures of raising two young children, work and lack of intimacy with his professional wife. While the men may be the main protagonists, the women are just as well-rounded, with their frustrations and dreams entirely justified in the shadow of their immature men. Director Luca Lucini juggles these storylines and expertly weaves comedy and drama throughout. Even the sports-averse among you should be won over by the warm performances by a cast that’s largely unknown in the U.S. (Italian with English subtitles) —Noelle Reilly Director: Luca Lucini Cast: Claudio Bisio, Angela Finocchiaro, Filippo Nigro, Claudia Pandolfi, Giuseppe Battiston, Andrea De Rosa Screenwriter: Fabio Bonifacci Producers: Riccardo Tozzi, Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenz Cinematographer: Manfredo Archinto Editor: Fabrizio Rossetti Print Source: Cattleya
Luca Lucini’s Filmography: Solo un padre (Perfect Skin) (2008); L’Uomo perfetto (2005); Tre metri sopra il cielo (Three Steps Over Heaven) (2004)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
62
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Marcello, Marcello
My Dear Enemy
Revanche
Friday, March 27 • 9:30 • The Bridge Saturday, March 28 • 4:30 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, March 29 • 2:45 • Ritz East 2
Meotjin haru
Friday, March 27 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 Saturday, March 28 • 9:30 • Ritz 5
East Coast Premiere Switzerland, Germany 2008, 97 min
East Coast Premiere South Korea 2008, 123 min
Set in an idyllic Italian fishing village in 1956, this sweet story of young love revolves around a teen boy’s frantic efforts to find a gift for the father of the beautiful young woman he adores. Cynics will be refused admission to this delightfully sweet, romantic tale. Set in a small Italian fishing village in 1956, it centers on a poor teen boy’s industrious efforts to woo the mayor’s enchanting daughter. As is the town’s tradition, 18-year-old Marcello, sweet-faced and tanned, must offer an acceptable present to the mayor if he hopes to get a date with raven-haired Elena. He decides to present the rooster that wakes him up every morning, but the owner of the rooster wants something in return, some bottles of limoncello from the mysterious Palmieri sisters, who in turn want their unworn wedding dress still sitting in a shop years after being spurned — and the dressmaker wants something, too. As Marcello races through the town franticly trying to fulfill a round-robin list of requests that seems to involve the entire village, time is running out and competition for the young lass is heating up. This is a terrifically and innocently romantic story of young love, told against the backdrop of a pre-modernized world where the pursuit of love reigns supreme. (Italian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Denis Rabaglia Cast: Francesco Mistichelli, Elena Cucci, Luigi Petrazzuolo, Alfio Alessi, Luca Sepe, Renato Scarpa Screenwriters: Mark David Hatwood, based on his novel “Marcello’s Date” Producer: Anne Walser Cinematographer: Filip Zumbrunn Editor: Claudio Di Mauro Print Source: C-Films
Denis Rabaglia’s Filmography: Pas de panique (Do Not Panic) (2006); Azzurro (2000); Grossesse nerveuse (False Pregancy) (1993) Sponsored by:
Saturday, April 4 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 Sunday, April 5 • 12:00 • Ritz 5
In this sly urban road movie/romance, a woman must team up with her roguish ex-boyfriend in order to recoup the money he owes her. A young woman is forced to spend a day with her scoundrel of an ex-boyfriend in this stylish and witty romantic comedy that represents the best in today’s popular Korean cinema. Unemployed Hee-su (Jeon Do-yeon, Secret Sunshine) is a beautiful but broke woman in her 30s determined to track down a goodfor-nothing ex who owes her a lot of money. She catches him (Ha Jung-woo, also in The Chaser in this year’s Festival) at the racetrack wasting money and flirting with the female employees. Calming Hee-su down, Byung-woon agrees to repay her, but only if she accompanies him around town first to collect money owed him. There begins a sly morning-todusk urban road movie in which the dissimilar couple traverse the streets of Seoul in search of the young man’s exes and anyone else who might have cash. The two lead performances are pitch perfect, and the amazing chemistry between them explodes — she, the sneering, disdainful, heard-it-all-before woman and he, the charming, fast-talking ladies man. Will the long dead spark reignite for these two? Cough up the ten bucks and find out! (Korean with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Lee Yoon-ki Cast: Jeon Do-yeon, Ha Jung-woo, Oh Ji-eun Screenwriter: Park Eun-yeong (based on the novel by Azuko Taira) Producers: David Cho, Jo Gwangheui, Oh Jeong-wan Cinematographer: Choi Sang-ho Editor: Kim Hyeong-ju Print Source: FineCut
Lee Yoon-ki’s Filmography: Aju teukbyeolhan sonnim (Ad Lib Night) (2006); Reobeu tokeu (Love Talk) (2005); Yeoja, Jeong-hye (This Charming Girl) (2004)
Philadelphia Premiere Austria, Germany 2008, 121 min
An ex-con, a former prostitute, a rural policeman and his frustrated wife — find themselves fatefully intertwined in this taut, Academy Award-nominated thriller. A nominee for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film this year, this stark but gripping thriller from Austrian writer/director Goetz Spielmann is a tale of desperate love, revenge, guilt and the fate that unites two dissimilar couples. Ukrainian-born Tamara is a prostitute in Vienna working at a brothel where the sleazy owner has the hots for the sad-faced beauty. She thinks she finds a way out of her hellhole when she begins an affair with the owner’s assistant and ex-con Alex and together they escape to the countryside. Living on a farm there, Robert and Ursula are happily married but find themselves increasingly stressed when Ursula fails to get pregnant. Needing money, Alex robs a bank but the scheme is bungled, ending with the police in pursuit of their car. When a shot (from policemen Robert) is fired at the escaping car’s tires but misses, it propels the future of the two men inexorably together. This is a masterful, thoughtful psychological drama that asks the question, “Whose fault is it if life doesn’t go your way?” (German with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Götz Spielmann Cast: Johannes Krisch, Ursula Strauss, Irina Potapenko, Andreas Lust Screenwriter: Götz Spielmann Producers: Mathias Forberg, Heinz Stussak, Sandra Bohle, Gotz Spielmann Cinematographer: Martin Gschlacht Editor: Karina Ressler Print Source: The Criterion Collection/Janus Films
Götz Spielmann’s Filmography: Antares (2004); Spiel im Morgengrauen (2001); Die Fremde (The Stranger) (2000); Fear of the Idyll (1996); Dieses naive Verlangen (1993); Der Nachbar (1993); Erwin und Julia (1990) Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
world focus
Stone of Destiny
Three Blind Mice
Monday, March 30 • 2:15 • Ritz East 2 Tuesday, March 31 • 4:45 • The Prince Wednesday, April 1 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2
Monday, March 30 • 4:45 • Ritz 5 Wednesday, April 1 • 7:00 • Bryn Mawr Saturday, April 4 • 9:30 • Ritz 5
Philadelphia Premiere Britain 2008, 96 min
Philadelphia Premiere Australia 2008, 94 min
A band of intrepid university students attempt to steal a quarter ton stone associated with Scottish nationalism from London’s Westminster Abbey in this rollicking action/comedy based on a true event. Offering a superbly entertaining mix of action, suspense and humor, this unusual caper flick -– based on a true incident -– follows a group of young patriotic Scots as they plot to regain a piece of their national heritage long in the hands of the English. The year is 1950 and Glasgow University student and nationalistic dreamer Ian (Charlie Cox) wants nothing more than to return the Stone of Destiny (aka the Stone of Scone), a symbol of Scottish sovereignty, back to Scotland, despite the fact that the stone weighs a quarter of a ton and has been wedged beneath the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey since 1296. Aided by a group of friends (including Billy Boyd and Kate Mara of 24) and cautioned by a skeptical professor (Robert Carlyle), the intrepid neophyte burglars venture to London and plan their unlikely heist. Fast moving fun, a touch of Scottish history (with a wee bit of nationalist exaggeration) and fine comedic acting by the young cast make this film a worthy companion to such films as Local Hero and The Full Monty. —Raymond Murray
In this action-packed evening of comedic excess, three men are propelled into a lifechanging adventure. On the eve of their deployment to Iraq, three young Australian naval officers — Harry (played by writerdirector Matthew Newton), Dean (Toby Schmitz) and Sam (Ewen Leslie) — spend their shore leave on the streets of Sydney, Australia. Having been at sea for the previous six months and with only 24 hours to spare, each of the protagonists has his own agenda: Harry, a mischievous smart-aleck, wants to spend the night boozing and wooing ladies; Dean, who is engaged to be married and harboring a guilty secret, plans to meet up with his fiancée and future in-laws; and Sam, anxious about his imminent departure to the Middle East, simply hopes to get through the night in one piece. But plans easily fall to the wayside, and much will change before the men board ship. In Three Blind Mice, Newton delivers punching and emotionally resonant dialogue and a fresh narrative to compelling, worthy effect. —Elena J. Bonomo
Director: Charles Martin Smith Cast: Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Billy Boyd, Robert Carlyle, Ciaron Kelly Screenwriter: Charles Martin Smith (based on the book “The Taking of the Stone of Destiny” by Ian Hamilton) Producers: Andrew Boswell, Rob Merilees Cinematographer: Glen Winter Editor: Fredrik Thorsen Print Source: Arclight Films
Charles Martin Smith’s Filmography: Icon (2005); The Snow Walker (2003); Roughing It (2002); Air Bud (1997); Fifty/Fifty (1992); Boris and Natasha (1992); Trick or Treat (1986)
63
The Tour Turneja
Wednesday, April 1 • 7:15 • Ritz 5 Thursday, April 2 • 4:30 • Ritz 5 Friday, April 3 • 2:30 • Ritz 5 East Coast Premiere Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2008, 108 min
Matthew Newton’s Filmography: Right Here Right Now (2004)
From acclaimed director Goran Markovic comes this disquieting black comedy about a squabbling, self-centered acting troupe who find themselves stranded on the front lines of the bloody Bosnian civil war. The crumbling war-torn land that was once Yugoslavia is the backdrop to this, blackest of black comedy/ dramas in which a low-budget Serbian acting troupe in Belgrade is offered a deal to take their repertoire on the road in 1993. Oblivious to what awaits them outside the safe confines of the city, this bickering group of vain and over-the-hill thespians agrees to the deal. They soon discover that the quaint Serbian towns and theaters have instead been replaced by chaotic, war-ravaged front lines where Serbians, Muslims and Croatians, despite being indistinguishable from each other, are fighting a civil war to the death. Despite having internal squabbles, the group clings together as they are forced on an odyssey through the deadly wintry land — sometimes protected by soldiers, sometimes uncovered and perilously close to death. As conditions deteriorate and danger lurks at every turn, they are exposed to hell and all of its humiliations, horrors and compromises, as well as a situation that separates the heroes from the fools and fakes. Despite the intensity of the subject matter, veteran director Goran Markovic imbues a consistently ironic wit and gallows humor to their tale of survival. (SerboCroatian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Sponsored by:
Director: Goran Markovic Cast: Tihomir Stanic, Jelena Dokic, Dragan Nikolic, Mira Furlan, Gordan Kicic, Josif Tatic, Slavko Stimac, Vojislav Brajovic Screenwriter: Goran Markovic Producers: Svetozar Cvetkovic, Tihomir Stanic Cinematographer: Radoslav Vladic Editor: Snezana Ivanovic Print Source: Eurovision Fiction-EBU
Director: Matthew Newton Cast: Matthew Newton, Ewen Leslie, Toby Schmitz, Pia Miranda, Brendan Cowell, Alex Dimitriades, Bob Franklin, Barry Otto, Tina Bursill Screenwriters: Matthew Newton, Toby Schmitz Producer: Ben Davis Cinematographer: Hugh Miller Editor: Gracie Otto Print Source: Odin’s Eye Entertainment
Goran Markovic’s Filmography: The Cordon (2002); Serbia, Year Zero (2001); Tito and Me (1992); The Meeting Point (1999); Reflections (1987)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
64
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Treeless Mountain
Tulpan
White Night Wedding
Saturday, April 4 • 5:00 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, April 5 • 2:45 • Ritz East 2
Friday, April 3 • 7:15 • The Bridge Sunday, April 5 • 12:00 • Ritz East 1
Brúðguminn
Philadelphia Premiere USA, South Korea 2008, 89 min
Philadelphia Premiere Kazakhstan, Russia, Poland, Germany, Switzerland 2008, 100 min
The two young actresses in Treeless Mountain are astonishing. Though only seven and five, they calmly sustain this heartbreaking story of cast-off children with grown-up worries. In this quiet gem of a film, a semi-autobiographical work by Korean-American filmmaker So Yong Kim, sisters Jin and Bin live in a middle-class Seoul apartment. Jin is a serious girl, mature beyond her years. She cares for her sister after school while their harried single mother works. When mother abruptly leaves home to find her husband, she takes the girls to live with her sister-in-law. She’ll be back, she says, when their piggy bank is full of the coins that Big Aunt will give them for being good. But Big Aunt is a crotchety woman who sometimes drinks herself into a stupor and has no food in the house. Left to fend for themselves, the sisters start a lucrative business grilling grasshoppers to sell as snacks to passing schoolboys. When their mother fails to show up, they’re uprooted once more and shipped off to their grandparents in the country. Warily, the girls adapt. Adults so far have been disappointing, but at least they have each other. (Korean with English subtitles) —Elena J. Bonomo
A sweeping and innocently romantic Kazakh tale of one young man’s persistent wooing of a shy – and seemingly uninterested — country girl. Set in the sweeping plains of the Kazakh steppes, this charmingly sweet and gently funny story follows the shy Asa, a sailor returning home with duel goals of both finding a wife and becoming a sheepherder. Aided (and at times set back) by his brother-in-law, who refuses to give him a flock until he is betroved and his best buddy, a truck-driving, Russian rockand porn-loving wild man. It’s not easy for Asa — there’s only one girl, Tulpan, of his general age in the village — and she, with dreams of living in the big city, rejects him. But rejection –- either by Tulpan or her scarily domineering mother — fails to derail his persistent advances. The scene in a tent where Asa undergoes grilling by the girl’s skeptical extended family is both familiar and quite funny especially when, in a major need of image building, he boasts of fighting off octopi while at sea. In a land so far removed from ours, Tulpan both reveals the exotic locale of the countryside (and eye-opening scenes of a testy camel and the birth of a lamb) while offering a tenderly familiar look at the intensity and innocence of young love. (Kazakh and Russian with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Director: So Yong Kim Cast: Hee-Yeon Kim, Song-Hee Kim, Soo-Ah Lee, MiHyang Kim Screenwriter: So Yong Kim Producers: Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Ben Howe, Bradley Rust Gray Cinematographer: Anne Misawa Editors: So Yong Kim, Bradley Rust Gray Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories
So Yong Kim’s Filmography: In Between Days (2006)
Director: Sergey Dvortsevoy Cast: Askhat Kuchinchirekov, Samal Yeslyamova, Ondasyn Besikbasov, Tulepbergen Baisakalov, Bereke Turganbayev Screenwriters: Sergey Dvortsevoy, Gennady Ostrovskiy Producer: Karl Baumgartner Cinematographer: Jola Dylewska Editors: Isabel Meier, Petar Markovic Print Source: Zeitgeist Films
Tulpan is Sergey Dvortsevoy’s debut.
Thursday, April 2 • 7:00 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 Philadelphia Premiere Iceland 2008, 94 min
Nordic bad boy auteur Baltasar Kormákur is back with this emotionally charged, briskly paced and tragically comic rendition of Anton Chekhov’s “Ivanov” set on a desolate island off Iceland’s northern coast. Baltasar Kormákur (101 Reykjavik, The Sea) playfully plumbs the human psyche with this mostly lighthearted tale of a man caught in the crosshairs of a Kierkegaardian dilemma. The story opens comically with the impending nuptials of Jon (a professor of literature) and his one-time student, Thora — a match that everyone but Jon and Thora opposes. She’s half his age, he’s recently widowed and her mother thinks he’s a lout. Kormákur then takes us back to Jon’s earlier life, when he was married to Anna, a severely manic-depressive artist who begs him to move to the remote northern island of Flatey in hopes of a recovery; instead he finds Thora, precipitating Anna’s further descent. As dour as all that sounds, Kormákur puckishly shuttles the story back and forth in time and fills out his cast with an assemblage of likeable wackos including the island’s irascible Calvinist minister, a would-be golf course designer and Jon’s bear-sized, party-animal friend, Börkur. Set in the endless daylight of the Nordic summer, the film is stunningly photographed and the barren landscape acts as a dreamy backdrop for this humorous and at times boisterous examination of one man’s moral ambiguity. (Icelandic with English subtitles) —Eric Moore Director: Baltasar Kormákur Cast: Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Margrét Vilhjálmsdóttir, Laufey Elíasdóttir, Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson Screenwriters: Baltasar Kormákur, Ólafur Egilsson Producers: Agnes Johansen, Baltasar Kormákur Print Source: IFC
Baltasar Kormákur’s Filmography: Mýrin (Jar City) (2006); A Little Trip to Heaven (2005); Hafið (The Sea) (2002); 101 Reykjavík (2000) Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
world focus
Worlds Apart
Zift
To Verdener
Thursday, April 2 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 Saturday, April 4 • 5:30 • The Bridge
Wednesday, April 1 • 2:15 • The Bridge Friday, April 3 • 5:00 • Ritz East 2 Philadelphia Premiere Denmark 2008, 116 min
This classic story about falling in love and fighting to be together despite being ostracized by family and faith shines with superb acting from the entire cast. Although Sara (portrayed brilliantly by Rosalinde Mynster) faces the normal challenges of finding oneself during the transition to adulthood — all while her family life is disrupted by her parents’ divorce, precipitated by her father’s infidelity — her faith as a Jehovah’s Witness never waivers. That is, not until she meets Teis (Pilou Asbæk in an equally impressive performance), a charismatic, charming, and CUTE older boy — and non-believer. Their secret love quickly grows, forcing her to choose between two worlds — her love and her faith. The film leaves biased sentiment toward JW’s aside, focusing instead on the difficult and complex decisions that must be made, all the while maintaining hope for the young lovers. And if you’re not already teary-eyed, you will be after Sara’s final conversation with her father. Even more amazing is the fact that Sara’s story is based in reality — the “real” Sara makes a cameo appearance. Worlds Apart is nothing short of compelling as you watch and wonder whether the star-crossed lovers will live happily ever after. (Danish with English subtitles) —Noelle Reilly Director: Niels Arden Oplev Cast: Rosalinde Mynster, Pilou Asbæk, Jens Jørn Spottag, Sarah Boberg, Sarah Juel Werner, Anders W. Berthelsen Screenwriters: Niels Oplev, Steen Bille Producer: Thomas Heinesen Cinematographer: Lars Vestergaard Editor: Anne Østerud Print Source: IFC
Philadelphia Premiere Bulgaria 2008, 92 min
Javor Gardev’s debut feature is a well-crafted thriller that uniquely combines elements of both neo-noir and Soviet pseudo-socialist art. Wrongfully accused of murder in the pre-communist Bulgaria of 1944, Moth’s name has finally been cleared after nearly 20 years. But the city of Sofia is hardly as he left it so many years ago. Unfamiliar with the surroundings he once called home (now marked by the decay and destruction of Communism), Moth finds himself once again dodging corrupt cops in his first night of freedom. As he wanders the seedy urban streets, attempting to reestablish old relationships (including one with his sexy ex), he meets a diverse cast of outsiders and oddballs seemingly determined to lead him into more trouble. But can Moth escape from the confines of his destiny? Or — at least — from communism? Featuring a strong lead performance by Zahary Baharov as Moth and based on a novel by Vladislov Todorov, who also penned the script, Javor Gardev’s Zift dazzles with eye-catching black-and-white cinematography and an intense genre-driven storyline that grips to the end. (Bulgarian with English subtitles) —Elena J. Bonomo Director: Javor Gardev Cast: Zachary Baharov, Tanya Ilieva, Vladimir Penev, Mihail Mutafov, Ðoko Rosic Screenwriter: Vladislav Todorov Producers: Ilian Djevelekov, Matey Konstantinov, Georgi Dimitrov Cinematographer: Emil Hristov Editor: Kevork Aslanyan Print Source: IFC
Zift is Javor Gardev’s debut.
Niels Arden Oplev’s Filmography: Drømmen (We Shall Overcome) (2006); Fukssvansen (Chop Chop) (2001); Portland (1996) Sponsored by: Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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66
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
the french reconnection Remember Freedom Fries and the rabid anti-French hysteria that swept America after the invasion of Iraq? No more — Obama’s in office and we love France and the French love us (well, most of us) Vive le cinéma français!
The Sea Wall Un Barrage contre le Pacifique Friday, March 27 • 4:45 • The Bridge Saturday, March 28 • 4:45 • Ritz 5 Sunday, March 29 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 East Coast Premiere France 2008, 115 min
A classic and sensual melodrama starring Isabelle Huppert as a widow who must desperately fight to save her land and family. In this lush period piece set in 1930 French-Colonial Indochina, Isabella Huppert is a revelation as a proud, tough widow and the mother of two grown children who faces seemingly insurmountable problems. Madame Dufresne (Huppert) is duped when the land she buys from the local French authories proves unsuitable for growing rice because rain water periodicly floods the plain, killing the crop. Facing destitution and opportunists waiting in the wings to take advantage of her faiure, Dufresne must do battle with the corrupt colonialists while attempting to build a protective sea wall with the help of locals. Helping her stave off foreclosure is her strapping but hot-headed 20-year-old son Joseph (Gaspard Ulliel) and her lovely daughter Suzanne (Astrid Berges-Frisbey). Barely able to contain her contempt for the aristocratic French colonialists, she nonetheless fixes her daughter up with a seemingly nice and wealthy Chinese businessman. Based on Marguerite Duras’ semi-autobiographical novel about her impoverished adolescence in what is now Cambodia, this sweeping melodrama offers top-notch acting, a palpable sensuality, amazing vistas and a storyline eerily relevant today. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Rithy Panh Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Gaspard Ulliel, Astrid Berges-Frisbey Screenwriters: Michel Fessler, Rithy Panh (based on the novel by Marguerite Duras) Producer: Catherine Dussart Cinematographer: Pierre Milon Editor: Marie-Christine Rougerie Print Source: Films Distribution
Rithy Panh’s Filmography: Le Papier ne peut pas envelopper la braise (2007) Les Artistes du Théâtre Brûlé (2005); S21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine (2003); The people of Angkor (2003); The Land of the Wandering Souls; (2000); One Evening After the War (1998); Neak sre (1994); Site 2 (1989)
Sponsored by:
the french reconnection
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The Beautiful Person
A French Gigolo
The Girl From Monaco
La belle personne
Cliente
La Fille de Monaco
Saturday, April 4 • 4:15 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 9:15 • Ritz 5
Thursday, April 2 • 7:00 • Bryn Mawr Friday, April 3 • 2:30 • The Bridge Saturday, April 4 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2
Tuesday, March 31 • 9:15 • Ritz East 2 Friday, April 3 • 12:15 • Ritz 5
East Coast Premiere France 2008, 100 min
This over-the-top French sex comedy follows the trials of a staid defense attorney whose world goes topsy-turvy when he travels to Monaco to defend a local matriarch and falls under the rollicking influence of a party hound who is also a local cable channel’s weather girl. Sun-drenched Monaco is the perfect backdrop for this billowy romp that stars Luchini as Betrand, a straightarrow Parisian barrister who’s come to the Riviera to defend a wealthy woman Edith (Audran) in a highprofile murder case. As the Russian mob is involved, he is assigned a chiseled bodyguard — Christophe (Zem), who is reluctantly thrust into the role of chaperone when Bertrand has a chance encounter with the local weather girl, Audrey (Bourgouni). Audrey is a ramped-up, hyper-active, over-sexed party animal who threatens the very fiber of Bertrand’s restrained being — he, of course, cannot resist. Christophe, who once had his own fling with Audrey, is all too aware of the dangers and does everything in his power to keep Betrand’s mind on the case. As she steers the film towards its eye-opening conclusion, Fontaine keeps the film true to its farcical roots, delivering plenty of laughs early on, even while she finds moments of depth in the developing relationships between her three main characters. (French with English subtitles) —Eric Moore
Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 90 min
Unrequited love is no bore in this scintillating Gallic tale of a young teacher’s sexual obsession with a high school student. Festival favorite Christophe Honoré has made a career of directing both innovative and controversial films that explore the intensity and fluidity of sexuality – be it mother-son incest in Ma Mère, gay teens in Three Dancing Slaves or youthful multi-partner hookups in last year’s Love Songs. In this modern adaptation of Madame de Lafayette’s novel of unrequited love, “La Princesse de Clèves,” he sets the tale of romantic agony and sexual intrigue in a Parisian high school. Louis Garrel stars as Nemours — a mop-headed young teacher who becomes obsessed with beguiling new student Junie (Lea Seydoux), who in turn becomes involved with fellow student Otto (Leprince-Ringuet). Intrigued by the teacher’s obvious interest, the complications (this being French, the problem with the student-teacher aspect is ignored) begin when Junie flirts with the smitten teacher, but goes no further, believing that if she gives in to him it will merely be a conquest and he will lose interest. Nemours will not be deterred, Junie won’t give in and Otto is caught in the middle. This tale of youthful amour fou is told in classic style with perfectly tragic consequences. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Christophe Honoré Cast: Louis Garrel, Léa Seydoux, Grégoire LeprinceRinguet, Esteban Carjaval-Alegria, Agathe Bonitzer Screenwriters: Christophe Honoré, Gilles Taurand Producers: Sophie Barrat, Florence Dormoy, Joëy Faré Print Source: IFC
Christophe Honoré’s Filmography: Les Chansons d’amour (Love Songs) (2007); Dans Paris (2006); Ma mère (2004); Tout contre Léo (Close to Leo) (2002); 17 fois Cécile Cassard (Seventeen Times Cecile Cassard ) (2002) Sponsored by:
A successful middle-aged woman (Nathalie Baye) decides to avoid emotional entanglements by using male escorts for her sexual needs. This is a classy, spirited and satisfying French comedy. Directed, written and co-starring Josiane Balasko (French Twist), this delightfully droll sex comedy stars Nathalie Baye as a divorced middle-aged woman who learns she can’t escape emotional entanglements: one pays for it one way or the other. TV Infomercial presenter Judith (Baye) believes she’s found a way to have a satisfying sexual life amidst her chaotic professional life: instead of messy relationships, she opts instead for straightforward sexual servicing through a series of male escorts she chooses on the Internet. Her sister Irene (Balasko) and nextdoor neighbor couldn’t disagree more, but Judith is adamant this laissez-faire arrangement works. And it does work for her until unconventional escort Patrick (Eric Caravaca) enters her life. Handsome in a suburban way and new to the servicing game, Patrick (a.k.a. Marco in his real life) and Judith hit it off beautifully. As their arrangement escalates, Judith’s frozen emotional state begins to thaw, but all is thrown into chaos when Patrick’s wife discovers that his days are not spent on a construction site. This is a classy, thoroughly enjoyable affair, assisted in no small part by the great acting of the three leads. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Josiane Balasko Cast: Nathalie Baye, Eric Caravaca, Isabelle Carré, Josiane Balasko Screenwriter: Josiane Balasko Producer: Cyril Colbeau-Justin Cinematographer: Robert Alazraki Editors: Marie De La Selle, Claudine Merlin Print Source: Gaumont
Josiane Balasko’s Filmography: L’Ex-femme de ma vie (The Ex-Wife of My Life) (2004); Un grand cri d’amour (1998); Gazon maudit (French Twist) (1995); Ma vie est un enfer (My Life Is Hell) (1991); Les Keufs (Lady Cops) (1987)
Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 95 min
Director: Anne Fontaine Cast: Fabrice Luchini, Roschdy Zem, Louise Bourgoin Screenwriters: Anne Fontaine, Benoît Graffin Producers: Bruno Pesery, Philippe Carcassonne Cinematographer: Patrick Blossier Editor: Maryline Monthieux Print Source: Magnolia Pictures
Anne Fontaine’s Filmography: Nouvelle Chance (2006), Entre ses mains (2005), Nathalie (2003), How I Killed My Father (2001), Dry Cleaning (1997) Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
68
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
The Joy of Singing
Julia
Jury Duty
Le plaisir de chanter
Saturday, April 4 • 9:15 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 2:15 • Ritz East 1
Le Septième juré
Saturday, March 28 • 12:00 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 12:00 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 8:30 • Black Box at Prince Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 96 min
Fasten your cinema seatbelts for this witty spy-caper musical involving a missing key; duplicitous, bed-hoping spies and a seriously unusual singing class. Odd is the first word that springs to mind when describing this effervescent French spy comedy, with the words witty, unpredictable, delightful and original following close behind. Secret agents Muriel (Marina Fois) and the boyish Philippe (Lorant Deutsch) are sent on a mission to find a USB key possibly hidden by Constance (Jeanne Balibar), the fetching widow of a recently killed black market uranium salesman. In an effort to get close to the widow, the two are forced to enroll in Constance’s singing class. In the wideeyed labyrinthine plot that ensues, the eponymous singing classes teem with a collectively duplicitous nest of spies, significant bed-hopping and some interesting vocals — the highlight being Constance’s re-write of the Pretenders’ “I’ll Stand By You” as “L’amour est fou” (”Love is crazy”). Will the alternately quarrelling and loving spy couple find the key? Er…that may not be the point in what director Ilan Duran Cohen (Grandsons, Confusion of Genders) calls an “anti-romantic comedy.” It’s actually much more than that: it may be France’s first sexy musical/ comedy/spy caper/thriller. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Ilan Duran Cohen Cast: Marina Foïs, Lorànt Deutsch, Jeanne Balibar, Nathalie Richard, Julien Baumgartner, Caroline Ducey, Dominique Reymond Screenwriters: Ilan Duran Cohen, Philippe Lasry, with the assistance of Noemie Lvovsky Producers: Anne-Cecile Berthomeau, Edouard Maurait Cinematographer: Christophe Graillot Editor: Fabrice Rouaud Print Source: Pyramide International
Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 140 min
Tilda Swinton is mesmerizing as a raging alcoholic in this adrenaline rush of a film about a botched kidnapping. One thinks of Tilda Swinton as a pale beauty — the rarified star of art films and thoughtful, carefullycontrolled characters. In Julia, Swinton portrays a desperate alcoholic floozy with such natural ease that we’re left to wonder whether her on-screen cocktails actually were laced with liquor. This is the story of a kidnapping gone horribly wrong. After waking in a car with an unknown man and messing things up badly at work, Julia’s (Tilda Swinton) boss/friend Mitch (Saul Rubinek) fires her and drags her to AA meetings. While she has no interest in sobriety, Julia does encounter Elena (Kate del Castillo), a mentally unbalanced mother with a plan. When Elena finds Julia out cold on the sidewalk, she rescues her, waits for her to wake, and then enlists her in a plot to kidnap Elena’s son Tommy (Adian Gould) from his wealthy grandfather. After several failed rendezvous, the child is re-kidnapped by Mexican thugs. Director Erick Zonca (The Little Thief) imbues the film with an ever-growing sense of dread; combined with Swinton’s powerhouse performance, this makes Julia a truly thrilling trip to the dark side of the human psyche. (English and Spanish with English subtitles) —Scott Cranin Director: Érick Zonca Cast: Tilda Swinton, Saul Rubinek, Kate del Castillo, Aidan Gould, Jude Ciccolella, Bruno Bichir, Horacio Garcia Rojas, Kevin Kilner, John Bellucci Screenwriters: Aude Py, Érick Zonca Producers: Bertrand Faivre, François Marquis Cinematographer: Yorick Le Saux Editor: Philippe Kotlarski Print Source: Magnolia Pictures
Érick Zonca’s Filmography: Le Petit voleur (The Little Thief) 1999); La Vie rêvée des anges (The Dreamlife of Angels) (1998)
Wednesday, April 1 • 4:45 • The Prince Sunday, April 5 • 7:00 • Ritz East 1 Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 88 min
A mild-mannered murderer serves on the jury for the very crime he committed in this gripping crime thriller. American crime thrillers are considered the best in the world, but filmmakers can learn a thing or two from this intense psychological drama about a murder, a cover-up and a most unusual path to possible justice. 1960s France is embroiled in social upheaval over Algeria’s fight for independence, leaving French-Algerians in the middle. In a bucolic town, far from the tensions, a respected and seemingly mild-mannered pharmacist (Jean-Pierre Darroussin in a riveting performance) impulsively rapes and kills a young woman who has been abandoned in a barn after an argument with her Algerian boyfriend. The police quickly conclude that the young Algerian is guilty and, reminiscent of scenes from the American South in the same period, seek to speedily put him on trial. Then, in a series of surprising but unavoidable circumstances, the pharmacist becomes a reluctant juror in the young man’s trial. He is soon torn between remorse for sending an innocent man to the guillotine for the crime he himself committed, a town clamoring for revenge, and his own desire to stay free. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Edouard Niermans Cast: Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Isabelle Habiague, Pascal Elso, Igor Mendjisky Screenwriters: Pierre Laroche, Jacques Robert, based on a novel by Francis Didelot Producers: Laurent Ceccaldi, Christian Charret Print Source: Marathon
Edouard Niermans’s Filmography: Premier de cordée (1999); L’Enfant des terres blondes (1998); Pardaillan (1997); Le Blanc à lunettes (The Return of Casanova) (1995); Poussière d’ange (Angel Dust) (1987); Anthracite (1980)
Ilan Duran Cohen’s Filmography: Amants du Flore, Les (2006); Les Petits fils (The Grand Sons) (2004); La Confusion des genres (Confusion of Genders) (2000)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
Sponsored by:
the french reconnection
One Day You’ll Understand Plus tard, tu comprendras Saturday, March 28 • 7:00 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, March 29 • 12:15 • Ritz East 2
The Other One
Summer Hours
L’Autre
L’ Heure d’été
Saturday, March 28 • 12:15 • Ritz 5 Sunday, March 29 • 2:30 • The Bridge Monday, March 30 • 2:15 • The Bridge
Thursday, April 2 • 7:15 • Ritz 5
Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 97 min
Philadelphia Premiere France, Germany 2008, 89 min
Israeli director Amos Gitai brings us this complicated family drama which asks whether a Holocaust survivor has the right to avoid the issue, or must pass on its sad facts. Adapted from Jérôme Clément’s autobiographical novel by Israeli filmmaker Amos Gitai is an intimate drama about family secrets, a child’s struggle for identity and his parents’ role in this seminal search, all couched within the contours of a Holocaust film. Gitai asks whose rights are greater. Does an elderly mother – named Rivka Raymonde (née Gornick) and played by the evericonic Jeanne Moreau – a woman who survived an event that took her entire family, have the right to her willful denial and refusal to talk about it? Or is her grown son’s (Hippolyte Girardot) need to know about his heritage more important? The search for an answer sets the stage for a contest of wills that offers no conclusion or winner. There’s a telling moment early on when Rivka, preparing for dinner with her son, fusses like an actress getting ready to give a “performance.” And, yes, Jeanne Moreau is still, well, Jeanne Moreau. (French with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake Director: Amos Gitai Cast: Jeanne Moreau, Hippolyte Girardot, Emmanuelle Devos, Dominique Blanc Screenwriters: Dan Franck, Jérôme Cléments Producer: Amos Gitai Print Source: Kino International
Amos Gitai’s Filmography: [Selected]: Disengagement (2007); News from Home (2006); Free Zone (2005); Promised Land (2004); Alila (2003); Kedma (2002); Eden (2001); Kippur (2000); Kadosh (1999); Yom Yom (1998); A House in Jerusalem (1998) Metamorphosis of a Melody (1996); Zihron Devarim (1995); Golem: The Petrified Garden (1993); Birth of a Golem (1991); Esther (1986); American Mythologies (1981); In Search of Identity (1980) Sponsored by:
A middle-aged woman descends into obsessive jealousy when her much younger lover begins seeing another older woman in this startlingly cool and complex film. While numerous films have dealt with the theme of a woman scorned, this cool yet emotionally revealing drama approaches love-gone-dead in an entirely original way. Anne-Marie (Dominique Blanc) is an elegant 47-year-old social worker with her act seemingly together, including an intimate relationship with Alex, a much younger man. One day, after she decides she does not love him, Anne-Marie abruptly breaks up with Alex and encourages the distraught man to go out with other women. She remains emotionally calm after the breakup, and inquires of Alex, with whom she remains friends, whether he has begun to see anyone. He reveals that he has indeed begun seeing another woman; this woman is again not his age, but AnneMarie’s. Whether this fact singularly ignites a wave of troubling emotions or is simply the release of her long pent up fury can be decided by the viewer, but what does begin to happen is that Anne-Marie’s composure is turned to rage and her indifference to obsessive jealousy. Set in a coldly efficient and modern Paris and based on Annie Ernaux’s novel “L’Occupation,” The Other One is brilliant in depicting this emotional breakdown in a complex and stylish fashion. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Directors: Pierre Trividic, Patrick Mario Bernard Cast: Anne Benoît, Dominique Blanc, Peter Bonke, Cyril Guei, Christèle Tual Screenwriters: Pierre Trividic, Patrick Mario Bernard Producer: Patrick Sobelman Cinematographer: Pierric Gantelmi d’ille Editor: Yann Dedet Print Source: Films Distribution
Pierre Trividic, Patrick Mario Bernard’s Filmography: Une famille parfaite (2006); Dancing (Ballroom) (2003)
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Philadelphia Premiere France 2008, 102 min
Three adult siblings must decide what to do with their recently deceased mother’s art-filled home in this elegant tale of family life. This stylish, thoughtful drama from director Olivier Assayas explores long simmering sibling tensions and a French culture and heritage under siege by modern life. 75-five-year-old matriarch Hélène (Edith Scob) lives in a classically appointed home that is the traditional getaway spot for her three grown children and grandchildren. Here life seems idyllic bourgeois as Frédéric (Charles Berling), a Parisian professor; Jérémie (Jérémie Renier), a business executive working in China; and Adrienne (Juliette Binoche), a New York designer, relive the simplicity and comfort of their youth. After the mother’s sudden death, however, tensions — a lifetime in the making — bubble to the surface when the three adults are forced to decide what to do with their mother’s art- and antiques-filled home (the furnishings and art were lent by the Musée d’Orsay for the film). While one wants to preserve it for his children, the others want to sell it off and use the money on things they need. The acting is exceptional and the theme of the diminishing relevancy of the many values that make France France is explored in a subtle but vivid fashion. (French with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Olivier Assayas Cast: Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, Edith Scob Screenwriter: Olivier Assayas Producers: Marin Karmitz, Nathanaël Karmitz, Charles Gillibert Print Source: IFC
Olivier Assayas’s Filmography: Boarding Gate (2007); Clean (2004); Demonlover (2002); Sentimental Destinies (2001); Late August, Early September (1998); HHH: A Portrait of Hou HsiaoHsien (1997); Ima Vep (1996); Cold Water (1994); A New Life (1993); Paris Awakens (1991); Winter’s Child (1989); Disorder (1986) Sponsored by:
The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
international comedies
The chocolate dessert for the still hungry cinéaste! Take a break from the serious and enjoy this sampling of comedies from around the world.
Back Soon
Chef’s Special
Skrapp út
Fuera de carta
Friday, March 27 • 9:30 • The Prince Saturday, March 28 • 2:30 • The Bridge Sunday, March 29 • 5:00 • Ritz East 2
Saturday, March 28 • 2:15 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 7:45 • The Bridge Monday, April 6 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1
East Coast Premiere Iceland, France 2008, 92 min
Philadelphia Premiere Spain 2008, 111 min
An eccentric, almost surreal Icelandic comedy shares the misadventures of a female pot dealer, her family and her most unusual set of friends and clients. Quirky should be a required introductory adjective when one mentions Icelandic film; this delightfully off-kilter comedy, certain to give heart palpitations to members of the country’s tourist board, lives up to its celluloid reputation. Set over a 24-hour period in the endless light of summer, the story revolves around Anna (actress and poet Didda Jónsdóttir), a rail-thin mother in her late 30s who sports the bedraggled look of someone habitually coming off an all-nighter. She’s a published poet but earns her living selling marijuana to seemingly half the population of the rugged island. Sick of Iceland (“the Alcatraz of the north”), she wants to take her two kids anywhere so long as it is out of Iceland. When she finds someone to buy her pot business, she leaves her house (and “business” headquarters) and posts the sign “Back soon” on the door. Thus begins a series of misadventures including a cell-phone-swallowing goose, an idealistic French poetry student, a suicidal drunk in a wheelbarrow and the abandoned customers gathering at her place which they turn into a weird party central. This entertainingly eccentric film is sure to give you a high. (English and Icelandic with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Energetic performances from Almodóvar regulars Javier Cámara (Talk to Her) and Lola Dueñas (Volver) anchor this wholly entertaining farce bustling with quick-witted dialogue and comical hi-jinks. Bright, breezy and briskly directed by Nacho G. Velilla, this Spanish delight was the Opening Night of the Lincoln Center’s Spanish Cinema Now and even had The New York Times declaring it “a raucous comedy.” Chef Maxi (Camára) has plenty on his plate. Between running a high-end restaurant, keeping it in the black and corralling his unpredictable staff, who could begrudge him a foul-mouthed outburst, or two, or several? His best gal pal and next door neighbor Alex (Dueñas) is desperate to find a good man while souschef Ramiro can’t put his hard-partying days behind him. Add to the mix an unexpected reunion with two estranged children and a blossoming gay romance with a closeted international athlete, and you’ve got one troubled gourmet. Now the Michelin Guide food critic is coming to review his restaurant and it whips Maxi into a frenzy as he learns to juggle the new dynamics his children and lover bring to the table, with over-the-top, hilarious results. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Alejandro Morales
Director: Sólveig Anspach Cast: Didda Jónsdóttir, Julien Cottereau, Joy Doyle, Erpur Eyvindarson, Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir, Jörundur Ragnarsson Screenwriters: Sólveig Anspach, JeanLuc Gaget Producers: Hlín Jóhannesdóttir, Skúli Fr. Malmqvist, Thor Sigurjonsson, Patrick Sobelman Print Source: BAC Films
Sólveig Anspach’s Filmography: Stormy Weather (2003); Made in the USA (2001); Haut les coeurs! (Battle Cries) (1999)
Director: Nacho G. Velilla Cast: Javier Camára, Lola Dueñas, Fernando Tejero, Chus Lampreave, Benjamiín Vicuna, Junio Valverde, Luis Varela Screenwriters: Oriol Capel, Antonio Sánchez, David S. Olivas, Nacho G. Velilla Producers: Daniel Écija, Nacho G. Velilla, Tadeo Villalba hijo Cinematographer: David Omedes Editor: Ángel Hernández Zoido Print Source: TLA Releasing
Chef’s Special is Nacho G. Velilla’s debut. Sponsored by:
international comedies
The Magic Hour Za majikku awâ Saturday, March 28 • 9:15 • The Prince Tuesday, March 31 • 9:15 • The Bridge Wednesday, April 1 • 12:00 • Ritz East 2 U.S. Premiere Japan 2008, 137 min
In this rousingly funny and entertaining gangster spoof, a clueless actor is hired to portray a notorious hitman, unaware that the role of his career is deadly real. Take time out from some of the Festival’s more serious offerings to thoroughly enjoy this hilarious big budget Japanese gangster spoof. Set in a weirdly artificial 1930s Sukago (Chicago), the tale begins when enterprising gangster Bingo (Satoshi Tsumabuki) is caught in flagrante delecto with his crime syndicate boss’s girl. When punishment looks like it’s lights out for our handsome hero, the quick-thinking Bingo saves his hide by promising to deliver Della Togashi, the city’s legendary but mysterious professional assassin. Not actually knowing the man, Bingo instead hires a vain third-rate actor, Murata, to impersonate the hitman, telling the clueless actor that he is actually starring in an unconventional gangster flick. When the actor swaggers menacingly into the boss’s office as if he owns the place, his over-the-top performance strangely impresses the hard-as-nails gangsters so much that he is hired to knock off a few of the boss’s enemies. Cement shoes seem like footwear of the future for the two as the ruse quickly spirals out of control. This action-packed screwball comedy from comedic director Koki Mitani was a huge box office smash in Japan and is certain to be a hit at the Festival too. (Japanese with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Koki Mitani Cast: Koichi Sato, Satoshi Tsumabuki, Toshiyuki Nishida, Eri Fukatsu, Haruka Ayase, Fumiyo Kohinata Screenwriter: Koki Mitani Producers: Chihiro Kameyama, Yoshishige Shimatani Cinematographer: Hideo Yamamoto Editor: Soichi Ueno Print Source: Pony Canyon, Inc
Koki Mitani’s Filmography: Uchôten hoteru (Duite Dreams) (2006); Furuhata Ninzaburo Final (2006); Minna no ie (All About Our House) (2001); Rajio no jikan (Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald) (1997)
Mortadelo and Filemon: Mission – Save the Planet
Suitable for Families
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Rumba Friday, March 27 • 4:30 • Ritz 5 Saturday, March 28 • 7:15 • Ritz 5
Mortadelo y Filemon – mision: salvar la tierra
East Coast Premiere Belgium 2008, 77 min
Wednesday, April 1 • 4:45 • The Bridge Saturday, April 4 • 12:30 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, April 5 • 4:45 • Ritz 5
Decked out in eye-popping primary colors and with a minimum of dialogue (a la Jacques Tati), this tiny French-Belgian moral fable by a trio of inventive filmmakers shrewdly details how the vagaries of life affect a young couple’s dreams and goals. The find of this year’s Festival for this reviewer is the utterly disarming, wildly stylized Rumba. This tragicomic film is equal part Jacques Tati and Rolf de Heer, strange bedfellows indeed, and yet it is a total original, absolutely singular. Abel and Gordon, physical farceurs extraordinaire, play a couple who work together in a little French peasant school — she teaches English while he oversees its Phys. Ed. program — but they really live to dance, and even enter competitions. It’s a simple Tati-esque fable at first, virtually dialogue-free, as the actors brilliantly mime their way through a series of mundane daily routines that, thanks to some double-jointed maneuvers, they turn into inventively antic, witty moments. The cartoon-colored Rumba turns darker in its second half, but is no less hilarious, as certain unnerving de Heer elements inform its narrative. What originally seemed like an escapist lark turns into a rather serious — and humbling — meditation on the unexpected vagaries of life. (French with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake
North American Premiere Spain 2008, 94 min
Inept super spies Mortadelo and Filemon are reunited to save the world from drought in this visually outlandish and wildly cartoonish caper spoof. It was a huge popular comic book success in Spain, but Philadelphia audiences first witnessed the cartoonish antics of bungling super spies Mortadelo and Filemon in 2005’s Mortadelo & Filemon: The Big Adventure. We are pleased to bring them back with this antic comedy that features imaginative set design, hilarious physical humor and some of the strangest characters you’ll see on film. The planet is in the midst of a great drought and evil thugs are finishing off what little water remains. An international conference of super agents is convened at the U.N. but they are wiped out by a bomb. It now falls into the not-so-steady hands of Mortadelo and Filemon to save the world. The pair must fight the evil capitalist Botijola and, in order to do so, they need to travel back in time to Mesopotamia to recover a rain-making machine. This is a rollicking roller coaster of fun for the whole family — yes, there are Spanish subtitles, but kids will still enjoy the many visual gags. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Noelle Reilly Director: Miguel Bardem Cast: Edu Soto, Pepe Viyuela, Berta Ojea, Carlos Santos, Janfri Topera, Mariano Venancio Screenwriters: Carlos Martin, Juan V. Pozuelo, Bardem, based on the comicbooks by Francisco Ibanez Producers: Antonio Asensio, Tedy Villalba, Jaume Roures Cinematographer: Unax Mendia Editor: Ivan Aledo Print Source: 6 Sales
Miguel Bardem’s Filmography: Incautos (Swindled) (2004); Niñas de hojalata (2003); Noche de reyes Twelfth Night) (2001); Soberano, el rey canalla (2001); La Mujer más fea del mundo (The Ugliest Woman in the World) (1999); Más que amor, frenesí (Not Love, Just Frenzy) (1996)
Directors: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy Cast: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Philippe Martz, Clement Morel, Bruno Romy Screenwriters: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy Producers: Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Marin Karmitz, Nathaniel Karmitz, Charles Gilibert Cinematographer: Claire Childeric Editor: Sandrine Deegen Print Source: Koch Lorber Films
Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy’s Filmography: Iceberg (2005) Program includes the short:
The Line
(USA, 2008, 9 min, Richard Sabatte) Men, you don’t want to know what women do in the Ladies’ Room — and women, you are exposed!
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
cinema of the muslim worlds Focusing on culture rather than politics, this selection of films from France, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine, Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina explores the richness and diversity of Islamic life throughout the world.
Kabuli kid Friday, March 27 • 5:15 • Ritz East 1 Monday, March 30 • 7:15 • Ritz East 1 Monday, April 6 • 5:00 • The Prince Philadelphia Premiere France, Afghanistan 2008, 94 min
A beleaguered cab driver finds a baby in his backseat and becomes obsessed with finding either its mother or a new home for it in this captivating urban road movie set in a war-ravaged Kabul. In a post-Taliban, post-U.S.-invasion Afghanistan, the bomb-plagued, impoverished, jittery city of Kabul is just beginning to come back to life. Khaled is a taxi driver who reluctantly picks up a burka-wearing young woman carrying a baby. When she purposefully leaves her baby behind, the driver — a father of four girls himself — is forced into a chaotic urban odyssey in a frantic (and at times comic) attempt to find the mother or at least a home for the child. He goes to the police, meets some French people who may be of assistance, tries to unload the infant at an orphanage, visits a radio station and even takes the baby home for a night. Gently humorous, life-affirming and warm-hearted, this neo-realistic film wonderfully captures the life of a city and its people. Filmed primarily with non-professional actors, Kabuli kid has an authenticity rarely found in fiction films. (Farsi with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Barmak Akram Cast: Hadji Gul, Valéry Schatz, Amélie Glenn, Mohammad Chafi Sahel, Helena Alam Screenwriter: Barmak Akram Producers: Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missonnier Cinematographer: Laurent Fleutot Editors: Hervé de Luze, Pierre Haberer, Elise Fievet Print Source: Wild Bunch
Kabuli kid is Barmak Akram’s debut.
Sponsored by:
cinema of the muslim worlds
For My Father
Lemon Tree
Loose Rope
Sof Shavua B’Tel Aviv
Etz Limon
Rismane Baz
Monday, March 30 • 12:00 • Ritz East 2 Tuesday, March 31 • 7:00 • Ritz East 2
Tuesday, March 31 • 2:15 • Ritz 5 Friday, April 3 • 12:15 • Ritz East 2
Wednesday, April 1 • 2:45 • Ritz East 2 Thursday, April 2 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2
Philadelphia Premiere Germany, Israel 2008, 100 min
Philadelphia Premiere Israel, Germany, France 2008, 100 min
Philadelphia Premiere Iran 2008, 82 min
A gripping but tender political and humanistic drama about a young Palestinian suicide bomber, a Jewish Orthodox young woman he meets and the mission he feels compelled to complete. This Israeli/German co-production takes a warmly humanistic look at Palestinian/Israeli relations with a story about a suicide bomber who becomes stranded in Israel and is forced to interact with the very people he was meant to kill. Tarek is a celebrated young Arab footballer sent to Tel Aviv for a suicide mission at a public market. When his bomb fails to detonate, he is forced to hide, repair the explosive-filled vest and wait for further instructions from the terrorist cell that sent him. There, in a Jewish neighborhood, he is taken in by a friendly electrician and his wife. He meets shopkeeper Keren, a quietly angry young woman who recently left her Orthodox upbringing. The two people — a lonely, confused Palestinian and the runaway outcast — find comfort in each other. Yet as Tarek begins to have feelings for Keren, he remains constantly reminded of the bomb strapped to his waist, just a cell phone ring away from igniting. This is a gripping yet sensitive look at people living in such a volatile place. (Hebrew and Arabic with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass shines in this tale that puts a human face on IsraeliPalestinian politics. Salma (Abbass) a Palestinian widow who has been peacefully tending her lemon trees for years, suddenly risks losing them when a new neighbor moves in next door. It seems her trees are located on the greenline border between Israel and the West Bank, and her new neighbor is the Israeli minister of defense, who feels nervous at the thought of potential security hazards lurking in the groves. As she faces eviction and the removal of her beloved trees, Salma becomes outraged, challenging the security order in court. With the help of an unlikely ally, she takes her fight all the way to the High Court of Justice. Eran Riklis, whose 2004 The Syrian Bride was an equally nuanced international hit, says of his film, “I think people want to go beyond the news headlines and see into the psyche of the people… We tried to make a film showing the point of view from the humans on both sides” Lemon Tree is an optimistic film about justice and passion. (Arabic, Hebrew with English subtitles) —Brenda Benthien
Director: Dror Zahavi Cast: Shadi Fahr-Al-Din, Shredi Jabarin, Rosina Kambus, Michael Moshonov, Shlomo Vishinsky, Hili Yalon Screenwriters: Ido Dror, Jonatan Dror Producers: Zvi Spielmann, Heike Wiehle-Timm Cinematographer: Carl F. Koshnick Editor: Fritz Busse Print Source: Forward Motion
Dror Zahavi’s Filmography: [Selected] Der Geheimnisvolle Schatz von Troja (2007); Airlift (2005); utter auf der Palme (2002); Der Mann von nebenan (2002); Am Ende des Tunnels (2002); Der Besucher (The Visitor) (1992)
Director: Eran Riklis Cast: Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman, Rona Lipaz-Michael, Tarik Kopty, Amos Lavi, Amnon Wolf, Smadar Jaaron, Danny Leshman, Hili Yalon Screenwriters: Suha Arraf, Eran Riklis Producer: Eran Riklis Cinematographer: Rainer Klausmann Editor: Tova Asher Print Source: IFC
Eran Riklis’s Filmography: [Selected] The Syrian Bride (2004); Pituy (Temptation) (2002); Vegvul Natan (Borders) (1999); Zohar (Zohar: Mediterranean Blues) (1993); Gmar Gavi’a (Cup Final) (1991)
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Two men are instructed to take an injured cow to market in Tehran. Their task proves anything but simple (the cow’s not into it!) in this gently humorous culture-clash drama. This small-scale and deceptively comical road movie gentle skewers the clash between city and rural cultures and features one of the greatest and funniest loose-cow-in-city-streets scenes ever committed to film. Two friends (one with the good looks of the Marlboro Man) who are workers at an animal market set off from the countryside instructed to take an injured cow to a city market within 24 hours — or else. Easy command; difficult task. The two men quickly learn that the quite large bovine is proving to be an unwilling participant in the journey. With only a rope to lead the animal along, the increasingly beleaguered men venture through crowded highways, city streets and inquisitive onlookers. And even when they get into the city, their job proves far from over. Although this charming story is devoid of politics or religion, it is still filled with insight into the culture clash within Iran. (Farsi with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Mehrshad Karkhani Cast: Pejman Bazeghi, Babak Hamidian, Keramat Roudsaz, Narges Mohammadi Screenwriters: Mehrshad Karkhani, Babak Panahi Producer: Habibollah Kaseh Saz Cinematographer: Farshad Mohammadi Editor: Shahrzad Pouya Print Source: Sheherazad Media International
Loose Rope is Mehrshad Karkhani’s debut.
Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Salt of This Sea
Snow
The Song of Sparrows
Sunday, March 29 • 12:15 • The Bridge Monday, March 30 • 4:00 • The Prince Monday, April 6 • 4:45 • Ritz 5
Snijeg
Avaze Gonjeshk-ha
Friday, April 3 • 12:15 • The Bridge Sunday, April 5 • 6:15 • Black Box at Prince
Wednesday, April 1 • 12:15 • Ritz East 1 Friday, April 3 • 5:00 • The Bridge
Philadelphia Premiere Palestine, Belgium, France, Spain, Switzerland 2008, 109 min
Philadelphia Premiere Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany, France 2008, 100 min
East Coast Premiere Iran 2008, 96 min
A Brooklyn-born Palestinian woman emigrates to Ramallah, determined to fight for the land, money and dignity owed her family inthis controversial look at Israeli-Palestinian relations. This, the first feature film directed by a Palestinian woman, is a confrontational drama that directly addresses the anger and frustrations of the Palestinian people over the decades of their oppression at the hands of the Israeli government. Soraya (Suheir Hammad) is a high-strung Palestinian-American from Brooklyn who returns to the chaotic Israeli-occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah to reclaim her heritage. In the city, she does not approach her new life with a sense of happiness, but rather with impatience and resentment at the current political and cultural situation. When she discovers that the Israeli-owned bank will not refund monies her grandfather left there 60 years ago, she enlists the support of two men — Emad (Saleh Bakri), a student who desperately wants to leave for Canada, and his filmmaker friend Marwan (Riyad Ideis) — to rob the bank of the money she says she’s owed...plus interest. On the run and without the proper paperwork to travel, the three embark on a dangerous tour of their shared past which takes them to her ancestral home now owned by a liberal Israeli. This is an unsettling film, in no small part because of lead character’s self-righteousness -– is she a loud bully or the representation of a people long repressed and nearly hopeless for the future? (Arabic and Hebrew with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Minimalism rules in Aida Beglic’s Bosnian feature about widowed mountain women’s daily grind to eke out a spare existence — and to keep their memories, dashed dreams and passions at bay as they struggle to survive. In her auspicious debut feature, Bosnia’s Aida Begic brings an almost feral sense of loneliness and isolation to her spare story of a group of Muslim mountain women, most of them widows who are immobilized as a result of the 1995 Dayton Accords’ genocide and who are struggling to grind out a furtive existence by farming only what they need to survive. The innate minimalism of the piece — its muted passion — stems from their memories, both shared and individual, and their crushed dreams. Their survival instincts are tempered by a wisdom driven by the harsh realization that life goes on. We witness the soul-killing minutiae of their daily lives until one of them, Alma (Zana Marjanovic), steps out from the group with an entrepreneurial plan to provide for the village by selling homemade jams and jellies throughout the countryside. Survival then takes on a different meaning when interlopers with plans to develop the area show up. Snow is spartan, stark and affecting, guided by its exquisite ensemble performances. (English and Bosnian with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake
Director: Annemarie Jacir Cast: Suheir Hammad, Saleh Bakri, Riyad Ideis Screenwriter: Annemarie Jacir Producers: Bero Beyer, Jacques Bidou, Marianne Dumoulin Cinematographer: Benoît Chamaillard Editor: Michèle Hubinon Print Source: Pyramide International
Salt of This Sea is Annemarie Jacir’s debut.
Director: Aida Begic Cast: Zana Marjanovic, Jasna Ornela Bery, Sadžida Šetic, Vesna Mašic, Emir Hadžihafizbegovic, Irena Mulamuhic Screenwriters: Aida Begic, Elma Tataragic based on an idea by Faruk Šabanovic Producers: Benny Drechsel, Karsten Stöter, Elma Tataragic Cinematographer: Erol Zubcevic Editor: Miralem Zubcevic Print Source: Pyramide International
A simple ostrich farmer is seduced by the materialistic and competitive charms of the city at the expense of his family and his sanity in this captivating Iranian drama. Caution against the corrupting allure of the city is the message of this insightful Iranian family drama. Karim works at an ostrich farm and lives with his wife and several children not far away. It is a simple life dramatically changed when an ostrich escapes. Fired and in need of a job, he accidentally becomes a motorcycle cabbie in the teeming streets of Tehran — precariously carting people, animals and materials on his sputtering motorbike. Soon, Karim begins to change — the previously simple farmer and loving father becomes a greedy, increasingly tense competitor obsessed with money and consumer goods. When an accident threatens his livelihood, Karim must reassess his world. The amateur actors and amazing locales (the scenes with ostriches are priceless) in The Song of Sparrows, from Iran’s only Oscar-nominated director (Majid Majidi, Children of Heaven), harken back to the simpler allegorical dramas -– full of humanistic feeling and subtle power — of earlier Iranian filmmaking. (Farsi with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Majid Majid Cast: Reza Naji, Maryam Akbari, Kamran Dehghan, Hamed Aghazi, Shabnam Aklaghi Screenwriters: Majid Majidi, Mehran Kashani Producer: Majid Majidi Cinematographer: Tooraj Mansoouri Editor: Hassan Hassandoost Print Source: Regent Releasing
Majid Majid’s Filmography: [selected] The Willow Tree (2005); Barefoot to Herat (2002); Baran (2001); The Color of Paradise (1999); Children of Heaven (1997); The Last Village (1993)
Snow is Aida Begic’s debut. Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:
The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
latino cinema today International stars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna headline this snapshot of Spanish and Latin American Cinema featuring works from Chile, Spain, Mexico, Argentina and Peru.
Rudo y Cursi Saturday, April 4 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 East Coast Premiere Mexico 2008, 103 min
Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, the adorable teens from 2001’s Y Tu Mamá También are together again as brothers in Rudo y Cursi, a raunchy comedy about the pitfalls of fame. Beto and Tato work on a rustic Mexican banana ranch with nothing to sustain them but their dreams. Both soccer players for the local team, Beto — nicknamed Rudo for his temper on the field — would like to go pro, while tone-deaf Tato dreams of fame as a singer. Their shared goal in life is to build their loose mama a big house. One day a sports agent tears up their dusty road in a sports car, telling them he can take only one of them to the city and make him a soccer star. Much to Rudo’s dismay, the agent chooses Tato — called Cursi for his fancy footwork. Never one to be outdone by his brother, Rudo lands a position on a rival team. As the brothers make the leap to the big time, many distractions are thrown their way, from floozies and gambling to drugs and gangsters. Rudo Y Cursi is an engaging romp that displays the huge comedic talents of its lead actors. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Brenda Benthien Director: Carlos Cuarón Cast: Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Guillermo Francella, Dolores Heredia, Adriana Paz, Jessica Mas Screenwriter: Carlos Cuarón Producers: Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, Guillermo del Toro, Frida Torresblanco, Tita Lombardo Cinematographer: Adam Kimmel Editor: Alex Rodríguez Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics
Rudo y Cursi is Carlos Cuarón’s debut.
Sponsored by:
latino cinema today
77
All Inclusive
Before the Fall
Cowards
Saturday, March 28 • 12:15 • Ritz East 2 Monday, March 30 • 4:45 • I House Wednesday, April 1 • 5:00 • Ritz East 2
3 dias
Cobardes
Saturday, March 28 • 4:30 • The Prince Sunday, March 29 • 9:30 • The Bridge Saturday, April 4 • 12:30 • Ritz 5
Friday, March 27 • 2:30 • The Bridge Friday, April 3 • 9:30 • The Bridge Sunday, April 5 • 7:15 • Ritz East 2
East Coast Premiere Spain 2007, 93 min
U.S. Premiere Spain 2008, 89 min
A meteor is approaching the earth and all life will be extinguished in three days, but one family has a more pressing fear — a deranged and vengeful killer just released from prison is headed their way in this original apocalyptic thriller. Before the Fall is one of the more unexpected films in the festival; a dazzling hybrid of end-of-theworld science fiction, bloody western-style thriller and a family drama. The result is a wholly original thinking-person’s genre film. The leaders of the world announce that a huge meteor is expected to hit the earth in 72 hours, guaranteeing to destroy all life on the planet. For the people of a remote Spanish village, they respond to the apocalyptic news like the rest of the world — with panic. And chaos ensues. But one family of four children headed by their young uncle Ale (Victor Clavijo) faces another, more immediate and terrifying threat: from a recently ex-con psychopath bent on bloody revenge. As the meteor slowly approaches, the uncle must protect the children from the menacing stranger. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival, this shocking thriller is scheduled to have an American remake under the direction of Wes Craven. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray
Themes of security and fear underscore this tale of a young boy, mercilessly bullied on the schoolyard and ignored by adults who are lost in their web of cell phones and closed-circuit cameras. Every day Gaby races home, chased by Guille and a gang of bullies from school. The threat of taunts and beatings at his heels, his home life reveals different types of cowardice. His sister sleeps with a stuffed animal and despairs when it is lost. His father installs home security systems to placate the fear of others but cannot stand up to his employer. Meanwhile, Guille’s father is a haughty local politician who projects bravado and talks a good game, but surrounds himself with bodyguards. Only the matriarchs of these two families –- Gaby’s mother, a television journalist, and Guille’s stay-at-home mom -– seem to have any grasp of the contradictions present, and they don’t act on their hunches. Almost everybody owns a cell phone that they keep constantly at their sides. On one level, writer/director team José Corbacho and Juan Cruz tell a common story of adolescent travails and one boy’s lesson in confronting his tormentors. More broadly, they have woven a sweeping criticism of systemic paranoia and false security, evasion in place of confrontation in the passive digital age. (Spanish with English subtitles) —John Vitesse
East Coast Premiere Chile 2008, 85 min
A family undergoes a seismic change in their relations when they travel to a Mexican seaside resort and the area’s various temptations affect them all. With a story and characters so familiar to American audiences, it will be hard to remember that All Inclusive is in fact a Chilean-Mexican film. In this sexy comedy/drama we follow one dysfunctional family’s transformative time while on a Yucatan vacation. Beefy businessman Gonzalo takes his family — wife Carmen, teen daughters Maca and Camila, and son Andres — to a sprawling Mexican resort for sun and relaxation. They get more than they bargained for when the heat, warm waters and very friendly natives wreck havoc on the family unit. Carmen, initially bored with the tacky surroundings, finds excitement in the attentions of a younger man; recently divorced Maca becomes sexually confused when she falls for another woman; young Camila feels like an alien and sex-obsessed amateur photographer; Andres believes he’s found heaven. As sexual temptations lead them astray, an approaching hurricane may change all their plans. Far from an art film, this sun-and-flesh-splashed tale constantly entertains and delights. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Rodrigo Ortuzar Cast: Jesús Ochoa, Martha Higareda, Maya Zapata, Ana Serradilla, Jaime Camil, Leonor Varela Screenwriters: Paula del Fierro, Julio Rojas, Patricio Lynch, Carolina Cardemil Producers: Patricio Lynch, Rodrigo Ortuzar, Jaime Solis Cinematographer: Juan Carlos Bustamante Editor: Marcela Sáenz Print Source: Film Sharks
Rodrigo Ortuzar’s Filmography: Mujeres infieles (Unfaithful Women) (2004)
Director: F. Javier Gutierrez Cast: Victor Clavijo, Mariana Cordero, Eduard Fernandez, Daniel Casadella, Ana de las Cuevas, Elvira de Arminan, Juan Galvan Screenwriters: Juan Velarde, F. Javier Gutierrez Producer: Antonio P. Perez Cinematographer: Miguel Angel Mora Editor: Nacho Ruiz Capillas Print Source: IFC
Before the Fall is F. Javier Gutierrez’s debut. Sponsored by:
Directors: José Corbacho, Juan Cruz Cast: Lluis Homar, Elvira Minguez, Paz Padilla, Antonio de la Torre, Eduardo Espinilla, Eduardo Gare, Ariadna Gaya, Frank Crudele Screenwriters: José Corbacho, Juan Cruz Producers: Julio Fernández, Tadeo Villalba hijo Cinematographer: David Omedes Editor: David Gallart Print Source: Filmax International
José Corbacho, Juan Cruz’s Filmography: Tapas (2005)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
78
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
The Desert Within
Dioses
Don’t Look Down
Desierto adentro
Monday, March 30 • 12:15 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 4:45 • The Bridge
No mires para abajo
Tuesday, March 31 • 2:15 • The Bridge Wednesday, April 1 • 9:30 • Ritz East 2 Thursday, April 2 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 Philadelphia Premiere Mexico 2008, 112 min
In this intense, devastating drama about religious fanaticism and parental devotion, a father places his family in jeopardy following the 1928 Mexican Revolution. Winning multiple awards at the 2008 Guadalajara Film Festival, The Desert Within signals another strong addition to the new wave of contemporary Latino cinema. Several years have passed since the 1928 Mexican Revolution and many of the churches have closed, forcing priests to leave their villages. Elías (Mario Zaragoza in a powerful performance) is pressuring an ex-priest into returning to baptize his new son. But the troops are in pursuit of the priest and the community suffers for Elías’s determination when they attack the village. Protective of his surviving children, Elías takes them to a remote spot in the desert and begins construction on a church. His family however, will ultimately pay the price for his dangerous obsession to prove his religious worth. Director Rodrigo Plá’s latest is being compared to the works of Luis Buñuel, Alfonso Cuaron and Guillermo del Toro. With its stirring performances, thoughtfully composed cinematography and live action scenes transitioning into brightly colored, effective animation, Plá is definitely a talent to watch. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice Director: Rodrigo Plá Cast: Mario Zaragoza, Diego Cataño, Memo Dorantes, Eileen Yáñez, Luis Fernando Peña Screenwriters: Laura Santullo, Rodrigo Plá Producers: Germán Méndez, Rodrigo Plá Cinematographer: Serguei Saldivar Tanaka Editors: Ana García, Rodrigo Plá Print Source: IMCINE
Rodrigo Plá’s Filmography: La Zona (2007)
U.S. Premiere Peru, Argentina, France, Germany 2008, 93 min
Portraying a seemingly idyllic life that is actually soulless and cruel, Dioses condemns the class disparity that exists in many Latin American countries. Beautiful and rich Andrea (Anahí de Cárdenas) and Diego (Sergio Gjurinovic) are young-adult siblings living a life of privilege, completely cut off from reality in an artificial world where parties, drugs, and money are free-flowing. They are part of the Peruvian upper class that isolates itself both geographically and intellectually from the real problems and social ills of the country. As director Méndez states, “They do and undo the country, guided by unbearable and selfimposed social pressures, false pride and prejudices.” But beneath the surface, all is not so picture perfect: their tyrannical father, Agustín (Edgar Saba), has recently brought home his latest girlfriend, Elisa (Maricielo Effio). She is 20 years his junior and determined to climb the social ladder. They may live in a beautiful house on a beautiful beach surrounded by beautiful people, but there is an ugly side to a world in which the price people pay to keep up appearances leaves them emotionally bankrupt. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Noelle Reilly Director: Josue Mendez Cast: Maricielo Effio, Sergio Gjurinovic, Anahi de Cardenas, Edgar Saba, Cristina Salieses, Denisse Dihos Screenwriter: Josue Mendez Producer: Enid Campos Cinematographer: Mario Bassino Editor: Roberto Benavides Print Source: Doc and Film International
Josue Mendez’s Filmography: Días de Santiago (2004)
Monday, March 30 • 4:30 • The Bridge Tuesday, March 31 • 9:45 • Ritz 5 Wednesday, April 1 • 2:15 • Ritz 5 North American Premiere Argentina, France 2008, 90 min
A young man is introduced to the almost hallucinatory joys of sex after he meets a gorgeous older woman in this explicit but innocent coming-of-age romp from Argentina. One will be hard pressed to find a more joyously romantic film than this hyperkinetic tale of an odd young man who finds happiness and out-of-body experiences during sex with a slightly older woman. Twenty-something Eloy (Leandro Stivelman) — with wide, childlike eyes — is a carefree stilt-walker by day and sleepwalker at night. When he literally crashes through a skylight and into the bedroom of Elvira, she and her mother believe he came into their lives for a reason. The gorgeous, wise-beyond-heryears Elvira, a practitioner of tantric sex, initiates the naïve but more than willing Eloy into the wonderment and pleasures of sexual activities — bringing both of them joy and relief so complete that Eloy leaves his body and travels through space and time. When the woman plans to return to her native Spain, Eloy faces the dilemma of his young life. The Summer of ‘42 (remember that classic, baby boomers?) meets Y tu mamá también with this erotic romp that, despite being sexually explicit, remains a fun and refreshingly exciting experience — naked bodies have never been so innocently exposed. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Raymond Murray Director: Eliseo Subiela Cast: Hugo Arana, Antonella Costa, Mónica Galán, Leandro Stivelman Screenwriter: Eliseo Subiela Producer: Daniel Pensa Cinematographer: Sol Lopatin Editor: Marcela Sáenz Print Source: Daniel Pensa
Eliseo Subiela’s Filmography: [Selected] El Resultado del amor (2007); Lifting de corazón (2005); El Destino de Angélica (2002); Pequeños milagros (Little Miracles) (1997); Despabílate amor (Wake Up Love) (1996); El Lado oscuro del corazón (1992); Hombre mirando al sudeste (Man Looking Southeast) (1986)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
latino cinema today
God’s Forgotten Town
I’m Going to Explode
Lake Tahoe
Intrusos (en Manasés)
Voy a explotar
Wednesday, April 1 • 9:30 • The Bridge Friday, April 3 • 2:45 • Ritz East 2 Sunday, April 5 • 9:15 • Ritz East 2
Friday, April 3 • 9:30 • Ritz 5 Sunday, April 5 • 7:15 • The Bridge
Friday, March 27 • 7:15 • The Bridge Sunday, March 29 • 12:00 • Ritz 5
U.S. Premiere Spain 2008, 90 min
Shimmering with style and a pulsating electronica soundtrack (Interpol, Bright Eyes), this Mexican import is genuinely tender and sweepingly romantic. Handsome Ramón, a privileged kid of a corrupt politico, has been kicked out of private schools for being a rebel. Sweet-faced Maru, frustrated with her middle-class existence, feels like a misfit herself. One day, when the teens have detention together, they realize they are kindred spirits. The star-crossed lovers devise a plan to escape their lives, under the guise that Maru is kidnapped by Ramon. With a gun in tow, the twosome hop into a car, and make their getaway but eventually come back to Ramón’s family rooftop to hide out; after all, it’s just fun and games when it comes to blossoming young love. As their families become increasingly desperate in their search for the teens, the police enter the picture and our young lovers’ innocent bliss is cut short. Bursting with youthful exuberance and a rebellious spirit, Gerardo Naranjo’s film blends elements of French New Wave and contemporary Mexican cinema, immersing you in a love story that is fresh and emotionally true. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice
When a film crew begins to unlock the dark secrets of an abandoned town, the battle between good and evil begins in this Spanish mystery thriller. In Juan Carlos Claver’s clever genre bending movie, the supernatural meshes with exciting action scenes but the thrills carry emotional weight as each of the characters must reconcile with the idea that their lives may be ending. After witnessing the shocking suicide of a mother and daughter, investigative reporter Julie becomes sensitive to the spirits around her. She is enlisted to join a film crew to investigate the mysterious deserted town of Manases, where, in 1945, the residents all disappeared one night when a Nazi airplane crashed nearby. Arriving at the ghost town, the crew discover ancient occult relics but these curios are steeped in evil and they have awakened a spirit world of good and bad. As team members become possessed the ghost of a young girl gives clues to the haunted past. Julia’s psychic abilities can save the world if she can unlock some ancient truths. Big budget pop entertainment, God’s Forgotten Town offers a sly wink to the Indiana Jones movies but also carries the unnerving emotiveness of The Orphanage. (Spanish with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice Director: Juan Carlos Claver Cast: Empar Canet, Juan Fernández, Marina Gatell, Alejandro Jornet, Sonia Lázaro, Belén López, Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Armando del Río Screenwriters: Daniel García, David Muñoz Producers: Juan Carlos Claver, Xavier Crespo, Joan Ginard, Adán Martín Cinematographer: Javier Quintanilla Editor: Rosa Maria Harto Print Source: Imagina International Sales
Juan Carlos Claver’s Filmography: Electroshock (A Love to Keep) (2006); Sprint especial (2005); El Cruce (2004); ¿Dónde está? (2002)
Philadelphia Premiere Mexico 2008, 107 min
Director: Gerardo Naranjo Cast: Juan Pablo de Santiago, Maria Deschamps, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Rebecca Jones, Martha Claudia Moreno Screenwriter: Gerardo Naranjo Producers: Pablo Cruz, Hunter Gray, Alain de la Mata, Gerardo Naranjo Cinematographer: Tobias Datum Editor: Yibran Assaud Print Source: IFC
Gerardo Naranjo’s Filmography: Drama/Mex (2006); Malachance (2004)
Sponsored by:
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Philadelphia Premiere Mexico 2008, 81 min
Three teenagers in a small Mexican town have differing distractions from their troubles at home in this alternately comedic and heartbreaking film. Juan (Diego Cataño) wanders from garage to garage in search of someone to fix the Nissan he crashed into a utility pole. The task seems Sisyphean, but he is unfazed as it keeps him from a distressed home in which his mother has locked herself in a bathroom, chain smoking and weeping. The eccentric cast of characters he meets on his way also carry crutches to distract themselves from their own personal plights. Like Juan’s mother, Lucia is a heavy smoker, tending an auto parts shop and blaring loud pop music as her infant child cries in a nearby crib. David, the shop’s mechanic, quotes Bruce Lee and practices kung fu moves while internalizing quarrels with his religious mother. Humorous at first, the film grows more tragic as we gradually discover the difficult situations these young characters face. In revealing their stories, writer/director Fernando Eimbcke makes effective use of sound and space, saying more about these internal dilemmas with long shots and stretches of silence than he ever could with copious dialogue. (Spanish with English subtitles) —John Vitesse Director: Fernando Eimbcke Cast: Diego Catano, Héctor Herrera, Daniela Valentine, Juan Carlos Lara, Yemil Sefami Screenwriters: Fernando Eimbcke, Paula Markovitch Producer: Christian Valdelièvre Cinematographer: Alexis Zabé Editor: Mariana Rodríguez Print Source: Film Movement
Fernando Eimbcke’s Filmography: Temporada de patos (Duck Season) (2004) Program includes the short:
Labyrinth
(Canada, 2008, 8 min, Patrick Jenkins) A paint on glass animated film in which a detective, after being given an enigmatic locket to protect, encounters strange phenomena and beings from the afterlife in this surrealistic film noir story.
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
the documentary tradition
Always one of the most popular series in the festival, these non-fiction films offer an unblinking cinematic eye on important issues, subjects and people.
Art & Copy Friday, March 27 • 7:30 • Ritz East 1 Monday, March 30 • 2:30 • Ritz East 1 East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 86 min
The mavericks of American advertising divulge the stories behind the most successful ad campaigns in history in this hugely entertaining and thought-provoking documentary. It’s hard to fathom that each day we are bombarded with over 5,000 ads. We are exposed to them through magazines, newspapers, television, billboards, our cell phones and sneaky Internet offers. Most of them are immediately forgotten, but a few stick. Art & Copy explores what makes certain ad campaigns so much more effective than the rest. The geniuses behind “Just Do It,” “Got Milk?,” “I want my MTV!” and many other favorites explain how these catchy slogans came about and why they became embedded in our national psyche, whether we wanted them to or not. The film does a superb job explaining how the advertising world was transformed in the 1960s when innovative firms began putting their art designers and copy writers together, for the first time allowing them to conceptualize an ad campaign as a team. Whether you’re interested in advertising as fine art (Apple Computers’ 1984 Super Bowl commercial) or think of it as propaganda (Ronald Reagan’s “It’s Morning in America” campaign ad), this Sundance favorite is sure to enlighten you. —Jennifer Steinberg Director: Doug Pray Screenwriters: Timothy J. Sexton, Kirk Souder, Gregory Beauchamp Producers: Jimmy Greenway, Michael Nadeau Cinematographer: Peter Nelson Editor: Philip Owens Print Source: Arthouse Films
Doug Pray’s Filmography: Surfwise (2007); Big Rig (2007); Infamy (2005); Red Diaper Baby (2004); Scratch (2001); Hype! (1996)
Sponsored by:
the documentary tradition
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Blind Loves
Boy Interrupted
Food, Inc.
Slepe lásky
Tuesday, March 31 • 7:15 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 9:15 • Black Box
Sunday, March 29 • 5:00 • The Prince Wednesday, April 1 • 4:45 • I House
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 92 min
Scary, dirty little secrets of the food production industry are served up in this stylish expose that is sure to make you think twice the next time you write your grocery list. Their names are “Perdue,” “Monsanto,” “Burger King” and “Tyson Foods.” They sneak high fructose corn syrup into our sweets; abuse our livestock and shoot them up with antibiotics; genetically modify our produce; and exploit small, independent farmers. They grow rich while we become fat and sick. Don’t dare come to this film hungry. The fact that the delicious juicy burger you had for lunch is made from a bacteria-laden slurry of ground beef comprised of random parts of 100 different cows is equally fascinating and nauseating. Buyer beware: you may be getting a lot more than you paid for. Most disturbing of all is our food industry’s self-serving, powerful sway over our government. For those of us who care about our health and the welfare of future Americans, it’s clear that the time to act is now. —Jennifer Steinberg
Friday, March 27 • 2:30 • Ritz East 2 Wednesday, April 1 • 9:15 • I House Thursday, April 2 • 9:30 • Ritz 5 Philadelphia Premiere Slovakia 2008, 77 min
These four vignettes are universal stories with a unique point of view: how people live and love, their hopes, dreams, challenges and fantasies from a blind person’s perspective. The day-to-day lives of a group of average citizens are followed in this artfully composed, nuanced drama that’s full of compassion and sentimentality without becoming schmaltzy. Peter is a music teacher at a school for the blind who shares a tiny apartment with his wife Iveta. Miro and his girlfriend Monika are in love despite her parents’ objections to Moro’s being Romany. Elena and Laco are anxiously anticipating the arrival of their first child. Zuzana is a typical teenager, spending hours in online chat rooms dreaming of falling in love. Crafted in a style that blurs the lines between fiction and documentary, director Juraj Lehotsk asks, “Where is the source of their happiness? Their world might be lacking sight, but it can be richer in spirituality...” (Slovak with English subtitles) —Mark James Wawrzynski Director: Juraj Lehotsky Cast: Peter Kolesár, Iveta Koprdová, Moro Daniel, Monika Brabcová, Jolana Danielová, Anna Brabcová, Zuzana Pohánková, Radoslava Badinková, Elena and Laco with their daughter Gabika Screenwriters: Juraj Lehotsky, Marek Lescák Producers: Juraj Chlpik, Frantisek Krähenbiel, Juraj Lehotsky, Jan Melis, Marko Skop Cinematographer: Juraj Chlpik Editor: Frantisek Krähenbiel Print Source: Autlook
Blind Loves is Juraj Lehotsky’s debut.
Dana and Hart Perry have crafted a haunting, intimate portrait of their son, Evan — an articulate, sensitive boy besieged by the inescapable ravages of bipolar disorder. We all know that adults sometimes get depressed. But small children? What would cause a vivacious boy barely older than a toddler to want to take his own life? The Perrys utilized their skills as documentary filmmakers to capture the disturbing behavior of their son, Evan. If not for their footage, they feared, therapists might not believe their son’s quiet, dispassionate attempts to experience death. A child with everything going for him — doting parents, loving siblings, a lovely home, intelligence, precocious musical talent, good looks — he could never completely silence his inner demons. As he matured, the fact that he might never be a “normal” child became all too clear. After a life-long struggle, Evan succeeded in ending his life at age 15. The Perrys bravely lay themselves bare for us to examine and judge. In doing so they’ve offered numerous insights into the way a caring family copes with mental illness and personal loss. Boy, Interrupted is an emotionally-charged experience that somehow manages in the end to celebrate life, pain and all. —Jennifer Steinberg Director: Dana Perry Producer: Dana Perry Cinematographer: Hart Perry Editor: Geof Bartz Print Source: Perry Films
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 94 min
Director: Robert Kenner Cast: Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Gary Hirschberg, Joel Salatin Producers: Robert Kenner, Elise Pearlstein Cinematographer: Richard Pearce Editor: Kim Roberts Print Source: Magnolia Pictures
Robert Kenner’s Filmography: America’s Endangered Species: Don’t Say Good-bye (1998); Russia’s Last Tsar (1994); The Lost Fleet of Guadalcanal (1993)
Boy Interrupted is Dana Perry’s debut.
Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Garbage Dreams
The Glass House
Herb and Dorothy
Monday, March 30 • 7:00 • I House Friday, April 3 • 12:30 • Ritz East 1
Friday, March 27 • 7:15 • I House Tuesday, March 31 • 5:00 • I House
Saturday, March 28 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, March 29 • 12:00 • Ritz East 1
East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 82 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA, Iran 2008, 92 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 91 min
Real-life melodrama and environmental concerns intersect in this four-year glimpse into the lives of three teens who are members of Cairo’s Zaballeen—“garbage people.” As Egypt’s lowest class, the 60,000 Zaballeen painstakingly collect and sort all of Cairo’s refuse. These impoverished individuals have created what is arguably the world’s most effective resource recovery system – recycling 80% of what they collect. It’s incredible to comprehend that their methods, which have not changed for over 100 years, re-appropriate three times more wasted material than our high-tech Western recycling facilities. Living amongst towers of garbage is daunting, but the people who have had to make this squalid world their home for generations have somehow managed to survive, excel at their trade, find love, and even create art. When young Zaballeen workers Nabil, Osama, and Adham are faced with Egypt’s newly instated modern trash removal system, they are each forced to confront their future plans. The film poses many tough questions, not the least of which is the future survival of our planet’s poorest and most vulnerable souls. As we continue to try to undo much of the damage we have done to our planet, it is important that we take the time to consider the welfare of all of the people living on it. —Jennifer Steinberg
This poignant documentary follows a handful of disadvantaged young Iranian women who are provided a sense of self-worth and the opportunity to experience a full range of life options through education and training. Built in 2004, Omid e Mehr is a unique facility designed to support a small number of the most disadvantaged teenage girls. Their stories are heartbreaking. Samira, merely 14 years old, was repeatedly drugged by her prostitute mother in order to keep her out of the way. Motherless Nazila must care for her many younger siblings while dreaming about a career as a rap star. Susan has survived a string of temporary trial marriages, though the series of uncommitted lovers continue to abuse her. Tracing the breakthroughs and setbacks of these and other girls during their all-too-brief time under the guidance of Marjaneh Halati, a therapist and the center’s founder, we begin to believe that a few of these young women might have a brighter future. Someday they may make the decision to leave their homeland in order to have the freedom to express their true selves. (English & Persian with English subtitles) —Jennifer Steinberg
In their modest one-bedroom New York apartment, unassuming couple Herb and Dorothy Vogel quietly amassed one of the world’s most extraordinary collections of minimalist and conceptual art. They are soul mates, man and wife united in their passion for modern art, their uncanny visual eye and their tireless desire to collect transcendent works by artists on the brink of discovery. He is a retired postman; she, a former librarian. Starting in the early 1960s, they managed to parlay their salaries into a priceless, groundbreaking collection that they gave to the National Gallery in 1992. Transporting the treasure was no mean feat. More than 4,000 pieces were crammed in a tiny space that also included a menagerie of pets. Some pieces by their artist friends were drawn or mounted directly on the wall. The Vogels accepted no monetary compensation for their donation. It was instead their wish that the collection remain intact so that the public could experience the works of Richard Tuttle, Christo, Pat Steir and others alongside each other. Herb and Dorothy are charming eccentrics whose story is certain to amuse, confound and inspire those of us who appreciate individuals with the strength of character to follow their dreams. —Jennifer Steinberg
Director: Mai Iskander Producer: Mai Iskander Cinematographer: Mai Iskander Editors: Kate Hirson, Jessica Reynolds Print Source: Iskander Films, Inc.
Garbage Dreams is Mai Iskander’s debut.
Director: Hamid Rahmanian Screenwriter: Melissa Hibbard Producer: Melissa Hibbard Cinematographer: Hamid Rahmanian Editor: Hamid Rahmanian Print Source: The Film Sales Company
Hamid Rahmanian’s Filmography: Dame sobh (Day Break) (2005)
Director: Megumi Sasaki Cast: Herbert Vogel, Dorothy Vogel, Chuck Close, Richard Tuttle, Sol LeWitt Producer: Megumi Sasaki Cinematographers: Axel Baumann, Rafael de la Uz Editor: Bernadine Colish Print Source: Arthouse Films
Herb and Dorothy is Megumi Sasaki’s debut.
Sponsored by:
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
the documentary tradition
83
Kassim the Dream
9 to 5: Days in Porn
Of Time and the City
Thursday, April 2 • 9:30 • I House Friday, April 3 • 4:45 • The Prince
Saturday, March 28 • 4:45 • I House Tuesday, March 31 • 12:15 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 9:30 • The Bridge
Thursday, April 2 • 9:30 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 5:00 • The Bridge
Executive Producer Forrest Whittaker presents an inspirational story of the journey that led a Ugandan soldier to become the Junior Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World. While it’s probably a truism that every great boxer’s life is full of stories of triumph over tragedy and success against the odds, not many will have quite the excruciating, tragic and meandering path to success that World Champion boxer Kassim “The Dream” Ouma did. Kidnapped into a rebel army in Uganda when he was only six–years–old and forced to use drugs, violence and war as a way of life, Kassim Uma faced a dismal path of death and destruction until he seized an opportunity to escape the only world he knew. But like every dark cloud, there was a silver lining: surrounding Kassim’s nebulous reality was boxing. Escaping from Uganda, Kassim’s boxing training from his days as a soldier first led him to a gym in the Bay area and later to Philadelphia. This intimate documentary chronicles a triumphant, emotional and political saga. It shows how unpredictable life is and how true champions emerge from the most challenging of circumstances. —Nicole Ross
East Coast Premiere Germany 2008, 95 min
Director: Kief Davidson Cast: Kassim “The Dream” Ouma Screenwriter: Kief Davidson Producers: Kief Davidson, Liz Silver Cinematographer: Tony Molina Jr. Editors: Tony Breuer, Kief Davidson Print Source: Emerging Pictures
Director: Jens Hoffmann Cast: Otto Bauer, Belladonna, Roxy Deville, Sasha Grey, Tom Herold, Audrey Hollander, Katja Kassin, Sharon Mitchell, Jim Powers, Mia Rose, Julie Silver, Mark Spiegler, John Stagliano Cinematographer: Jens Hoffmann Editors: Christopher Klotz, Kai Schröter Print Source: Media Luna Entertainment
Acclaimed director Terrence Davies’ nostalgic ode to Liverpool — the city of his birth — is an exquisitely assembled tiny jewel. Davies’ highly personal work is actually more poem than traditional film. In it, he reflects upon his early life in the tenements of Liverpool — an iconic port town in England, where he lived as the youngest of ten children in a strict Roman Catholic household from his birth after WWII until his departure in the mid 1970s. Davis (his own voice-over narration) reminisces about his early love of cinema, his burgeoning acceptance of his homosexuality, and his personal relationships with his family and hometown in this seamlessly woven documentary comprised of meticulously chosen found footage, emotionally charged music (including works by Mahler, Sibelius, The Hollies, The Spinners and Peggy Lee), old radio shows, evocative literary quotes and references. In looking at Liverpool through Davies’ eyes, the city takes on a mythic quality. When we see it fall on economic hard times, it’s heartbreaking. Davies is known for being a filmmaker who only selects projects that are close to his heart, and this is no exception. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy this unique documentary on the big screen! —Jennifer Steinberg
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 87 min
Kief Davidson’s Filmography: The Devil’s Miner (2005); Minor Details (1998)
An insightful and often surprising documentary chronicling the professional and personal lives of adult film stars. Why does a woman decide to become an adult star? Better yet, what makes her stay? Culled from over a year’s worth of footage, 9 to 5: Days in Porn delves deeply into the professional and family lives of performers working in adult entertainment, through intimate interviews and candid at-home and on-set footage of some of the adult world’s biggest stars. Behind-the-scenes players include director husband Otto Bauer and actress Audrey Hollander; the talkative and somewhat sleazy agent to the stars Mark Spiegler; veteran producer John Stagliano; crossover stars Sasha Grey, Roxy Deville and Belladonna; and former porn actress turned industry watchdog Sharon Mitchell. What we don’t see are strung out losers seeking a fast buck, but rather working professionals who seem to know the perks and the danger of their chosen industry and are not afraid to expose both their bodies and personal lives to the camera. —Jesse Short
Jens Hoffmann’s Filmography: Journey to the Center (2008); 20 seconds of Joy (2007)
Philadelphia Premiere Britain 2008, 77 min
Director: Terence Davies Screenwriter: Terence Davies Producers: Roy Boulter, Sol Papadopoulos Cinematographer: Tim Pollard Editor: Liza Ryan-Carter Print Source: Strand Releasing
Terence Davies’s Filmography: The House of Mirth (2000); The Neon Bible (1995); The Long Day Closes (1992); Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988); The Terence Davies Trilogy (1984) Program includes the short:
James
(Northern Ireland, 2008, 17 min, Connor Clements) When James discovers that long buried secrets can lead to poor family relations, he feels it’s time to confide a secret of his own with his only friend. A sensitive coming of age short set in Ireland
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
84
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Old Partner
Playing Columbine
Training Rules
Friday, March 27 • 5:00 • I House Thursday, April 2 • 12:15 • Ritz East 1
Saturday, April 4 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 9:30 • Ritz East 1
Saturday, April 4 • 7:00 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 12:15 • The Bridge
Philadelphia Premiere South Korea 2008, 75 min
East Coast Premiere USA 2008, 94 min
World Premiere USA 2009, 57 min
Director Chung-ryoul Lee delivers a poignant, humanitarian and heart-warming story laden with nostalgia for a way of life that is quickly disappearing. Won-kyun Choi, an octogenarian Korean farmer, and his wife Sam-soon Lee have lived with their trusty and hard-working ox for 40 years in a remote valley in South Korea. Come rain or shine, the ox has toiled in the fields and carried burdensome loads to home and to market. Through their efforts, father and ox have enabled a whole generation of children to obtain college educations. Now in their twilight years, Mr. Choi and his ox are old, skinny and tired, and it’s anybody’s guess who will give out first. The devotion between the two of them is observable: the ox is the yin to Choi’s yang, the “one” who stayed behind on the farm to help him when his sons left home. It is this special bond between man and mammal that clearly infuriates Mrs. Choi, who rues the day the ox entered her life. As anyone who saw Weeping Camel knows, it’s not only humans who have feelings and show emotion. This gem was a huge hit at the recent Sundance film festival, and it will steal your heart, too — come prepared with tissues. (Korean with English subtitles) —Carol Coombes
Society was stunned when Colorado resident Danny Ledonne created “Super Columbine Massacre RPG!” a crudely crafted, interactive computer game that encouraged players to re-enact the recent Columbine High School massacre. At a time when many educators, sociologists and parents believe that violent computer games are destroying the intellect and moral fiber of our youth, it is no wonder that SCM caused an uproar upon its release. Hadn’t the media, following the 1999 Columbine shooting, explained to us that the two deranged student killers had spent all of their time holed away compulsively playing sadistic role-playing games that enabled them to refine their shooting skills and reinforce their antisocial behavior? In this profoundly thought-provoking film, Danny Ledonne explores his motivation for creating a game that turns the concept on its head by forcing those who experience it to take on the role of the shooters, and ultimately take responsibility for their actions. To date more than half a million individuals have downloaded SCM for free, discussing their feelings and experience on the game’s online message board. Playing Columbine brings together game industry leaders, theorists and developers; filmmakers; journalists; elected officials; survivors of school shootings; media activists; free speech loyalists; and game enthusiasts to explore this new generation of videogame. —Jennifer Steinberg
African-American Jennifer Harris spent her life training to become a champion basketball player, but her name will forever be synonymous with her fight to challenge the discriminatory practices of a powerful coach. Broomall, PA native Rene Portland’s list of accomplishments is long: she was a star player with the Mighty Macs of Immaculata Collage (winners of three national championships and a second place finish in her four years there); twice voted “Coach of the Year” by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA); and head coach of Penn State’s women’s basketball team, the Lady Lions, for 27 of her 31 years as a college basketball head coach. She’s a fierce competitor and a proven winner on the court, and part of that success, to her, may have been her strictly enforced policies of no drinking, no drugs and no lesbians. Star high school player Jennifer Harris entered Penn State and became a starting member of the team only to find herself inexplicably removed two years later. Academy Award nominated filmmaker Dee Mosbacher (Radical Harmonies, No Secret Anymore: The Times of Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon) examines Portland’s coaching environment and the impact that the controversial case Harris v Portland and Penn State had on Harris, her parents (Pearl and Lambert Harris) as well as six other women who have suffered emotional scars, and the loss of scholarships and promising basketball careers when their sexual orientation was discovered. Under the terms of settlement, Harris herself is forbidden to discuss the case. —Carol Coombes
Director: Chung-ryoul Lee Screenwriter: Chung-ryoul Lee Producer: Young-jae Goh Cinematographer: Jae-woo Ji Editor: Chung-ryoul Lee Print Source: Kay Kwak
Old Partner is Chung-ryoul Lee’s debut. Program includes the short:
The Storymaker
(Australia, 2008, 12 min, Emma Rozanski) A dark fable about a woman whose role it is to create stories for her world. Unfolding over the last day in her life, this window into her life tells of an age of imagining, where the world outside is reliant on her mind to fill a void. A highly visual and sinister allegory of creative freedom versus a commercial arts industry.
Director: Danny Ledonne Cast: Jack Thompson, Tracy Fullerton, Danny Ledonne, Ian Bogost, Joel Kornek, Melissa Fuller, David Kociemba, Aaron Ruby, Tim Winter, Peter Baxter, Brian Flemming, Sam Roberts, Kevin DiNovis Producer: Danny Ledonne Editor: Danny Ledonne Print Source: Danny Ledonne
Playing Columbine is Danny Ledonne’s debut.
Following the April 4 screening there will be a conversation with director Dee Mosbacher Director: Dee Mosbacher Print Source: Wolfe Releasing
Dee Mosbacher’s Filmography: Radical Harmonies (2002, All God’s Children (2001), Straight from the Heart (1994)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
Classic
the documentary tradition
films
The Way We Get By Monday, March 30 • 5:00 • Ritz East 1 Friday, April 3 • 3:00 • Ritz East 1 Saturday, April 4 • 4:30 • Black Box Philadelphia Premiere USA 2009, 80 min
A deeply moving documentary about three senior citizens whose sense of patriotism, past military experience and family traditions compel them to serve as Maine Troop Greeters. Over 75% of all soldiers and marines heading to and returning home from Iraq fly through the humble terminals of Bangor Airport in Maine. Over the many years, greeters Bill Night, Joan Gaudet and Jerry Mundy have met with over 600,000 arriving and leaving troops to date. Bill, the eldest veteran, is struggling to keep his life in order after his wife’s death; he finds meaning in his volunteer efforts, even as his personal life begins to disintegrate. Joan has spent her entire life raising an extended family, and though she never (officially) sees troops off — “too emotional” she explains — her own family members will soon be flying to Iraq from Bangor, and she must contemplate that day. Finally there’s Jerry who carries out his daily grind with a laugh and a shrug. Like the rest he must exercise restraint due to health issues, but fortunately he has an ever-constant best friend to lean on — Mr. Flannigan, his dog. While politics is barely explored, the film offers many stirring moments and testimonies from our men and women in the service which will leave you wanting to shake the hands of these inspiring dedicated volunteers. —Scott Johnston
Every Saturday night on WHYY-TV
Director: Aron Gaudet Cast: Joan Gaudet, Jerry Mundy, Bill Night Producer: Gita Pullapilly Cinematographers: Aron Gaudet, Dan Ferrigan Editor: Aron Gaudet Print Source: Dungby Productions
The Way We Get By is Aron Gaudet’s debut.
Sponsored by:
Schedules at whyy.org CineFest discounts for WHYY members! Visit www.whyy.org/memberexperience for more information! more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
85
86
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
festival of independents presented by DIVE
The talent and vision of filmmakers from across the Philadelphia region are showcased in this long standing festival-withinthe-Festival.
FestIndies Opening Night
The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone Friday, March 27 • 7:15 • The Prince Sunday, March 29 • 2:15 • Ritz East 1 World Premiere USA 2009, 90 min
FestIndies Awards will be presented at the Festival Closing Night Ceremony on Monday, April 6 at the Prince Music Theater (see pg. 33) in the following categories:
• Best Feature Film • Best Documentary Film • Best Short Film • Best Animated Film • Best Experimental Film Last year’s award winners are listed on pg. 25
Tony Luke, Jr. stars as an out-of-shape boxer who leaves prison and gets a shot at redemption by fighting for one young boy’s future. The story of The Nail begins with the return of Joey “the Nail” Nardone (from prison). This former prize-fighter moves back near his former South Philly stomping grounds wanting nothing more than a simple violence-free life. But fate (and some enemies) have other plans. Because if “the Nail” won’t choose a fight, life will choose one for him. There’s no denying that this feisty melodrama with several comedic moments, clever casting and strong cinematography will thrill South Philadelphians. Part of the charm is the genuine pedigree of the locations, players and references. Tony Luke, Jr. does an admirable job as the lead Joey Nardone and there’s no shortage of Philly notables in smaller parts, including Leo Rossi and Dayanara Torres as Amelia. Tony Danza makes a brief appearance as the Nail’s chief antagonist, and new to the big screen is young actor Paul Orrantia as Amelia’s troubled son. Some things in life are worth fighting for and director James Quattrochi and his team didn’t just go the distance — they fought to get this feature finished and wound up winning. —Scott Johnston Director: James Quattrochi Cast: Tony Luke Jr., Paul Orrantia, Leo Rossi, Dayanara Torres, William Forsythe, Tony Danza, Billy Gallo Screenwriter: Jason Noto (from a story by Tony Luke Jr.) Producers: Leo Rossi, Lynn Eastman-Rossi, James Quattrochi, Flo Speakman Cinematographer: Jeff Baustert Editor: David A. Davidson Print Source: James Quattrochi
James Quattrochi’s Filmography: A Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper (2007); Jesus, Mary and Joey (Welcome Back Miss Mary) (2006); Full Circle (2001); True Friends (1998)
Members of the cast and crew will be in attendance at the screening on Friday, March 27. Program includes the short:
Milk Run
(USA, 2009, 5 min, Erin Filson) One tough gal who never backs down from a fight — not even with space monsters.
Sponsored by:
festival of independents presented by DIVE
87
Heart of Stone
Morris County
No Boundaries
Thursday, April 2 • 7:00 • I House
Friday, April 3 • 9:30 • I House
Saturday, March 28 • 7:00 • I House
East Coast Premiere USA 2009, 85 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2009, 91 min
World Premiere USA 2009, 109 min
In a school gripped by violence and hopelessness, one teacher fights to save his city’s future by saving his students at any cost. In the troubled city of Newark, New Jersey, Principal Ron Stone, of Weequahic High School has had enough of schoolyard violence. His righteous anger rallies some, but his controversial methods — including reaching agreements with gang representatives — confounds others. While the everpresent camera steadily documents the day-to-day troubles (and there are many), it is impossible not to feel Stone’s zeal to save his students. Effervescently energetic Stone is also seeking the re-engagement of the Weequahic High-School Jewish Alumni Association with the current student-body through donations and a presence. Years ago, the Jewish and African-American communities of 1950’s Newark were once united (which the film provides a history of) until tragic events caused a separation. Mr. Stone attempts to reintegrate the current student body with the alumni, leading to a powerful conclusion. After seeing this inspirational and accomplished documentary, you won’t be able to say that one man can’t make a difference. —Scott Johnston
Not for those with sensitive dispositions, these three shocking tales of suburban survival, horror and death will remain in your nightmares. The first story in this anthology, Ellie (with an assured performance by actress Darcy Miller) is a somewhat unsettling piece centered on a victimized teenage girl whose numbness, a result of multiple traumas, builds to a point at which she is forced to confront her own demons. A grounded ensemble piece, The Family Rubin examines complex family problems through the eyes of 12-year-old Noah (a terrific performance by Albie Selznick of TV’s 24) who, after witnessing his family’s breakup, grows more detached as his experiments with lab animals grow more ghastly; Noah’s final act will not be anticipated by anybody. In the final film, Elmer and Iris, Elmer (Erik Frandsen) steals scenes by ways best left unwritten in a tale of suburban horror and denial. Though these dark stories are like a Norman Rockwell painting made from raw meat, there exists a tangible (if slightly warped) interest by the writer/director in engaging, provoking and outright prodding to see how much we can take. —Scott Johnston
First-time co-directors Jake Willing and Violet Mendoza provide a different view of Philadelphia in their locally-filmed drama about a young illegal immigrant who finds a new life and new love. The homegrown No Boundaries weds the topicality of the current immigration situation with a love story that includes a dash of retro romance. Utilizing a cast and crew largely recruited from Philadelphia and filmed in many Philadelphia locations (following a prelude set in South America), the movie trails the progression of Isabel (newcomer Dani Garza in her first film) as she leaves a home full of bad times to find something — a new life, happiness, any kind of change — in America, and in Philadelphia, specifically. Embraced by Philly ambience and a cousin whose path she followed, Isabel finds the semblance of a new family, as well as a new love — Christopher (Mark McGraw, son of Tug). But in the spirit of all screen romances with roadblocks, there’s a catch. Chris is an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Isabel is, well, illegal. Who ever said love was easy? (English and Spanish with English subtitles) —Joe Baltake
Director: Beth Toni Kruvant Cast: Rayvon, Shariff, Ricky, Richie Roberts, Hal Braff Producer: Beth Toni Kruvant Cinematographer: David Harges Editors: Allyson C. Johnson, Anand Kamalaker Print Source: Good Footage Productions
Beth Toni Kruvant’s Filmography: The Right to Be Wrong (2005)
Director: Matthew Garrett Cast: Darcy Miller, Christian Davidock, Albie Selznick, Marc Donovan, Maren Perry, Alice Cannon, Pamela Holden Stewart, Erik Frandsen, Robbie Peters Screenwriter: Matthew Garrett Producer: Thomas R. Rondinella Cinematographers: Jeff Powers, Daniel Watchulonis Editors: Daniel Brown, Apryl Lee, Arin Sang-Urai Print Source: Reluctant Pictures
Morris County is Matthew Garrett’s debut. Program includes the short:
Direction Without Instruction (USA, 2009, 5 min, Ian Foster) An experimental multi-media stop-motion animation with live-action and a creepy score.
Directors: Jake Willing, Violet Mendoza Cast: Mark McGraw, Dani Garza, John D’Alonzo, Victor Velez, Tyrone Holt, Tatiana St. Phard, Barret Mindell, Garrett Ching Screenwriter: Violet Mendoza Producers: Violet Mendoza, Joyce Koh Cinematographer: Jake Willing Editor: Violet Mendoza Print Source: No Boundaries, LLC.
No Boundaries is Jake Willing, Violet Mendoza’s debut.
Members of the cast and crew will be in attendance at the screening.
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
88
PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary
Saturday, April 4 • 7:00 • I House Sunday, April 5 • 12:00 • The Prince World Premiere USA 2009, 107 min
In this film that dazzles, confounds and educates equal time to four Deaf entertainers, each facing a turning-point in their careers. The subjects of this documentary deal everyday (as do over 400,000 others in the Philadelphia region) with existing between two worlds — that of the Deaf and that of the hearing. As entertainers (good ones) they passionately pursue their dreams within the entertainment industry despite obstacles of varying degrees. Comedian C.J. Jones manages to keep his audiences laughing in thousand-seat theatres, yet yearns to broaden his appeal within the mainstream. Singer T.L. Forsberg is classified as ‘legally-deaf’ which places her too near the hearing for some in the Deaf community, yet she’s equally stigmatized by the hearing world. “Beethoven’s Nightmare” was the world’s only known Deaf rock band, and now Bob Hiltermann is producing the largest concert in their 30-year history. Respected Philadelphian Robert DeMayo balances his showbiz career by teaching Broadway Interpreters ASL at Juilliard. DeMayo’s fortunes dip in the film, but don’t expect him or his peers to surrender. They won’t. Propelled by an inner fire and a need to simply be seen like everybody, Scarl’s message is simple and echoes Dr. I. King Jordan’s famous words “Deaf people can do anything except hear.” —Scott Johnston Director: Hilari Scarl Cast: J Jones, TL Forsberg, Bob Hiltermann, Robert DeMayo Producer: Hilari Scarl Cinematographer: Jeff Gatesman Editor: Marcus Taylor Print Source: Worldplay, Inc.
See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary is Hilari Scarl’s debut. Sponsored by:
The Sitting Machine
Wages of Spin
Sunday, March 29 • 4:30 • I House
Wednesday, April 1 • 6:45 • I House
World Premiere USA 2008, 95 min
Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 68 min
This delightful documentary explores the lives of eight fifth graders facing the challenge of being crafty and creative with cardboard. Welcome to Mrs. Smith’s after-school enrichment program: The Sitting Machine. In Rheems Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a group of eager students tackle a design problem: create a chair that can hold your own weight. It sounds easy, but the only materials allowed — corrugated cardboard and glue — make it a challenge requiring thought, design and (inevitably) group discussions. While a film about making cardboard chairs sounds like an episode of “This American Life” for kids, the filmmakers are clearly more concerned with witnessing the growth of the emerging personalities of the eight children: in fact there is no commentary or interviews over the seven-month arc. As for the kids, they shine (as kids do) but viewers shouldn’t play favorites as it’s impossible not to root for them all. Directors Paul Hunt and Julie Kauffman have delivered an honest, touching and heart-felt film that may well inspire you to rush off and start work on your own cardboard seat. —Scott Johnston
Philadelphia Icon Dick Clark’s musical legacy is examined anew in this fast, frank and sometimes indicting documentary American Bandstand defined for years the music, the fashion, the very spirit of our nation’s younger generation, as they appeared on live TV for the first-time and Philadelphia, even as ‘rock-n-roll’ was being born, was THE epicenter for music, dance and fashion. Stepping onto this national stage was a young, ambitious DJ named Dick Clark, the prototype of all hip, clean-cut hosts, who more or less sold, ran and owned the show. He could do anything, and sometimes did. If you wanted to get on Bandstand, you needed the gatekeeper to be involved, and that had serious costs (hidden) from the public. Reaching into somewhat taboo areas of Philadelphia’s lesser-known past, Jerry Blavat, Artie Singer, Charlie Gracie and many others address the reality that Clark didn’t just play the hits, he made the hits and usually owned the hits. Clark absolves himself of any wrong-doing — he was vindicated, more-or-less, by a congressional committee in the late 50’s, but don’t expect a long statement from him. For Clark, American Bandstand is all the way in the past, a past, which in no small irony, he owns. —Scott Johnston
Directors: Paul Hunt, Julie Kauffman Producers: Jerry Greiner, Julie Kauffman, Paul Hunt Cinematographers: Paul Hunt, Julie Kauffman Editors: Paul Hunt, Julie Kauffman Print Source: Dancing Shoe Films LLC
The Sitting Machine is Paul Hunt, Julie Kauffman’s debut.
Director: Shawn Swords Cast: Frankie Avalon, Jerry Blavat, Chubby Checker, Fabian, Connie Francis, Ron Joseph, Sally Starr, Bill Webber, Joan Gracie, Ed Hurst, Mike Love, Charlie Gracie Screenwriter: Conrad Zimmer Producers: John Jackson, Paul Russo Jr., Shawn Swords, Blake D. Wilcox, Conrad Zimmer Cinematographer: Conrad Zimmer Editor: Conrad Zimmer Print Source: Character Driven Productions
Shawn Swords’s Filmography: Charlie Gracie Fabulous (2007) Program includes the short:
Neighborhood Bike Works Made by the folks who live at the bike shop (almost literally) and Scribe Video Center. An educational and fun doc that demonstrates how a bike can serve as a springboard for positive self-esteem, and true growth.
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
festival of independents presented by DIVE
Abandoned Heroes
Poet of Poverty
The Enemy Is Us
89
Beruit Boys
…Even Jesus Had an Accountant
The Great Northeaster
Shorts Program • 91 min
Sunday, March 29 • 7:00 • I House
Shorts Program • 84 min
Two powerful documentaries that illustrate the damages of war from our enemies, our allies and our own government.
Shorts Program • 72 min
Two Philadelphia-centric documentaries that reveal what happens to young African-American adults when people invest in their lives.
Monday, March 30 • 9:15 • I House
Abandoned Heroes (USA, 2008, 28 min, David Block) The way we treat our disabled soldiers upon returning is sometimes horrendous. But this scathing report on veterans being deceived by the military is stunningly shameful. In this vital activist documentary, sightimpaired director David Block gathers testimonies from former CIA analyst Patrick Eddington (author of “Gassed in the Gulf”), other distinguished authors and a dozen war veterans to offer an eye-opening history on our systemic misuse of soldiers in wars past. While the soldiers remain deeply patriotic and have few regrets about serving their country, the abuse at the hands of many and varied sources is shockingly brought to the surface through the collective frustrations, trials and attempts to return to “normal” lives as citizens. It is no irony that if you flip the word war around it spells raw.
Women in War Zones: Sexual Violence in the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo, 2009, 63 min, Scott Blanding, Brad LaBriola) The vast nation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been invaded by as many as seven warring neighboring countries at one point. Amidst this chaos and turbulence is a singular miracle, Panzi Hospital, a last-hope refuge for many sexually abused women, victims of the rebel militia’s violence. This unflinching documentary peers closely into the lives of two young women, Helene Wamuzila (22) and Bijoux Mateso (13), as they undergo many operations in an effort to reclaim their lives and come to grips with their violent and tragic past. Looking for hope in God and each other — played against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections, the first in over 40 years — this truly astonishing story is an achievement in filmmaking that few would dare to have told. —Scott Johnston
Four shorts filled with a wealth of wisdom, including a documentary on Camden’s outspoken activist-poet-and priest Father Doyle.
Character Study Do people still animate the old-fashioned way? Yes, and you can still impress audiences with a spark of real talent, as this (very) short film does.
Free the River Park — The Story of Citizens’ Fight for the Schuylkill River Park (USA, 2008, 15 min, Rob Stuart, Tara Nurin) The increasing industrialization of green spaces spurs an active campaign to restore the Schuylkill River Park Trail. $14 million dollars has been raised to date, no small accomplishment, but don’t expect obstacles to disappear as things “progress.” Mayors Street and Nutter, SEPTA and neighbors all have their own vested interest. A testimony to tenacity and a solid piece of documentary film making.
The Last Duel (USA, 2009, 5 min, David Landau) Gone is the duel of yesteryear, and with good reason. A smart silent comedy shot, stabbed and slapped together.
Poet of Poverty (USA, 2008, 52 min, Sean Dougherty, Tana Ross, Freke Vuijst) Narrated by Martin Sheen (who volunteered his time), the writings of Father Doyle of Camden are a combination of poetry, anger and calls-to-action, which (after 40 years as priest) contain enormous wisdom and insight. Poignant and filled with soulful outrage, the letters are powerful indictments of the powers-that-be, who perpetuate the neglect and abuses to our nation’s poorest city. To many residents who struggle here daily, a sacredness and indomitable hope that their city can be redeemed exists, but is there a will for change at local, state or federal level? —Scott Johnston
Saturday, April 4 • 4:30 • I House
Beirut Boys (USA, 2009, 27 min, El Sawyer) If we could observe inner-city kids closer, what would we see, and what would they see? Looking through the eyes of adolescent Derrick Toler, Director El Sawyer uses the camera as a tool of self-definition for these young teens from North Philly, self-named “the Beirut Boys.” Yes, there’s boyish bravado and vulnerability, but there’s also originality in their music and poetry. Fast approaching manhood with both exuberance and trepidation in their voices, it remains to be seen where their future will lead them, but that may be greatly influenced by their future reflections on this 27-minute time-capsule.
Don’t Fall Down In the Hood (USA, 2009, 57 min, Dianne R. Thompson) Violence and its ever-spiraling damages are not news in this city. And while millions upon millions of our dollars is spent to prevent it, the list of the incarcerated and the dead constantly grows longer. Director Diane Thompson follows a single group of kids who are part of a “last-chance” program for (multiple) juvenile offenders who are given the choice between this program and perhaps a longer stint in jail. The results are astonishing, as are the statistics (presented here). There is hope for youth in the hood it, they just need mentors to remind them. —Scott Johnston
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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Apprentice
Ursula Rucker: Poet
Amerika Idol
Hardcore Heroes and Heroins
My Voice Is in My Sword
Sunday, April 5 • 7:00 • I House
Tuesday, March 31 • 7:15 • I House
Shorts Program • 93 min
Shorts Program • 79 min
This provocative adults-only program (18+) of 9 shorts is not for everybody.
Six films covering mysticism, death, life, poetry, hope, anger and revelation.
Pie of the Day (USA, 2009, 3 min, Victoria Cook) UArts serves up a tasty dish of rival critters and some unsavory realities. 80% (USA, 2008, 12 min, Jena Serbu) Dystopian future and decay is not-too-far-off in this made-for National Film Challenge ‘08 short. Some people will do anything to stay alive. Anything….
The Lady of Ephesus
Ten Philly filmmakers grab their cameras and travel the world, but you can’t escape Rocky.
(USA, 2008, 3 min, Jackie Benasutti) Atmospheric animation observing the mystic rites of women bathing in the moonlight.
Hair and Diamonds
Old Days
(USA) There are voices in the head of this self-taught animator, and things are talking to him. In short: nothing unusual.
America’s Game
The M.O.D presents MoneyLEGS
(USA, 2008, 2 min, Anthony F. Schepperd) An intense animated short involving a throng of moneylovers getting it on with their sweet sweet filthy dollars. Thanks Blood (USA, Paul Hartner) Far funnier than it reads, transgressive multi-media artist Hartner slices up old porn video with his own insane animated style, while freaking with your mind. Piñata (USA, , Jeff Nelson) Meet the Piñatas, a normal everyday couple, who want nothing more than a quiet evening at home, if only those damn humans would stop poking at them.
Inside ARM UVI #1: Georges Bataille’s Story of the Eye (USA,
2008, 6 min, Charlie Mackie) This isn’t just a provocative feature by Repasky-McIlhenney, it was also a provocative installation piece during the Philly Fringe, seen here both raw and projected. Rx/OTC (USA, 2009, 27 min, Troy Coffee) Mysticism, cannibalism, drugs and a hallucinatory score mixed with chaotic B+W imagery of a wasteland (shot in multiple formats). Brace yourselves — there are some things worse than death. Smut Cave (USA, 2008, 5 min, Nick Fiore) Delving deep into the Internet’s anus and finding pure gold isn’t easy, but the Spelunker dares. D.I.Y. filmmaking at it’s most hardcore. Apprentice (USA, 2008, 38 min, Jerry Collom) A gritty and un-glamorized ghastly view of two users (losers) driven to sexual degradation, petty theft, and worse to get a fix. Boasting several fearless performances, bizarre comedic moments and some truly shocking scenes. —Scott Johnston
(USA, 2008, 23 min, Matthew Shapiro) A sweet, nuanced, well-produced character study of one senior’s reluctant arrival at a retirement home, where tedium abounds.
Waves (USA, 2009, ) A skillfully illustrated animation dedicated to dolphin-safe tuna fishing.
Adam and Evan (USA, 2009, 23 min, Marc D’Agostino) In this gripping cinematic short, Adam absconds with his close friend Evan’s body prior to the burial.
Subconscious (USA, 2009, ) Dynamic use of still photography and an experimental flair for animation make for a wildly ambiguous short.
Ursula Rucker: Poet (USA, 2008, 30 min, Michael J. Dennis) This city can be a tough town, and a rewarding one all at once. Few local icons, especially within the ever-growing music scene, can measure-up to the outspoken Ursula Rucker: poet, spoken-word artist, mother, activist and proud Philadelphian. In this entertaining documentary, filmmaker Mike Dennis wastes no time introducing Ursula through her peers. From The Roots, Sonia Sanchez, King Britt and a dozen others, we get a broad and fast history of her influences, but it is her live performances presented here that burn with intensity. Love and respect, those words have never been more true (or visceral). —Scott Johnston
The Rocky Balboa Picture Show 2 Rock Treatment
Saturday, March 28 • 9:30 • I House Shorts Program • 87 min
(USA, 2009, 10 min, Derek Frey) There’s just no sport like the game of baseball. If you really love it, then you love America. If you don’t, then get the hell out of our country.
Another Bad Idea (USA, 2008, 1 min, Rusty Eveland) A well-crafted short by a UArts Jr. animation student, Rusty Eveland.
Trees (USA, Hugo Marmugi) Hugo and his buds don’t just watch funny cartoons, they make them. Dead Hooker Theater (USA, 2009, 10 min, Secret Pants) Don’t be too offended, these hookers are in fact elevating the genre of ‘Dead Hooker’ flicks. With Philly’s own SecretPants. This One Day in Paris
(USA, 2008, 8 min, Ted Passon) Mr. Passon takes an unexpected trip. Did he buy the wrong ticket OR is this fate leading him to the Eiffel Tower and his true love?
American Terror: Company Man
(USA, 2009, 7 min, Joseph W. Krzemienski) In a bombed-out future, one lone rebel must take out the key scientist of the enemy, at any cost.
The Institute of Séance (USA, 2009, 9 min, Kevin Corcoran) A dead-on homage to silent filmmaking that will rock, haunt and spook ya! Clowns Without Borders
(USA, 2008, 8 min, Les Rivera) Three Philly-based actors go to Egypt to perform circus arts for traumatized children and the universal message of laughter gets through.
Amerika Idol
(Canada, 2009, 34 min, Barry Avrich) There are movements and there are phenomenon. In Serbia’s small town/cities a few key players embark on the construction of a monument (the Rocky Statue) that can re-inspire the people of their province. An epic saga, filled with triumphs, tragedy and humor. —Scott Johnston
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
danger after dark Rising up from the dark crevices and flames of hell’s deepest bowels, we bring you the most exciting, horrifying, splatter-rific genre films from all over the world.
I Sell the Dead Friday, March 27 • 9:45 • Ritz East 1 Wednesday, April 1 • 4:45 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 9:30 • I House East Coast Premiere USA 2008, 85 min
Vampires, ghouls and vicious rivalries are just part of the fantastical adventures in this devilishly mischievous horror film that slayed audiences at Slamdance ‘09 and the Toronto After Dark Film Festival. Taking cues from old-fashioned Hammer films, adding a dash of Abbott and Costello and topping off with a love of Irish folklore, Glenn McQuaid’s feature film debut is quick-paced entertainment. Arthur Blake (Dominic Monahan of “Lost”) and Willie Grimes (Larry Fessenden, the director of The Last Winter who has also been tapped by Guillermo del Toro to direct the American version of The Orphanage) are 18th-century grave robbers — and not the sharpest tools in the shed. Caught by the police and awaiting execution, Blake weaves colorful stories to Father Duffy (Ron Perlman) about his 15 years of terror, mayhem and bumbling adventures in the “resurrection” trade, i.e. unleashing the dead. Brimming with strong production values and beautiful cinematography, writer/director McQuaid has crafted a guaranteed-to-please genre film. The natural, energetic chemistry between Monahan and Fessenden makes this one of the best on-screen pairings ever. With an appearance by horror icon Angus Scrimm (the Phantasm series) there is no doubt that I Sell the Dead will achieve a rabid cult following. —Lewis Tice Director: Glenn McQuaid Cast: Dominic Monaghan, Larry Fessenden, Ron Perlman, Angus Scrimm, Screenwriter: Glenn McQuaid Producers: Larry Fessenden, Peter Phok Cinematographer: Richard Lopez Editor: Glenn McQuaid Print Source: Glass Eye Pix, Inc
Glenn McQuaid’s Filmography: Feature film debut
Sponsored by:
danger after dark
Able
Art of the Devil 3
4bia
Tuesday, March 31 • 5:00 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 5:00 • I House Saturday, April 4 • 10:00 • The Bridge
Tuesday, March 31 • 4:45 • The Bridge Wednesday, April 1 • 9:30 • The Prince Friday, April 3 • 4:45 • Ritz 5
Philadelphia Premiere Thailand 2008, 87 min
Philadelphia Premiere Thailand 2008, 120 min
Revenge is served hot, quick and drenched in an unimaginable flood of bloody ooze in this scream-inducing, spectacularly creative and violent prequel that makes the popular Saw franchise seem like child’s play. If you’ve seen the previous installments of Art of the Devil (AOTD), then you know what to expect here: explicit, upsetting and disturbing scenes of black magic, torture and supernatural bloodshed. If you are new to the franchise, don’t dismiss AOTD3 as “torture porn,” because wrapped around the twisted imagery is a strong, cautionary tale of the consequences of revenge. Panor is a stunningly beautiful teacher who has men clamoring for her affection. So obsessed are these suitors that they have resorted to love spells and magic potions to win her affection. Panor must turn to witchcraft to protective herself, and when she kills a high priest of the Devil to glean his powers, the vengeful dark evil begins to consume her life by ripping limbs, mutilating faces (safety pins being shoved through eyelid is just one of the highlights) and creating an orgy of bloody tragedy all around her. More shocking and violent than its predecessors, AOTD3’s seven filmmakers (Ronin Team) succeed in satiating gorehounds’ needs — but don’t be surprised if you shut your eyes in terror at least once. (Thai with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice
Thailand’s best directors take no prisoners in this aggressively scary ride, delivering four tales of horror guaranteed to shake, rattle and roll your nerves. 4bia (a play on the word “phobia”) signals a departure from ghostly Thai films by presenting suspenseful, cautionary stories about violent retribution and aggressive karmic payback. In Happiness, a young woman begins to receive mysterious texts, while Tit for Tat is a shockingly bloody tale involving black magic and teens. The Middle chills the funny bone when a camping trip goes awry and Last Flight thrusts you onboard a flight from hell in which a flight attendant must travel with a mysterious cadaver. Directors Pisanthanakun, Purikitpanya and Wongpoom are no strangers to the horror genre, having previously delivered blood drenched flicks like Shutter and Alone and Body. The real surprise is romantic comedy director Thongkonthun (Iron Ladies), whose Happiness segment relishes in genuine creepy intelligence, ominous dread with very little dialogue and a horrific climax. Make no mistake, these directors relish in scaring their audience beyond loud sound effects and fans are taking note: the film has won several audience awards for its heart-pounding thrills and visual mayhem. (Thai with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice
Long Khong 2
Tuesday, March 31 • 9:30 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 9:30 • The Prince North American Premiere USA, Germany 2008, 75 min
As an aggressive virus ravages the city, a group of Berliners resort to their basic animal instincts for survival, resulting in disturbing and murderous consequences. Berlin is under immediate quarantine as a mysterious virus infiltrates the city, paralyzing and killing most of its inhabitants in a matter of days. Trying to make sense of the situation, those still alive feel isolated and without hope as survival becomes increasingly harder. A multitude of characters are introduced one by one — partially crippled Katrin is being stalked by someone who might want to kill her; Niko, frustrated by her “dead limbs,” believes that a meat clever will help her feel again; Benny is hunting for his father; and Pastor Bernard preaches to the panicked worshipers who are slowly dying. Each must face the horrors of slow death while fighting off opportunists with nasty agendas. The film’s deliberate pacing sets up an uncomfortable sense of dread, and terrifying events stack up to the film’s climax. From Philadelphia-area production company Stotler/Robert Film, Able is one of the darkest, most effective slasher/survivalist films in recent years. —Lewis Tice Director: Marc Robert Cast: Michael Pink, Maike Möller, Alexander Gregor, Sabine Krause, Julia Kratz, Jenny Kirschblum Screenwriter: Marc Robert Producer: Will Stotler & Marc Robert Cinematographer: Will Stotler Editor: Will Stotler Print Source: Stotler/Robert Film
Marc Robert’s Filmography: Feature film debut Program includes the short:
Next Floor
(Canada, 2008, 12 min, Denis Villeneuve) A grotesque group of carnivorous foodies gorge themselves, but as the table and the guests get more laden, the floor(s) give way. Time to start a diet…and go vegetarian!
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Directors: Pasith Buranajan, Kongkiat Khomsiri, Isara Nadee, Seree Phongnithi, Yosapong Polsap, Putipong Saisikaew, Art Thamthrakul Cast: Napakpapha Nakprasitte, Supakorn Kitsuwon, Namo Tongkumnerd, Paweena Chariffsakul Screenwriters: Kongkiat Khomsiri, Yosapong Polsap Producer: Ronin Team Cinematographer: Ronin Team Editor: Ronin Team Print Source: Five Star Production Co., Ltd.
See prang
Directors: Banjong Pisanthanakun, Paween Purikitpanya, Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Parkpoom Wongpoom Cast: Laila Boonyasak, Maneerat Khamuan, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk, Witawat Singlampong, Pongsatorn Jongwilat, Chon Wachananon Screenwriters: Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom, Paween Purikitpanya, Eakasit Thairatana Producer: Jira Maligool Cinematographers: Somboon Phopituckul, Niramon Ross Print Source: G7H Productions
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Hanger
Left Bank
Not Quite Hollywood
Friday, April 3 • 10:00 • Ritz East 1 Sunday, April 5 • 2:45 • The Bridge
Linkeroever
Saturday, March 28 • 10:00 • The Bridge Sunday, March 29 • 9:30 • Ritz 5
Friday, March 27 • 9:30 • I House Monday, March 30 • 6:15 • The Prince
World Premiere Canada 2009, 90 min
Full frontal nudity, female masturbation and vaginal mutilation are just the tip of the iceberg in the latest gross-out and repulsively satisfying revenge shocker from the director of Gutterballs and Live Feed. Looking for the most depraved movie of the Festival? The world of Hanger awaits you with its “grindhouse” influences, back-alley abortions and a bloodbathed climax so vicious that it brings new meaning to the phrase “an eye for an eye.” Aborted from his mother’s womb via a twisted wire coat-hanger and left for dead in a rat infested dumpster, “Hanger” somehow survives. Eighteen years later, he’s ready to take on the brutally vicious pimp “Leroy” who murdered his mother in the botched abortion. Carnage and mayhem ensues as the deformed young man tears his way through pimps, dealers, hookers and junkies in some of the most creative deaths seen. Writer/director Ryan Nicholson cut his special effects teeth on a multitude of genre films including Final Destination and a Scary Movie ; his latest film utilizes heavy prosthetic and practical effects to the max. When asked about making Hanger, Nicholson says, “It is beyond anything I’ve done to date in the sense of brutality dark content. It doesn’t raise the bar. It runs the bar over and picks it up, shoving it deep down your throat!” —Lewis Tice
The deranged director and his cast will be in attendance for the World Premiere of the film. Director: Ryan Nicholson Cast: Debbie Rochon, Nathan Dashwood, Dan Ellis, Ronald Patrick Thompson, Wade Gibb, Alastair Gamble, Candice Lewald Screenwriters: Ryan Nicholson, Patrick Coble Producers: Ryan Nicholson, Michelle Grady Print Source: Plotdigger Films
Ryan Nicholson’s Filmography: Gutterballs (2008); Live Feed (2006)
Philadelphia Premiere Belgium 2008, 102 min
Mounting doubt, dread and helplessness plague an attractive woman’s state of mind as she begins to unlock a mystery that will put her face to face with an ancient, unknowable evil. Marie is a competitive long distance runner who has dedicated her life to the pursuit of success. But after collapsing from an infection, she is forced to quit. Meeting a handsome man named Bobby, dormant feelings are ignited as the young beauty enters a passionate, loving and vigorous sexual affair. When asked to move into her lover’s apartment in the Left Bank section of Antwerp, she happily accepts. Discovering that the previous tenant had gone missing, Marie begins to investigate but her body is wrecked with headaches, bouts of insomnia and odd vaginal discharges. Becoming completely obsessed, Marie eventually discovers that her new neighborhood may be a dangerous, satanic place and that some mysteries should be left alone. Influenced by Polanski, director Hee’s effective creep-fest lets its main character simmer in fear and paranoia, playing with the audience’s expectations of Marie’s sanity. And the climatic ending raises the bar in pure, visceral tension that will leave an indelible image that will stay with you for days. (Dutch with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice Director: Pieter Van Hees Cast: Eline Kuppens, Matthias Schoenaerts, Sien Eggers, Marilou Mermans, Frank Vercruyssen, Robbie Cleiren Screenwriters: Christophe Dirickx, Dimitri Karakatsanis, Pieter Van Hees Producers: Bert Hamelinck, Kato Maes, Frank Van Passel Cinematographer: Nicolas Karakatsanis Editor: Nico Leunen Print Source: IFC
Pieter Van Hees’s Filmography: Dirty Mind (2009); Penalty (2000) Sponsored by:
East Coast Premiere Australia 2008, 102 min
Forget about Peter Weir art films or Nicole Kidman musicals. “Ozploitation” was the gleefully dirty sibling of the Australian film industry that celebrated full frontal nudity (we’ve got bush!), unrelenting gore and overthe-top explosive mayhem in the ’70s and ’80s. Better take notes because director Mark Hartley’s quick moving, vastly entertaining ode to trash whips through a colorful history of films you’ve most likely never seen but will be salivating to see more of. Most of these films were gonzo filmmaking at its best with actors being shot at with real bullets, stuntmen lighting themselves on fire and horror movies with topless women and little children being shred to pieces. From a killer boar in Razorback to violent martial art films like Man from Hong Kong and the trashy telepathic horror of Patrick, which even inspired a Dario Argento styled Italian remake, no subject was sacred and the dirtier, grittier and more outrageous the stories, the quicker these films were unleashed to the Australian audiences. With a glorious mix of archival trailers, sharply funny observations of the business and enthusiastic interviews with Australian luminaries like Russell Mulcahy, imported American talent like Jamie Lee Curtis and even Quentin Tarantino, you’ll see why this documentary became a genre film lovers’ wet dream at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival and Austin’s Fantastic Festival. —Lewis Tice Director: Mark Hartley Cast: Featuring Jamie Lee Curtis, Dennis Hopper, Stacy Keach, Quentin Tarantino, Brian TrenchardSmith, Steve Railsback Screenwriter: Mark Hartley Producers: Michael Lynch, Craig Griffin Cinematographer: Karl von Moller Editors: Jamie Blanks, Sara Edwards, Mark Hartley Print Source: Magnet Releasing/Magnolia
Mark Hartley’s Filmography: A Dream Within a Dream: The making of ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ (2004)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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PHILADELPHIA film festival / cinefest 09
Plague Town Monday, March 30 • 9:30 • Ritz East 1 Friday, April 3 • 4:45 • I House Philadelphia Premiere USA 2008, 88 min
Brutally sadistic, mutant children begin a catand-mouse game with an American family on a stomach-churning quest to add more victims to their count. David Gregory’s directorial debut certainly wears the attitude of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes on its sleeve but keeps genre buffs on the edge of their seats with numerous plot twists. The Monohans are your typical dysfunctional family. On a bonding trip to the Irish countryside, they miss the bus back to civilization and are forced to spend the night in an abandoned car in the middle of the woods. Soon, packs of giggling deformed children begin to terrorize the family and a mysterious villager named Rosemary appears in the night, her real eyes replaced with a doll’s. As each family member struggles to survive the night, the folksy locals reveal a shocking agenda that no one in the family could have ever expected. If you are a fan of mutant-stalker-slasher movies, Plague Town is a freshly original interpretation of well-worn genres with a careful attention to production and skilled, gory practical effects that are guaranteed to make you feel uncomfortable. And you’ll never forget Rosemary, who has to be one of the freakiest creatures ever imagined! —Lewis Tice Director: David Gregory Cast: Josslyn DeCrosta, Erica Rhodes, David Lombard, Lindsay Goranson, James Warke, Catherine McMorrow, Elizabeth Bove, Michael Donaldson Screenwriters: John Cregan, David Gregory Producers: Derek Curl, Daryl J. Tucker Cinematographer: Brian Rigney Hubbard Editors: John Cregan, David Gregory Print Source: MPI Media Group
David Gregory’s Filmography: Ban The Sadist Videos Part 2 (2008), Ban The Sadist Videos Part 1 (2005), Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth (2000)
20th Century Boys 20-seiki shônen
Saturday, March 28 • 9:15 • Ritz East 2 Monday, March 30 • 9:00 • The Bridge
Philadelphia Premiere Japan 2008, 142 min
20th Century Boys: Chapter Two
Sunday, March 29 • 9:15 • Ritz East 1 Thursday, April 2 • 9:15 • The Bridge
20-seiki shônen: Dai 2 shô - Saigo no kibô World Premiere Japan 2009, 139 min
Stephen King influences, T. Rex rock ‘n’ roll and comic book mythology fuse together as Naoki Urasawa’s epic manga gets a big screen treatment with a group of childhood friends racing against time to untap a conspiracy to end the world . A first for the Japanese film industry and shot back-to-back, the 20th Century Boys omnibus is one of the most expensive and hugely anticipated events in the country’s cinematic history. The premiere installment was a box office smash last year; the sequel, released in January, was greeted with the same record-breaking enthusiasm. The final chapter is primed for a fall release, and we’re proud to present a double presentation of this thrilling mix of mystery, sci-fi action and drama with light horror elements. Ever wonder what would happen if your youth came back to haunt you? It’s 1969 and a group of young boys and a tomboyish girl pass the time writing stories about the end of the world, naming the collection the “Book of Revelations.” Flash forward 30 years and the leader of the pack, Kenji, is now running a convenience store in downtown Tokyo after a failed career as a rock musician. Saddled with his sister’s baby after her mysterious disappearance and hen-pecked by his mother, Kenji is resigned to a life of dull complacency and responsibility. Meanwhile, viruses are causing bloody carnage in San Francisco and London. The events are a hot topic at Kenji’s school reunion as his former classmates realize the time’s uncanny resemblance to the “Book.” As Kenji digs deeper into his memories of the book, a cult led by the mysteriously masked “Friend” begins to gain worldwide popularity and the possibility that “Friend” maybe be connected to Kenji’s school years surfaces. As acts of terrorism and tragedy become more frequent, Kenji quickly reunites with his childhood chums as he realizes that the stories from the “Book of Revelations” are coming true and, as written, the world is scheduled to end on December 31, 2000. Revealing any more of the plot for both films will ruin the thrills the 20th Century Boy movies provide. You’ll be hooked as talented director Yukihiko Tsutsumi (2LDK) expertly juggles multiple dramatic arcs and various plot twists while introducing wonderfully likeable characters to genre fans around the world. (Japanese with English subtitles) —Lewis Tice Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi Cast: Toshiaki Karasawa, Etsushi Toyokawa, Takako Tokiwa Screenwriters: Yasushi Fukuda, Takashi Nagasaki, Yûsuke Watanabe (based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa) Producers: Morio Amagi, Ryuuji Ichiyama, Nobuyuki Iinuma Cinematographer: Satoru Karasawa Editor: Nobuyuki Ito Print Source: Nippon Television Network
Yukihiko Tsutsumi’s Filmography: [selected] 20th Century Boys 2 (2009); Sword of Alexander (2007); 2LDK (2003)
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
danger after dark
Treevenge
Straight for the Kill
TBA
Sunday, March 29 • 9:15 • I House Sunday, April 5 • 4:30 • I House
1 • Monday, April 6 • 4:45 • Ritz East 2 2 • Monday, April 6 • 7:15 • Ritz East 1 3 • Monday, April 6 • 7:00 • Ritz East 2 4 • Monday, April 6 • 7:00 • Ritz 5 5 • Monday, April 6 • 9:30 • Ritz East 1 6 • Monday, April 6 • 9:15 • Ritz East 2 7 • Monday, April 6 • 9:15 • Ritz 5
Shorts Program • 125 min
Enter a dark lair of twisted films as you take small bites of terror, horror and animated fantasy, served quick and fast. From killer trees to serial killers to children in jeopardy, it’s a smorgasbord of gruesomeness, fun and dark humor.
The Fairy Princess (USA, 2009, 14 min, Stephen Lyman) A pedophile encounters more than he bargained for.
A Little Mouth to Feed
On the last day of the Festival we’re reserving seven slots for some reprise screenings of audience favorites. If you missed them the first time around, now is your chance!
(USA, 2009, 9 min, John Daniel Stanley) Gothic horror gets bloody when a deal with the Devil is made.
Rite (USA, 2009, 9 min, Alicia Conway) Today is the big day for a young girl to become an adult.
Side Effect (USA, 2008, 13 min) Blood curdling tale of pillpopping babysitter…gone wrong
White Radishes (USA, 2008, 14 min, Christina Won) What’s that strange thing growing in the house next door?
I Don’t Sleep I Dream (USA, 2008, 15 min, J.P. Chan) A horrific car accident causes a woman to flee, leaving some important things behind.
The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon (USA, 2008, 10 min, Richard Gale) A man encounters one of the most relentless serial killers of all time.
The Painter of Skies (Spain, 2008, 25 min, Jorge Morais Valle) Multiaward winning animated short about a painter tormented by the ghosts of his past.
Treevenge (Canada, 2008, 16 min, Jason Eisener) Christmas will never be the same again in this Sundance 09 crowd pleasing blood soaked gorefest! —Lewis Tice
more information online • www.phillycinefest.com
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Panels for filmmakers Streetwise: A Conversation with Philly Documentarians
Philly Style: Exploring the Philadelphia Filmmaking Aesthetic
Saturday, March 28 from 4:00pm–5:15pm DIVE at Shooters in the Curtis Building
Saturday, April 4 from 4:00 – 5:15 pm DIVE at Shooters in the Curtis Building
Filmmaker Diane R. Thompson says of the creation her new documentary Don’t Fall Down in the Hood that it was her way of seeking to make some sense out of the senseless violence that is prevalent in Philadelphia. El Sawyer (Beirut Boys) gives cameras to young African American men, the self-dubbed “Beirut Boys” of the Fairhill neighborhood, to give a voice to a generation often misunderstood or not heard at all. And Michael J. Dennis (Ursula Rucker: Poet) combines documentary storytelling and live performance into a fierce portrait of poet Ursula Rucker whose trademark sweet “song speak” crackles with socio-political urgency on all topics from womanhood, oppression, love and sexism. Moderator Joni Helton will talk with these Festival of Independent featured filmmakers about how their work and how they represent Philadelphia’s African American community through their film sensibilities.
Austin, Buffalo, Seattle, Miami all nurture regional filmmaking communities with a definable aesthetic -- thrift shop, high fashion, D.I.Y, sun drenched or rain soaked. What do Philadelphia independent filmmakers subconsciously absorb? Is there a “Philadelphia Aesthetic?” Did time spent during their formative years in Philadelphia influence the creative minds of the Brothers Quay, David Lynch, Susan Seidelman or Lee Daniels? How does living in a racially diverse, working class city, rich in history and culture and home to creative thinkers and change agents seep into the collective cinematic conscious of local makers and get translated to the screen? Join film critic Sam Adams, filmmaker and Small Change Films programmer Ted Passon (This One Time in Paris), filmmaker and Leeway Foundation Communications Director Maori Karmael Holmes, MiND TV’s “Philadelphia Stories” Producer Hébert Peck, and Tom Quinn, director of The New Year Parade winner of Best Indie Feature PFF 2008, for a conversation about “Philly Style.”
Moderator: Joni Helton is the Director of Television Programming at WHYY TV 12 and board member of PIFVA. Filmmaker Panels presented by Philadelphia Independent Film & Video Association (PIFVA) in association with the Philadelphia Film Festival/Philadelphia CineFest09
Moderator: Gretjen Clausing has worked for 20 years in independent media exhibition as a media arts programmer/curator in Philadelphia and is a media activist committed to rethinking public media and securing citizen’s access to media, notably public access television, since 1997. Currently she is the Program Director of Scribe Video Center (www.scribe.org) where she oversees programming of workshops, screenings and events for this nationally recognized community media center and PIFVA board member.
see www.phillycinefest.com for a full list of panelist biographies and confirmed guests.
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A very special thanks to our supporters Funders: Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation Five-County Arts Fund Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance Lurie Family Foundation Otto Haas Charitable Trust Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Pennsylvania Film Office Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Supporters: State of Pennsylvania Edward G. Rendell, Governor Mickey Rowley, Deputy Secretary for Tourism, Department of Community and Economic Development Jane Saul, Director, Pennsylvania Film Office Richard Bonds, Department of Community and Economic Development Lenwood Sloan, Director, Heritage Tourism Development Babette Josephs, State Representative, 182nd District Larry Farnese, State Senator, 1st District City of Philadelphia Michael Nutter, Mayor City Council Members Blondell Reynolds Brown Darrell Clarke Janie Blackwell Frank DiCicco Industry Partners Adam Lopez – Toronto After Dark Basil Tsiokos – Sundance Film Festival Berwyn Rowlands – The Festivals Company, Ltd Bruce Fletcher – Dead Channels
Erin Jackson – GPFO Grant Vidgen – The Festivals Company, Ltd Marc Walkow – NY Asian Film Festival Mitch Davis – Fantasia Rachel Belofsky – Screamfest LA Scott Weinberg – Cinematical.com Tim League – Fantastic Fest William Guentzler – Cleveland International Film Festival
Special Thanks for Your Help and Support: Adriana Halper Allen Sabinson Alex Styer Alex Torban Alexis Parente Alla Plotkin Aly Green Andrew Auwerda Andy Williams Antoine Sebire Beth Mohan Resta Bill Horton Brad Miller Brandy Bechtold Brian Browne Brian Datesman Bryan Hoffman Caitlin Connors Candace Cooper Carrie Rickey Celso Thompson Chris Long Christina Gualazzi Christopher Nork Cindy Burstein Courtney Knittel Cristina Dowdell Dan Fein Dan Goldgerg Dan McCaffery Daniele T. Easton David Haas David Hall Dawn Reilly Debby Seitz Debroah Rinaldi Derek Hachowski Dino Minelli
Donald Chalphin Ed O’Boyle Ellen Yin Erin Owens Fabienne Bilodeau Frank Chille Fred Darby G. Rich Goldberg Garth Weldon Gary and Janet Calderwood George Bochetto George Reppert Gideon Umile Gretjen Clausing Haln Cohen Hal Real Helene Pultorak Herb Lipton Hiroshi Iwasaki Hugh E Dillon Ian Maxen James Duggan Jamie Reibenbach Janice Canfield Jay Arnold Jay McCalla Jean-Pierre Dion Jeff Bundy Jeffrey Miller Jeffrey Sotland Jeffrey Guarancino Jervis Hardy Jesse Cute Jill Bonovitch Jim Griffin Joan Bressler Jocelyn Hayes Joe Varalli John Herzins Jonathan Vendrick Joseph Amodei Judy Ellis-Taylor Judy Pote Julie Schelling Juliet Goodfriend Justin Wineberg Kara Ashe Karen Cornell Rosenberg Kazumi Teune Kevin Cushing Kevon Galickman Laura Burkhardt Liam Dacey Lindsay Cummings Lisa M. Reisman Lori Christensen Lori Klein Brennan Lydia Segundo Marlene Bell
Marjorie Samoff Martin Jakubczak Mary Beth Bogan Mary Patel Meredith Cortlett Meryl Levitz Michael Feighan Michael E. Scullin Mike Robb Mitch Gillette Molly O’Shea Monica Montalvo Mya Gannon Natasha Dubin-Collatos Nicole Ross Nikoletta Fotiadis Norval Copeland Patrice Rames Patrick Stoner Patti Klein Paula Moritz Petah Bashano Peter Leokum Phyllis Halpern Rachael Satanoff Randal Edelstein Renae Dinerman Richard J Staub Rob Dieters Robert Cargni Robert Caulk Robert Norton Ruth Perlmutter Sam Malissa Sarah Sercia Sean Buffington Sean Wolfe Scott Brandreth Scott Zingman Sharon Pinkenson Sheldon Bonovitch Stephanie Walsh Stephen Yaeger Steve Horton Susan Helfrich Sue Laks Sweetie Caulk Timothy Schwab Tom Lamb Walter Staib Victoria Smith
Extra Special Thanks Michaela Majoun Robert Drake Carrie Rickey Malti Sahai
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Philadelphia Film Festival / CineFest 09 Staff Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raymond Murray Associate Artistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carol Coombes Director of Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thom Cardwell Managing Director / Dir. of Guest Services. . . . . . . . Mark James Wawrzynski Creative Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric Moore Director of Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Claire Kohler Director of Operations/ Volunteer Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Parinda Patel Director of Media Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . Matthew Ray Danger After Dark Curator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lewis Tice Documentary Curator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Steinberg Festival of Independents Curator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Johnston Shorts & Animation Curators Robert Moran, John Serpentelli Special Events Curator/Adviser . . . . . . . . . George Stewart Fade To Black Programmers Nicole Ross (Chair) , Kamilah Bayete, Denise Beek, Justin Cook, Mike Dennis, Eugene Haynes, Maori Karmael Holmes, Ernestine Johnson, Melanie Johnson, Sulaiman Rahman, Screening Committee Joe Baltake, Brenda Benthien, Elena Bonomo, Jorge Bravo, Andrew A. Collins, Scott Cranin, Mario DiMaio, Lawrence Ferber, Emma Stern, Sarah Kowalski, Jayson Bucy, David Chaplin-Loebell, Pamela Chaplin-Loebell, David Gorgos, Kate Dalbey, Chris Dalbey, Ruth Karpeles, Alejandro Morales, George Shotz, Eric Moore, Scott Cranin Head of Jurors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Feighan Film Booker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Arndt Ticketing Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer Bendik Print Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Bonfiglio Techincal Advisor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Sargis Distribution Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert Goodman Assitant to Managing Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . Leslie Young Operations Assistants Timothy Ferretti, Linda Greenawatl, Tom Kenney Ticketing Assistants Kaitlyn Bendik, Timothy Bendik Festival Interns Daniel Falvey, Colin McCullough, Timothy Schwab, Nicole Skinner, Victoria Smith, Ja-mel Vereeen, Elizabeth Walsh, Evan Silverestein
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Program Guide Editors Carol Coombes, Mark James Wawrzynski Program Guide Assitant Editor Jesse Smith Program Cover Design John Smith, Sean Wolfe Program Guide Sponsorships & Advertising Sales Thom Cardwell, Colin McCullough Graphics Robert Dieters, Brian McManus, Sean Wolff Digital Photo Prep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stephen Imperato Web Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Smith, James Curcio Technologies Patrick Boe, Thomas Carroll, Peter Choi, David Chaplin-Loebell, Jon Dilks, Dan Maloney, Alice Merlino, Jon Reeb Festival Photographer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail Kamenish Accounting Staff Jo Borasky, Cher Bryant, John Chong Festival Trailer Produced by students at Drexel University Westphal College of Media Arts & Design The Cast: Teenager: Samantha Wischnia; Biker: Vic Rogers; Dad: Joe Mathews; Mom: Diane Bakos; Experimental Filmmaker: Nikiya Palombi; Skateboarders: Phil Gushue, Adam Sucheki, Paul Dickover; Documentary Cameraman: Tariq Rasheed; Documentary Sound Guy: Kyle Green; Kid with Balloon: Alex Kieffer; Dad: Robert Kieffer; Male Movie Star: Kevin Resnick; Female Movie Star: Mary McCool; Extras: Karl Guenther; Tammy Hardgrave; Kelly DeVose; Jesse Caron; John Christon; Laura Rachfalski; Aleida Silva-Garcia; Stephanie Ross; John Wooten; Alex Weber; Alyssa Brocato; Sonia Vitullo The Crew: Writer: Colin George; Director: Brian Johanson; Producer: Dylan Steinberg; Executive Producer: Karin Kelly; Director of Photography: Zac Rubino; Production Designer: Maggie Ruder; Editor: Micah Haun; Assistant Director: Brian Crawford; Sound Mixer: Laura Rachfalski; Boom Operator: Mike Stone; Assistant Cameraman: Bunker Seyfert; Grips: John Christon, Paul Dickover PFS Staff: Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Greenblatt Membership Coordinator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jared Miller
We Are Powered by Volunteers! Please give a huge round of applause to the dedicated folks who sell & tear your tickets, help you find seats in crowded theaters and hand out ballots, among many other important festival tasks... SPECIAL THANKS Les Anders Gabe Baldwin Jayson Bucy Phil Candelore Pearl Carpel Crystal Cheepudom Stewart Clamen Will Clinton Norval Copeland Liam Dacey Lamont Davis Andrea Duszenczuk Tony Finan Leilani Goode Linda Greenawalt Craig Harris Julianne Hurst Jeffrey Jenne Brian Jones Darren Joyner Tom Kenney Margaret Lacey Martina MacArthur Ron Marks Ian Maxen Robert Mellin Javier Mojica Melanie Orpen Suzanne Rosin Lane Scarberry Ken Sipos Debra Smith Allan Spulecki Dan Tharp Chris Vachon Dave Walker
THANKS Alexis Abate Firial Aberra Lisa Akinsas Victor Alexander John Allen Jen Ammon Shani Arbel Renata Aronson
Joelle Badeau Megan Bailey Phyllis Bailey Geoff Baille Margaret Bateman Ryan Bednar Leslie Bell Jacob Berman Larissa Bilyrsky Andrea Blau Amanda Blumenthal Alex Bokulich Dan Bove Victoria Bralley Andy Breslin Elise Bromberg Jamil Brown Joi Brown Jenny Cai Tony Campbell Joy Cannon Matt Capucini Dicle Cemiloglu Abraham Chelsvig Lori Chinitz Amanda Chudnow Amy Ciccarone Jessica Clark Brittany Coates Rory Cohen Matt Collier Dave Comeau Brendan Conway Adam Cooperstein Joanne Corcoran Earle Core Gerry Corrigan Bernadette Croft Mark Dames Kim Del Rocci Jesse Delaney Jennifer Delany Lisa DiMaulo Dominic DiMauro Jonathan DiPaulo Ryan Downey Trent Dunlap Caroline Durlacher Deb Duskey Mari Dwter
Aarina Eleazer Sara Elia Joan Faulkner Domenick Ferranti Scott Fetch MJ Fine Kristin Fione Sara Fisher Sara Flanagan Rudy Flesher Christian Flippone Diane Floyd Erica Ford-Green Justin Fortmeier Ryan Foster Andy Freedman Annafrancesca Fuchs Carol Galvelis Liesse Garrison Charles Gathers Kelly Gerald Angela Gisondi Elissa Goldberg Deb Gowen Gregory Grant Katherine Gronsbell Dita Gruze Mary Kay Hamburger Karl Hartman Ray Hartman Hillary Harvey Tracey Heckstall Ben Heilman Elaine Helmer Paul Hewitt Nicole Horin Clarence Hudson Maria Hughes Caryn Husser Andrea Hyslop Dorothy Iams Ricardo Ibanez Marianne Iorio Ingrid Jackson MaryAnne Jackson Billy James Mindy Janofsky Majnu John Holly Johnson Linda Johnson
Alana Jones Leora Jones Wendell Jones Zina Jones Stan Katinsky Matt Keeney Meeri Kim Ryan King Alex Kohr Melissa Komulainen Andrew Kotliar Stephen Lam Thao Linh Lam Steve Lanzetta Josh Larkins Mary Beth Lauer Letitia Lee Steven Lesser Nicole Lester Maggie Leyman Greg Ludwig Jonathan Ly Sean Lydon Stephen Mai Dorothy Mansfield Megan Martin Qrescent Mason Ben Mati Diana McCarter Tiona McClodden Anne McCormick Maria McIndoo Peter Metcalfe Sherri Miller Tara Miller Dave Monk Catherine Morris Beth Mullen Becki Ney Aileen Nguyen Ashlee Niedospial Chris Nowak Jennifer O’Para Kieran O’Sullivan Caroline Owens Dom Panarello Christina Papi Nancy Parks Hannah Perkins Lisa Perry
Lory Piergrossi Amy Popp Lorraine Porcellini Alex Pozza Melissa Puchek Chris Qualtieri Barbara Rabinowitz Kathleen Rafferty Tiffany Ragins-Morris Jeff Reeves Shara Reichwald Ken Reynolds Betty Rice Robert Richter Eric Rivera Julianne Roseman Lauren Rosenblum Leah Rossi Joseph Russell Danielle Sacco Gozde Sadak Andrew Salerno Linda Saroeun Rachel Schechter Jonathan Schecter Caroline Schmidt Judy Schnieder Sydney Scott Tom Shotkin Chris Shrader Felicia Simon Katherine Smith Jasmin Snaggs Kelly Socha Nathan Spencer Christin St. Pierre Ilisa Stalberg Carolyn Stan Stacey Stanton Staci Stewart Danni Strauss Dan Stroiman Elizabeth Sweet Natalie Sweet Emily Tartanella Brynn Tetrick Dylan Thomas Julia Thomas Becca Thompson Jamie Thoulous
Gemma Tierney Nelly Torres Mary Beth Triplett Tim Triplett Jackie Tucker Monique Turner Marcela Urbina Lisa Vagnoni Raven Valdes John Vetttese Rafael Viana Matt Wabals Latoya Walker Laura Walker Emily Weintraub Colin Weir Bob West Madrianne Wong Kimberly Wong-Shing John Wood Kristine Woods Emma Xu Laura Xu Kerwyn Yarde Marianne Yeager David Yeuw Jamie Young Ryan Young Michelle Zauner Yekaterina Zazyazkina Margaret Zelsnack Michelle Zelzany Emilie Zoltick
GUEST SERVICES Gisele Bathish Justin Bonfiglio Susan Dietrich Melissa Ford R Rutledge Goodman Jen Hughes Heather McDonnell Cindy Phillips Laura Schwingel J Bishop Smith Brian Wade LisaBeth Weber Suzanne Wolko
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• Reserved Seating on Weekends • Stadium Seating • Ultraluxury Chairs • Dolby Digital Surround EX • Concierge Service FOR SHOWTIMES AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS PLEASE CALL: 1-800-315-4000
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Index of Films
For a full source list please visit www.phillycinefest.com
Feature Films: Able.............................................. 93 All Inclusive............................... 77 American Violet......................... 47 The Answer Man....................... 35 Art & Copy................................... 80 Art of the Devil 3........................ 93 Back Soon................................... 70 Before the Fall............................ 77 The Beautiful Person................ 67 Bitter & Twisted........................ 57 Blind Loves................................. 81 Boy Interrupted.......................... 81 The Brothers Bloom.................. 51 Burning Plain............................. 50 The Chaser.................................. 57 Chef’s Special............................ 70 Children of Invention................ 51 The Country Teacher................. 57 Cowards...................................... 77 Cuttin’ Da Mustard.................... 47 The Desert Within..................... 78 Dioses.......................................... 78 Don’t Look Down....................... 78 Eldorado...................................... 58 The Equation of Love and Death.................... 58 (500) Days of Summer................ 31 Food, Inc...................................... 81 For My Father.............................. 73 4bia............................................... 93 A French Gigolo......................... 67 A Game for Girls......................... 58 Garbage Dreams........................ 82 The Girl from Monaco............... 67 The Glass House........................ 82 God’s Forgotten Town............... 79 Go Go 70s..................................... 59 Goodbye Solo............................. 51 GS Wonderland.......................... 59 Hanger......................................... 94 Heart of Stone............................ 87 Herb and Dorothy....................... 82 Hunger......................................... 36 The Hurt Locker......................... 37 I’d Rather Be a Shellfish.......... 59 Il Divo........................................... 60 I’m Going to Explode................. 79 Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life................... 44 I Sell the Dead............................ 92 It’s Not Me I Swear!.................. 60 The Joy of Singing..................... 68 Julia............................................. 68 Jury Duty..................................... 68 Kabuli Kid.................................... 72 Kassim the Dream..................... 83
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The King of Ping Pong.............. 60 Kisses........................................... 61 Lake Tahoe................................. 79 Landscape #2.............................. 61 Left Bank..................................... 94 Lemon Tree................................. 73 Lightbulb..................................... 52 Loose Rope................................. 73 Love, Soccer and other Catastrophies............ 61 Lymelife....................................... 33 The Magic Hour......................... 71 Marcello, Marcello................... 62 The Merry Gentleman............... 52 Mississippi Damned................. 47 Mommy Is at the Hairdresser’s....................... 56 Moon............................................ 38 Morris County............................. 87 Mortadelo and Filemon: Mission - Save the Planet. ..... 71 My Dear Enemy.......................... 62 9 to 5: Days in Porn.................... 83 The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone.................. 86 No Boundaries........................... 87 Not Quite Hollywood................ 94 Number One with a Bullet........................ 48 Of Time and the City.................. 83 Old Partner.................................. 84 One Day You’ll Understand........................... 69 The Other One............................ 69 The Perfect Season................... 45 Phantom Punch.......................... 48 Plague Town.............................. 96 Playing Columbine.................... 84 Pressure Cooker........................ 46 Revanche.................................... 62 Rock Prophecies....................... 39 Rudo y Cursi................................ 76 Rumba.......................................... 71 Salt of This Sea.......................... 74 Saving Grace B. Jones............. 52 The Sea Wall.............................. 66 See What I’m Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary.............................. 88
Sita Sings the Blues.................. 45 The Sitting Machine................. 88 Snow............................................ 74 The Song of Sparrows.............. 74 Stone of Destiny......................... 63 Sugar............................................ 48 Summer Hours............................ 69 Sun Dogs..................................... 53 Surveillance............................... 53 Taking Root: The Vision of
Wangari Maathai................ 49 Three Blind Mice....................... 63 The Tour...................................... 63 Training Rules............................ 84 Treeless Mountain.................... 64 Tulpan.......................................... 64 20th Century Boys...................... 96 20th Century Boys: Chapter Two........................ 96 Tyson............................................ 49 Wages of Spin............................ 88 The Way We Get By.................. 85 White Night Wedding............... 64 Worlds Apart.............................. 65 Youssou Ndour: I Bring What I Love............. 49 Zift ................................................ 65
Short Films Abandoned Heroes.................... 89 Adam and Evan ........................ 90 American Terror: Company Man...................... 90 America’s Game ....................... 90 Amerika Idol............................... 90 Another Bad Idea....................... 90 Apprentice.................................. 90 Beirut Boys ............................... 89 Character Study ....................... 89 Clowns Without Borders.......... 90 Dead Hooker Theater................ 90 Direction Without Instruction ........... 87 Don’t Fall Down In the Hood ......................... 89 Downtown Train........................ 52 80%............................................... 90 The Enemy Is Us......................... 89 Eurydice — She, So Beloved ................. 44 The Fairy Princess..................... 97 Free the River Park — The Story of Citizens’ Fight for the Schuylkill River Park......... 89
Hair and Diamonds.................... 90 The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon................. 97
I Don’t Sleep I Dream................ 97 I’ll Tell on You!........................... 61 In Absentia ................................ 44 Inside ARM UVI #1: Georges Bataille’s Story of the Eye................... 90 Institute of the Séance............. 90 James.......................................... 83 Labyrinth...................................... 79 The Lady of Ephesus.................. 90 The Last Duel . .......................... 89
The Line....................................... 71 A Little Mouth to Feed.............. 97 Milk Run...................................... 86 The M.O.D presents MoneyLEGS.......................... 90 The Moth and the Firefly.......... 51 Neighborhood Bike Works.......................... 88 Next Floor................................... 93 Old Days ..................................... 90 The Painter of Skies.................. 97 Pie of the Day............................. 90 Piñata........................................... 90 Poet of Poverty........................... 89 Rite............................................... 97 Rx/OTC......................................... 90 Side Effect . ................................ 97 Smut Cave................................... 90 Stille Nacht I ............................. 44 Stille Nacht II ............................ 44 Stille Nacht III............................ 44 The Storymaker.......................... 84 Street of Crocodiles.................. 44 Subconscious............................. 90 Thanks Blood............................. 90 This One Day in Paris............... 90 This Unnameable Little Broom......................... 44 Trees............................................ 90 Treevenge................................... 97 Ursula Rucker: Poet.................. 90 Waves.......................................... 90 White Radishes . ....................... 97 Women In War Zones: Sexual Violence in the Congo......................... 89
Events & Shorts Programs Alfre Woodard Fade to Black Quest Award........................ 42 Best of the Backseat Film Festival Showcase............. 45 …Even Jesus Had an Accountant..................... 89 Brothers Quay Artistic Vision Award....................... 43 The Great Northeaster.............. 89 Hardcore Heroes and Heroins.......................... 90 Jeff Daniels Artistic Achievement Award.......... 43 My Voice Is in My Sword......... 90 The Rocky Balboa Picture Show 2 - Rock Treatment............. 90 A Quay Brothers Sampler........ 44 Straight for the Kill.................... 97
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