CFI would like to thank the following individuals and foundations for their generous support of the Milestone campaign.
Leadership circLe
Christopher B. and Jeannie
Meg Smith
i nvestor circLe
Anonymous
Jennifer Coslett MacCready
Gruber Family Foundation
pLatinum circLe
Henry Timnick
Christine Zecca Foundation
GoLd circLe
Anonymous
Richard Barker
Jackie and Ken Broad
William Hudson and Nora Gibson
Katz Family Foundation
Michael Klein
K.C. and Steve Lauck
Monahan Parker, Inc.
Terese and Robert Payne
Robin Wright Penn and Sean Penn
Lente Louw and Eric Schwartz
Susan and Michael Schwartz
Ruth and Alan Scott
Lois and Mel Tukman
s i Lver circLe
Anonymous
Jennifer Barker
Kamala Geroux-Berry and David Berry
Gloria and Jack Clumeck
Alice Corning/Springcreek Foundation
Marie and Brian Collins
Leonard Eber
Margaret E. Haas
Nancy Hudson
Andrée Poirier Jansheski
Bobbie Meyer
Heidi Richardson and Michael V. Dyett
Lynn Robbie and David Hering
Ruthellen and Monte Toole
Saul Zaentz
Bronze circLe
Jeffrey Edman
Catherine and Peter Flaxman
CFI Milestone Campaign
For three decades the California Film Institute and the Mill Valley Film Festival have enriched the cultural lives of Marin County and Bay Area residents. With the opening of the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in 1999, the Institute found a first-class festival venue and a permanent, year-round home for its many programs. The community has also embraced this unique gem, one of the few nonprofit film centers in the country.
As CFI and the Mill Valley Film Festival celebrate turning 30, we are initiating a long-term effort to secure the legacy of this exceptional cultural organization by making it financially sustainable. In taking these steps now, as we celebrate a milestone, we ensure that future generations—and future audiences— will be able to enjoy the rich and varied offerings of the California Film Institute, the Mill Valley Film Festival and the Smith Rafael Film Center.
Karen Fry
Lisa Graeber
Donna and Don Kelleher
Fred M. Levin and Nancy Livingston, The Shenson Foundation
Zara and Dennis Muren
Mary and Bill Poland
Gordon Radley
Marlies and Zachary Zeisler
major foundation support
Bernard Osher Foundation
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Marin Community Foundation
Miranda Lux Foundation
San Francisco Foundation
Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences
Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation
Government support
County of Marin
National Endowment for the Arts
Through the generous support of our community, we will be able to:
• Continue the high-quality, innovative programming that has earned CFI its international reputation
• Maintain the Smith Rafael Film Center’s pristine condition and keep pace with the latest industry technology and innovations
• Increase our creative and financial support of filmmakers, not only through film exhibition, but also through a new model for nonprofit film distribution
• Expand our Education programs to offer more groundbreaking media-literacy programs and bring more filmmakers into Bay Area schools
for information about how you can support the milestone campaign, please email us
24 | Outdoor Art Club Battleship Potemkin with the Marin Symphony
25 | Live Performances at 142 Throckmorton Theatre
29 | New Movies Lab
30 | Children’s FilmFest
31 | Youth Workshops Youth Focus
33 | CFI Education
41 | The MVFF Award
43 | Tribute to Ang Lee
50 | Spotlight on Terry George
56 | Spotlight on Jennifer Jason Leigh
61 | Feature: The Music Never Stopped
70 | Feature: The Camera and the Spoon
81 | Film Categories MVFF Premieres 2007 Focus
82 | Films A to Z
111 | The Tao of Film
113 | Film Calendar
157 | How to Volunteer
159 | Creative Credits
160 | Festival Staff
167 | Acknowledgments
169 | CFI Members
181 | Print Sources
187 | Films by Country
188 | Filmmaker Index
191 | Advertiser Index
192 | Title Index
Mayor’s Proclamation
city of mill valley, office of the mayor
WHEREAS, the Mill Valley Film Festival has presented outstanding local and international films in this community for 30 years; and
WHEREAS, the Mill Valley Film Festival fulfills the important function of providing filmmakers an audience for their works; and
WHEREAS, international filmmakers and the film community in Marin County enhance our cultural life by participating in the Mill Valley Film Festival; and
WHEREAS, filmmakers, volunteers, sponsors and filmgoers join together to make the Film Festival one of the Bay Area’s social and cultural highlights of the year;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christopher Raker, Mayor of the City of Mill Valley, take great pleasure in supporting the 30th Annual Festival by proclaiming October 4–14, 2007, as Mill Valley Film Festival Days in Mill Valley.
christopher raker
Mayor of Mill Valley
Director’s Note
a note from the executive director Welcome to the 30th Mill Valley Film Festival!
As our Festival turns 30 we have taken this opportunity not only to look back but also to consider what is important to us, in the hope that we can be part of creating a better future. Perhaps personifying this moment of maturity, several of our guests this year are returning tributees, coming to share their new work with us.
As we honor renowned director Ang Lee, we look back 15 years to MVFF 1992, when we introduced Lee’s first feature, Pushing Hands, in its US premiere. At the same time we celebrate the present, proudly opening the Festival with his latest masterpiece, Lust, Caution, which won the Golden Lion award at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
We are also extremely fortunate to have 2004 MVFF Spotlight honoree Laura Linney with us on Opening night, to present her film, The Savages, directed by Tamara Jenkins and costarring Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Director Terry George, whose Some Mother’s Son closed the Festival in 1996, follows his 2004 award-winning Hotel Rwanda with the powerful and eloquent Reservation Road. In addition to screening his new film, we are pleased to welcome George back to the Festival with a Spotlight program, where we will present him with the new MVFF Award (see page 41 for more information on the creation and presentation of this special sculpture).
Jennifer Jason Leigh won a special Golden Globe® award as part of the ensemble cast of Robert Altman’s Shortcuts, which opened the 1993 Festival. And in 1994, her film Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle was the Festival’s closing film. We are honored to have Leigh here this year as a Spotlight honoree and recipient of the MVFF Award, and to screen her latest film, Margot at the Wedding, directed by her husband Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, MVFF 2005).
John Korty, Doris Dörrie, Rob Nilsson, John Sanborn, Marc Forster and dozens of other returning MVFF artists will be here as well, to help us celebrate our 30th and guide the Festival into the future.
Every year we show an abundance of extraordinary films: films that tell great stories, poignant films that have something important to say, films that resonate both personally and universally. This year, after once again viewing hundreds of films, submitted through our call for entries and from sales agents and distributors, we discovered a distinct pattern: a compelling theme of courage and morality. In both documentaries and narrative films, we are seeing an array of eloquent stories about people faced with situations in which they are forced to take great risks or make personal sacrifices in order to stand by their beliefs. The Price of Sugar, Soldiers of Conscience, Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution, Reservation Road, Rendition, Gone Baby Gone and Michael Clayton are just a few of the incredible films that fall into this category.
They all share difficult subject matter—the loss of a child, the harsh lives of immigrant field workers, soldiers who become conscientious objectors—not necessarily what one would consider big box-office material. Yet all of these filmmakers made a conscious choice to tell these stories. It would be easy to say that these are the annual Oscar® contenders and, thus, the so-called serious films of 2007; but I believe it is much more. Perhaps a consequence of 9/11 or the war in Iraq—or our current politics or a new self-awareness—today’s filmmakers, actors, producers and financiers appear to be more interested in affecting change in positive and dramatic ways, through a personal vision. It gives me hope that they are indeed trying to change the world through their films, and the 30th MVFF honors and celebrates this change.
As I do each year, I want to remind our Festival attendees that approximately half of the income we need to produce this Festival comes from contributions. And again I thank everyone who has once more worked tirelessly to make the Festival possible: our generous donors, our dedicated staff, our board of directors and volunteers, our wonderful audiences and, most importantly, the artists whose creations we are so privileged and excited to share.
mark fishkin MVFF Founder-Director
Christopher B. and Jeannie Meg Smith Insurance Services
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Festival Information Maps and Venues
paRKing
In Mill Valley: Two-hour parking meters in downtown Mill Valley operate 9:00 am–6:00 pm Monday through Friday; cars parked over two hours are subject to ticketing. Although meters are free after 6:00 pm and on weekends, the two-hour limit is still enforced. See map for directions and parking areas.
In San Rafael: There are parking garages throughout the downtown San Rafael area. Two-hour parking meters in San Rafael operate 9:00 am–6:00 pm, Monday through Saturday; cars parked over two hours are subject to ticketing. Meters are free after 6:00 pm and on Sundays. See map for directions and parking areas.
publiC tRan S poRtation
Call Golden Gate Transit at 415.923.2000 for information about taking public transportation to and from the Mill Valley Film Festival.
membe RS hip in FoR mation
Membership information will be available at Festival ticket outlets, the Outdoor Art Club and at the Smith Rafael Film Center. New members may join, and old friends may renew or upgrade their existing memberships.
Fe Stival S hopS
Visit our Festival shops for official Festival merchandise—they make great holiday gifts for yourself and other film lovers. The Festival shops are located at the San Rafael ticket outlet and the Outdoor Art Club during the Festival.
etiquette
As a courtesy and in fairness to others, we ask that you only hold one seat per person when attending screenings and events. Please turn off pagers, cell phones and watch alarms.
photog Raphy, video and R eCoR ding
Photography, video and audio recording are prohibited in all theatrical and other Festival venues.
R e S e Rved S eating
The Mill Valley Film Festival is made possible in part through the generous support of our sponsors and patrons. The reserved seating section at our screenings and events is provided for filmmakers and sponsors, to show our appreciation for their contributions and their generous support of the Festival.
oR de R ing tiCKetS–the FaSte St Way to buy tiCKetS i S online
We offer many convenient ways to purchase tickets. Tickets go on sale to members on September 12 and to the general public on September 16. you may purchase tickets in the following ways:
oR de R online: mvff.com
24 hours daily, beginning: Sept. 12 at 5:00 pm for Members Sept. 16 at 9:00 am for the General Public
oR de R by phone:
Toll-Free 1.877.874.MVFF (6833)
Opening for Members: Sept. 12, 5:00–8:00 pm
Members Only: Sept. 13–15, 9:00 am–5:00 pm
General Public: Sept. 16–Oct. 14, 9:00 am–5:00 pm
buy in pe RSon:
San Rafael ticket outlet
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center 1118 Fourth St.
mill valley ticket outlet
Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce
85 Throckmorton Ave.
Ticket outlet hours and information about how to purchase tickets can be found on our Web site and on page 66 of the MVFF newsprint schedule.
* Each phone, mail or online order is charged a $2.50 nonrefundable processing fee.
tiCKet pR iCe S*
$12 General Admission
$10 Members
$10 Seniors (65+)
$10 Children (12 and under) available for Children’s FilmFest only
*unless otherwise noted on individual programs
Fe Stival venue S CinéArts@Sequoia (SEQ)
25 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley
Christopher B. Smith rafael Film Center (rAF) 1118 Fourth St., San Rafael
142 Throckmorton Theatre (TH r)
142 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley
Century Cinema 41 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera
Outdoor Art Club (OAC)
1 W. Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley
Lytton Plaza
Corner of Miller and Sunnyside, Mill Valley
Mill Valley Community Center 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley
Frantoio ristorante
152 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley
Gaylord India restaurant 201 Bridgeway, Sausalito
Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium
Marin Civic Center 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael
George Lucas Theater at kerner Optical 90 Windward Way, San Rafael
Marin Youth Center (the MYC) 1115 Third Street, San Rafael
Marin Academy 1600 Mission Ave., San Rafael
San Francisco Art Institute
800 Chestnut St., San Francisco
• Presenting the annual Mill Valley Film Festival
• Exhibiting film year round at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
• Building the next generation of filmmakers and audiences through CFI Education
Membership Provides A discount on Mill Valley Film Festival tickets
The privilege to purchase Mill Valley Film Festival tickets before the general public
A complimentary “Friend of the Festival” screening during the Mill Valley Film Festival
A reduced regular admission ticket price of $5.50 at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center—Anytime! Any day!
Member Screenings, often well-known filmmakers as guests at fascinating Q-and-A sessions
Exclusive access to special events And more!
More than 3,000 CFI members share our passion for great film that inspires and challenges us to see the world around us from a new perspective.
The nonprofit California Film Institute relies on the generosity of its community to thrive. Your financial support enables CFI to continue offering quality programming and events at the Rafael and the Mill Valley Film Festival, and to offer our free education program to children and young adults. join us today!
at cafilm.org
all Mill Valley Festival ticket outlets
2007 Board of Directors
2007 officers
Richard Idell, President
Christopher B. Smith, Vice President
Steve Shane, Vice President
Evelyn Topper, Secretary
Zach Zeisler, Treasurer
executive d irector, founder
Mark Fishkin
foundinG Board
Mark Fishkin, President
Lois Kohl Shore, Vice President
Rita Cahill, Secretary/CFO
e meritus Board
Ann Brebner
Rita Cahill
Mark Fishkin
Sid Ganis
Gary Meyer
Gordon Radley
Henry Timnick
honorary advisory Board
Stewart and Barbara Boxer
Jeff Fisher
Peter Flaxman
Robert Greber
Linda Gruber
Peggy Haas
Nancy Hudson
Amy Keroes
Andrew McGuire
Jann Moorhead
Mary Poland
Lente and Eric Schwartz
Michael and Susan Schwartz
RICHARD BARKER W. ROBERT GRISWOLD JR
RICHARD IDELL JENNIFER MACCREADY
BRUCE KATZ
KC LAUCK
CHARLES MCGLASHAN
STEVE SHANE
CHRISTOPHER B SMITH EVELYN TOPPER
ZACH ZEISLER
In Memoriam
Great Masters, Passin G
Earlier this year, I went to Fespaco, the west African film festival. The hotel where I stay is always the center of activity for the festival, and there are lots of filmmakers around. Particularly, there’s a shaded table outside by the pool where Ousmane Sembene always sits, smoking his pipe; the great wise one of African cinema. He wasn’t there this year. Someone said he had been ill; then, a few months later, in June, his passing was announced. This man, who had worked in the dockyards of Marseilles and returned to his native Senegal to speak his truths as a novelist and filmmaker, was revered as the father of African cinema.
And then, the news that Ingmar Bergman had died. Another of the great masters. My first encounter with Bergman was as a drama student in London, going to the Everyman in Hampstead one night—completely innocent of any expectations—to see Persona. I was blown away by it,
and returned there, religiously, to see the rest of the Bergman series they were showing.
The same day I heard news about Bergman, news arrived of the death of Michelangelo Antonioni—whose eye on the ’60s, whether Mod London or the L.A. desert, shifted people’s ways of seeing. How curious it was that within a 24-hour period in July, Bergman and Antonioni both were gone.
Sembene, Bergman, Antonioni: each a great master of cinema, capturing something particular about their time, their place and their culture, and in doing so, changed the way we perceive ourselves and our world. These are people whose sensibilities, whose intense connection with their creative spirit, have embodied and articulated the essence of the time we live in.
—Zoë Elton, MVFF programming director
I NGMAR B ERGMAN
OUSMANE SEMBENE
MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI
MVFF 30th a nniversary p re-Festival p resentation
In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Mill Valley Film Festival, the California Film Institute is proud to present this special event honoring Emile Hirsch with the MVFF Award* for breakthrough performance of the year.
i nto the Wild | US 2007 150 MINS With special guests Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch
SCR eening and aWaR d pR e S entation Thursday, September 13, 6:30 pm Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center Reception following at San Rafael Joe’s 931 Fourth St., San Rafael
SCREENING, AWARD PRESENTATION AND R ECEPTION $150 For tickets call 877.874.MVFF (6833) or visit mvff.com. Limited availability.
Director/Screenwriter Sean Penn Producers Art Linson, Sean Penn, William Pohlad Cinematographer Eric Gautier Editor Jay Cassidy Cast Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, Catherine Keener, Hal Holbrook, Jena Malone Print Source Paramount Vantage
Actor-writer-director Sean Penn masterfully crafts a visually stunning and emotional true story of a young man’s self-imposed exodus from the comforts of the modern world into the feral heart of the Alaskan wilderness. Based on Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book, the film features Emile Hirsch in a truly star-making performance as an Emory University graduate eager to leave behind the scars of his parents’ dysfunctional marriage. Tossing away his life savings and dumping his car, he ventures into the vast landscape of the American West. Reinvented as Alexander Supertramp and equipped with limited supplies and a collection of favorite books, “Alex” encounters a vibrant array of free spirits, misfits and lonely souls (wonderful supporting work by Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener and Hal Holbrook) as he overcomes the obstacles in his path and reminds us all what it really means to be alive in a world so much larger than ourselves. Also starring William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden and Jena Malone. —Josh Moore
S potlight on emile hi RSC h Sweet boy next door or cold-blooded killer? Emile Hirsch will draw you in either way. With a fresh, fearless approach to his craft, Hirsch deftly uncovers real complexities and contradictions in each role he plays, and whether it’s a dramatic or a comedic scene, his youthful wide eyes tell the truth. Hirsch has developed a vast array of intricate characters in his ambitious career, including the reckless skateboarder Jay Adams in Lords of Dogtown, the innocent high school senior who falls for his porn-star neighbor in The Girl Next Door and the ruthless criminal in Alpha Dog With upcoming roles as the idealistic yet doomed Christopher McCandless in Into the Wild, directed by Sean Penn, and the beloved ace driver in the eagerly anticipated Speed Racer, by the Wachowski brothers, Emile Hirsch has only begun to amaze audiences with the fierce commitment he brings to each performance.
Please join us for this exclusive Mill Valley Film Festival 30th anniversary event. A special presentation of Into the Wild will be followed by a post-screening discussion with actor Emile Hirsch and writer-director Sean Penn, and the presentation of the MVFF Award to Emile Hirsch. After the program, join us down the street for a reception at San Rafael Joe’s. Well known for its old-fashioned Italian cooking, we’re kicking off our 30th birthday at this long-standing Marin institution that is turning 60. Raymond wines will be served.
*See page 41 for more information about the Mill Valley Film Festival Award.
SPONSORED By
Opening Night
In honor of the Festival’s 30th birthday, we return to the downtown Mill Valley plaza for our Opening Night Gala. Join us for wine, fine food and song, with jazzsters Con Alma and deejayed tunes, and hors d’oeuvres from Ora, E&O Trading Co., Robin Scott Catering, Pizza Antica and Cocina Poblana. With a glass of Raymond or Peter Paul wine in one
L ust, caution | CHINA/US 2007 158 MINS Thursday, October 4, 6:30 pm Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center invited Guests: ang Lee, james schamus, joan chen, tang Wei
6:30 PM FILM AND GALA $125 LUST04P 6:30 PM FILM ONLY $25 LUST04R
Director Ang Lee Producers Bill Kong, Ang Lee, James Schamus Screenwriters Wang Hui Ling, James Schamus Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto Editor Tim Squyres Cast Joan Chen, Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Wang Lee Hom Print Source Focus Features
Oscar®-winning director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain; The Ice Storm, MVFF 1997) proves once again that his filmmaking excels in any genre; this time he has chosen the erotic espionage thriller. Loyalties are spread thin in Shanghai during World War II, as political tension mounts between Chinese Nationalists and Japanese occupiers. For a young stage actress, Wong (Tang Wei in an explosive debut performance), this tension comes to a boil when she finds herself in a deadly game of espionage and sexual intrigue with Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), a powerful political figure and Japanese collaborator. Wong goes deep undercover to expose Yee, quickly earning the trust of his neglected wife (Joan Chen)—while becoming the man’s mistress. Based on a short story by acclaimed Chinese novelist Eileen Chang, Lust, Caution smolders on the screen, revealing layers of emotion and sexual desire in a thrilling tale that resonates deep within the human heart. —Josh Moore
Note: This film is rated NC-17 and contains explicit sexual content. No one under 18 admitted.
hand and something from Marin French Cheese Company or Judy’s Breadsticks in the other . . . or try some of the chocolate-covered fruit from “Take a Dip” Fondue Fountains and Edible Arrangements. Opening Night will please all your senses and set the mood for the next ten days!
openin G n i G ht G a L a
Thursday, October 4, 9:30 pm–12:00 am Lytton Plaza, Mill Valley
SEE BELOW FOR TICKET OPTIONS
the savaG es | US 2007 113 MINS Thursday, October 4, 6:45 pm and 7:00 pm CinéArts@Sequoia invited Guests: Laura Linney, tamara jenkins
6:45 PM FILM AND GALA $125 SAVA04P
6:45 PM FILM ONLY $25 SAVA04S
7:00 PM FILM AND GALA $125 SAV204P
7:00 PM FILM ONLY $25 SAV204S
Director/Screenwriter Tamara Jenkins Producers Ted Hope, Anne Carey Cinematographer Mott Hupfel Editor Brian A. Kates Cast Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco Print Source Fox Searchlight
Two exceptional actors navigate the bumpy terrain of shifting familial responsibility. Weighed down by family dysfunction and sibling rivalry, adult siblings Wendy Savage (Laura Linney, MVFF Spotlight 2004) and her brother, John (Philip Seymour Hoffman), become reluctant caretakers for a man neither has spoken to for years, when their estranged father is suddenly in need of long-term care. Options are limited, so John, a fortysomething unmarried professor with a paunch and a passion for Bertolt Brecht, checks their parent into a nursing home. Wendy, a neurotic aspiring playwright who’s also single but sleeping with her older married neighbor, is guilt-ridden over institutionalizing Dad—even if they are taking better care of him than he ever did of them. From The Slums of Beverly Hills to the nursing homes of Buffalo, director Tamara Jenkins’ films dwell in the hot spots of family dramedy, where irony lives side by side with misery. —Joanne Parsont
Centerpiece
centerpiece
Thursday, October 11, 6:30 pm
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
Reception to follow at Gaylord India Restaurant
CENTERPIECE AND R ECEPTION $35 MAN11P
CENTERPIECE ONLY $15 MAN11R
invited Guests tBa—check mvff.com
man in the chair | US 2006 109 MINS
Director/Screenwriter Michael Schroeder Producers Michael Schroeder, Randolf Turrow, Sarah Schroeder Cinematographer Dana Gonzales
Editor Terry Cafaro Cast Christopher Plummer, Michael Angarano, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Wagner, Joshua Boyd, Mimi Kennedy Print Source Outsider Pictures
The superb Christopher Plummer is Flash, a curmudgeon with a hankering for classic movies and booze. Cameron (Michael Angarano) is a volatile teen who commits grand theft auto just because the car is an exact replica from Christine. Their relationship is forged in the darkness of a movie theater and fueled by a mutual appreciation of rebellion and cinema. Cameron enters a student film contest, though he lacks the resources of his peers. Learning that Flash is a retired Hollywood gaffer—and the only surviving crew member from Citizen Kane—Cameron follows him to his home at the Motion Picture Residence for the Elderly, a colony of aging film folk set aside by the industry. A quirky fellowship develops, in which Flash and his friends help Cameron make his film, and, in doing so, change his life. Plummer is outstanding as the cantankerous cynic who becomes an ardent mentor.
As we pAss the midpoint of the Festival, our Centerpiece program rings in a second full weekend of films and parties. Our featured film for the evening is director Michael Schroeder’s Man in the Chair, featuring Christopher Plummer’s latest bigscreen performance. It’s another great role for Plummer, whose photo has recently been splashed across magazine and newspaper pages in celebration of a 2007 Tony Award nomination for his star turn in Broadway’s Inherit the Wind. Veteran of nearly 200 film and TV productions and a heralded master of Shakespearean theater, Plummer’s formidable presence, with his commanding voice, fierce intelligence and raconteur’s charm, makes every performance simmer, on both stage and screen. So it is with this brilliant portrayal of a character thankfully very far from his real life—a Hollywood retiree.
Please join us for the Centerpiece screening of Man in the Chair, with special guests in attendance, including director Michael Schroeder. After the program, join us at one of Sausalito’s finest, Gaylord India Restaurant, featuring wines from Mark West Winery. A taste of India on the Bay, Gaylord is consistently rated one of the top ten Indian restaurants in the United States.
MAN IN THE CHAIR
Closing Night
Join us as we say farewell to our 30th Festival at the Mill Valley Community Center. Feet First Eventertainment DJs will induce you to dance away the evening, while you enjoy delicious foods by From Soup to Nuts Catering, Cocina Poblana and sweet desserts from “Take a Dip” Fondue Fountains and Edible Arrangements. Our exclusive wines for the evening are from the award-winning Bonterra and Five Rivers Vineyards.
the K ite runner
Sunday, October 14, 5:00 pm
CinéArts@Sequoia
FILM AND PARTY $65 KITE14P
FILM ONLY $25 KITE14S
the Kite runner
Sunday, October 14, 5:15 pm
CinéArts@Sequoia
FILM AND PARTY $65 KIT214P
FILM ONLY $25 KIT214S
cLosin G n i G ht party
Sunday, October, 14, 7:30–10:30 pm
Mill Valley Community Center
PARTY ONLY $55 PARTY14
invited Guests: Khaled hosseini, david Benioff, marc forster US 2007 122 MINS
Director Marc Forster Producers William Horberg, Walter F. Parks, Rebecca Yeldman, E. Bennett Walsh Screenwriter David Benioff Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer Editor Matt Chesse Cast Shaun Toub, Khalid Abdalla, Nasser Memarzia, Said Taghmaoui Print Source Paramount Vantage Director Marc Forster’s (Finding Neverland, MVFF 2004) reverent envisioning of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel is that rare example of refined literary adaptation, which makes a beloved book transcendent on screen. Wonderfully well told, this heartrending story of friendship and redemption begins in Afghanistan in 1978, where two boys are inseparable, but unequal: Amir is the privileged son of a wealthy businessman, and Hassan is his loyal servant and a member of the disdained Hazara minority. Their social inequality and a brutal incident ultimately tarnish their joyful youth together, and when the Soviets invade in 1979, Amir and his father flee the country, completing the boys’ separation. As an adult, Amir finds the past resurfacing, along with long-buried feelings of shame and failure. But an unexpected opportunity to “be good again,” takes him on a perilous journey back to his war-torn homeland, where carefree children once finessed bright-colored kites across the snow-dusted rooftops of Kabul. —Joanne Parsont
Outdoor Art Club
t he o utdoor a rt Club is the P la C e to be durin G the Mill Valley Fil M Festi Val!
From October 5–14, join us at the Outdoor Art Club (OAC) at 1 West Blithedale in downtown Mill Valley, just across the street from the CinéArts@Sequoia theater.
Socialize and relax at the OAC before and after films. It’s the hub of Festival activity, with a café, live music, Festival merchandise and a California Film Institute (CFI) table, where you can get information about and join CFI.
Per F or M an C e and e V ent s C hedule
f riday, o cto B er 5
6:00–7:30 pm | Austin Willacy
8:00–9:30 pm | Clockwork
9:00–11:00 pm | Tribute to Ang Lee Reception; See page 43.
s aturday, o cto B er 6
1:00–3:00 pm | Children’s FilmFest Opening Party; See page 30.
6:00–7:00 pm | Neil O’Neil
7:30–9:00 pm | Michelle Conte
s unday, o cto B er 7
12:00 pm–1:30 pm | The Richter Scales
5:00 pm | How to Cook Your Life party; See page 93.
7:00–9:00 pm | Todd Boston
m onday, o cto B er 8
6:00–8:00 pm | Amy Wigton 9:00 pm | Riding Solo to the Top of the World benefit with Sukhawat Ali Khan; See page 104.
t he Mill Valley Fil M Festi Val and the Marin sy MP hony Present
Operated by Bogie’s Café, the Festival café serves drinks and delicious food such as made-to-order sandwiches, a daily pasta special, hot entrees, soups, salads and assorted munchies.
Live music by talented Bay Area musicians will be featured throughout the Festival. The performance schedule is listed below. Happy hour is from 5:00 to 6:00 pm daily, with free wine.
Please note: The café will be closed on October 14.
t uesday, o cto B er 9
6:00–8:00 pm | Anna Corona and Shakina
Wednesday, o cto B er 10
6:00–8:00 pm | Amira Diamond
t hursday, o cto B er 11
6:00–8:00 pm | Megan Slankard
f riday, o cto B er 12
6:00–7:30 pm | Judge & Lauren Murphy
8:00–9:30 pm | Evan and Vir
Battleship Potemkin
alasdair neale, conductor
Sunday, October 7, 7:30 pm
Tuesday, October 9, 7:30 pm
Pre-Concert Conversation 6:30 pm Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium Marin Civic Center, San Rafael
Prices range from $27–$65 (students half price)
Tickets for this event are available only through the Marin Symphony box office. Please call 415.499.6800 or go to www.marinsymphony.org.
s aturday, o cto B er 13
6:00–7:00 pm | Leon Bristow 9:00–11:00 pm | Spotlight on Jennifer Jason Leigh Reception; See page 57.
s unday, o cto B er 14 11:00 am–12:30 pm | Flying Without Instruments
In partnership with the Marin Symphony, the Mill Valley Film Festival presents Sergei M. Eisenstein’s 1925 black-and-white silent film classic, with a live orchestral score by legendary composer Dmitri Shostakovich from the 1976 restoration of the film. Conducted by Alasdair Neale, the concert is preceded by a half-hour conversation with the audience, during which Maestro Neale will also discuss the musicological and historical significance of the Shostakovich score, and the unique challenges of conducting live music for film. This event is a rare opportunity you won’t want to miss!
For a complete film description, see page 85.
142 Throckmorton Theatre
A vibrant center for the arts and long-time friend of the Mill Valley Film Festival, 142 Throckmorton Theatre is the premier venue for unique Festival screenings of works produced on video, including exciting new documentaries and the groundbreaking V(ision)Fest.
This year’s live entertainment includes two exciting and unique music events and the popular Tuesday Night Comedy Show.
The Mill Valley Fil M FesTi Val PresenTs dy L an ( i nterpreted)
Sunday, October 7, 9:00 pm
$65 MUSC07T
In celebration of the fascinating new Todd Haynes film I’m Not There (see page 94), an eclectic lineup of stellar musicians, including special guests from the film’s soon-to-be-released soundtrack, will gather to perform classic Bob Dylan songs. The evening will feature Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, John Doe, Bob Weir, Rob Wasserman, Jay Lane, Dan Hicks, and Mostly Dylan as house band, with music director Tom Corwin. Produced by Steep Productions, Inc. (Clare Wasserman and Stephanie Clarke).
••• s ponsored by l arry Goldfarb & lrG Capital Group, ll C
i n a sso C iaTion wiTh The Mill Valley Fil M FesTi Val, 142 Thro C k M orTon TheaTre PresenTs t uesday n i G ht c omedy W ith m ar K p itta and f riends
Tuesday, October 9, 8:00 pm
$15 COME09T
Add a few good laughs to your life! Join us for Tuesday Night Comedy with Mark Pitta and friends. Pitta hosts an evening for established headliners as well as up-and-coming comics to work on new material. You may see an improv group, a comedy video or several live comics, or a scene from a play in progress. For more information, visit www.142ThrockmortonTheatre.com.
The Mill Valley Fil M FesTi Val and n ew waV e CiT y PresenT
p ear L h ar B o u r: c e L e B ratin G j oe s trummer
Friday, October 12, 9:00 pm
$25 MUSC12T
In celebration of Julien Temple’s documentary about The Clash rock legend, Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (see page 95), new wave innovator and Bay Area favorite Pearl Harbour has put together a band for a rare performance. A good friend of Strummer’s (and former wife of Clash bassist Paul Simonon), Harbour formed Pearl Harbour and the Explosions in 1978 in San Francisco, and the band toured with The Clash, The Talking Heads and Elvis Costello. Following the performance, dance to guest DJs Skip and Shindog, from San Francisco’s First and Foremost 80s Dance Party, New Wave City. They’ll spin classic Clash, Strummer and, in honor of Anton Corbijn’s new film Control (see page 88), Joy Division and New Order.
For more information visit www.newwavecity.com.
I’M NOT THERE
MARK PITTA
New Movies Lab
c onsu Ltin G s essions W ith r o B ert h aWK
Saturday, October 6, 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Sunday, October 7, 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Outdoor Art Club, Hospitality Suite F REE Half-hour sessions
Sign-up required, on a first come, first served basis. Sign-ups begin at 11:00 am for that day’s sessions.
Independent film consultant and producer Robert Hawk will be in residence at MVFF both mornings of the first weekend of the Festival, to conduct informal one-on-one and small-group consultations about independent filmmaking. Don’t miss this rare opportunity. Hawk is an incredible resource, a longtime advisor to filmmakers such as Kevin Smith, Ed Burns, David Siegel and Scott McGehee, and to festivals like Sundance, Berlin and LAIFF.
Bring questions about your script, the creative development of your project or the nuts and bolts of launching your film into the world of festivals and distribution, and discuss them with one of the independent film world’s most respected consultants.
robert hawk | Twenty-five-year veteran of the indie film scene and a longtime advisor to filmmakers and film festivals, Hawk had his own business, ICI (Independent Consultation for Independents) for nearly 15 years. He served on the advisory selection committee of the Sundance Film Festival for its entire existence (1987–1998) and is currently on the advisory board of the IFP Market in New York. His producer credits include: Ballets Russes, Trick, The Slaughter Rule (MVFF 2002), Chasing Amy cinemasports
Saturday, October 6, Intro Meeting 9:00 am Old Mill Park, Mill Valley F REE
Saturday, October 6, Screening 8:30 pm 142 Throckmorton Theatre
$10 CIN E06T
An energetic fusion of imagination, collaboration and tournament, Cinemasports is a race against the clock to make a film in a day—and anyone can participate. Crews just need to arrive at 9:00 am self-equipped and ready to shoot and edit their own cinematic masterpieces by the same-day deadline. Everyone gets the same list of three mandatory “ingredients” for their films and must return with a completed short film (3.5 minutes running time or less) by 7:00 pm that evening. Instant gratification comes one hour later at a public screening of entries submitted by the deadline. There we get to witness the multifarious ways in which the exact same ingredients have been cooked up into entirely different movies. For the third year in a row the Mill Valley Film Festival and Cinemasports are pleased to co-present this fun and exciting opportunity for filmmakers and film enthusiasts alike. Come be a filmmaker for a day, or just attend the screening to behold the unique, miraculous and often hilarious results! For entry guidelines and how to sign up, visit www.cinemasports.com.
the future is noW: ne W trends in the specia Lty fi L m mar K et Saturday, October 6, 11:00 am–1:00 pm Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
$15 SEM06R
Is this a golden age for independent filmmaking, or is the new generation of filmmakers simply experiencing their Warholian 15 minutes of fame via YouTube? Hear what experts have to say about current and future opportunities for independent film. From documentaries to star-powered productions, independent films are a gamble for distributors and theater owners. At the same time, independent-film distributors are creating specialty subdivisions focusing on films with limited theater runs that serve primarily ancillary markets, both traditional (like cable television) and developing (like the Internet).
The panel will discuss new paradigms for distribution, the complexities of intellectual property, domestic and international markets and marketing opportunities, and the hope for the increasing empowerment of independents in the digital future.
I NVITED GUESTS
howard cohen | co-president, Roadside Attractions (Super Size Me, What the Bleep Do We Know!?, Ladies in Lavender) eric d’arbeloff | co-president, Roadside Attractions Kirk honeycutt | film critic, The Hollywood Reporter
david straus | CEO and co-founder, Withoutabox richard j. idell | entertainment attorney, Idell and Seitel, LLP
r evo L utions! @ 24 f rames p er s econd
Sunday, October 7, 12:30–2:30 pm Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center $15 SEM07R
While researching her latest film, Women Art Revolution, Lynn Hershman Leeson uncovered some shocking stories among four decades of interviews with women artists whose work has been variously lauded, applauded—and ignored. Film, art and revolution are on the table for this panel of incredible women, whose work as artists and filmmakers, activists and teachers has been recognized internationally. Addressing their experiences, from human rights activism to the infamous Guerrilla Girls and beyond, this panel explores the revolutionary act of being a woman artist. (By the way, can you name the three women Academy Award–nominated directors?)
I NVITED GUESTS
ericka huggins | leading member of the Black Panther Party; human rights activist; faculty member, women’s studies department, CSU East Bay Kathe Kollwitz | founding member, Guerrilla Girls Lynn hershman Leeson | writer-director, Strange Culture, Teknolust
Kyle stephan | producer Women Art Revolution; film programmer, British Film Institute
f i L mma K in G ’s n ext d imension: a n i nsider’s Loo K
Saturday, October 13, 2:00–4:00 pm
George Lucas Theater at Kerner Optical 90 Windward Way, San Rafael
$15 SEM13G
If you love to watch gigantic fiery explosions, humongous buildings crumbling to dust and creatures crashing through bucolic neighborhoods, this presentation is for you. Kerner Optical (recently spun off from Industrial Light and Magic), has been creating real-world special effects for more than 30 years as ILM’s physical effects department.
Onsite in the George Lucas Theater, a panel of award-winning experts from Kerner and elsewhere will share their expertise and will show film clips from some of the most popular films of all time as a visual explanation of the process involved in creating Real World FX. And talk about effects . . . the audience will get a sneak preview of Kerner’s new 3-D stereoscopic display units, the latest in FX dimensions.
I NVITED GUESTS
marty rosenberg | VFX director of photography (Pirates of the Caribbean, Poseidon, War of the Worlds, Star Wars episodes I, II and III) phil tippett | animation supervisor (Starship Troopers, Robocop, Dragonslayer, Star Wars) doug Griffin | motion capture supervisor (Star Wars episodes I and III, Signs, The Mummy) George murphy | VFX supervisor (King Kong, Matrix Reloaded, Planet of the Apes, Mission Impossible, Forrest Gump)
Brad nelson | 3D technical inventor
MODERATOR
richard hart, Next Step 2.0
Sponsored by WIRED magazine
please note: the lineup of panelists may change. We cannot guarantee that those listed will be the final guests. updates will be listed at the festival ticket outlets, or check our Web site at mvff.com.
Children’s FilmFest
the mill valley Film Festival is proud to present the 13th annual Children’s FilmFest
So many children’s films from around the world never appear on American screens. Our eight feature films and two abundant shorts programs prove that Pixar isn’t the only studio in town with savvy rodents, sprightly sea life and chatty fowl. Our Opening film, a jazzy animation from Denmark called The Ugly Duckling and Me (a British print in English), proves that show biz isn’t the best route to self-esteem, even when your agent is an aggressive but lovable rat. Another rat—this one named Halvorsen—is far kinder but just as amazing in the live-action film Svein and His Rat Canadian Indians fall in with a precocious Orca whale in Luna: Spirit of the Whale, a story that includes the rehabilitation of a very angry young boy. Puppet animation makes a comeback that will stun you in the Danish production The Three Musketeers. From Belgium and Korea, Gilles and Ice Bar each follow gutsy young boys who risk all for the memory of their dads. And a prescient young girl helps a troupe of misfits become heroes in the Israeli film Little Heroes Our classic film this year takes us back to the last years of the Depression, following a pack of homeless kids hopping trains in William Wellman’s Wild Boys of the Road. Catering to children ages eight and under, our two short-film programs are filled with animation, live action and a wondrously beautiful fairy tale from Tomi Ungerer called Moonman
ABOUT SUBTITLES
To enhance our very young viewer’s appreciation of foreign language films in the Children’s FilmFest, we provide a unique service of having actors read the subtitles aloud, which we play through individual headphones, so that those who do not require the service have an equally pleasurable film experience. We are one of the few children’s festivals to do this. We have a limited number of headsets, however, so we offer them on a first-come, first-served basis. In a very few situations we also have subtitles read aloud through the theater sound system. To avoid confusion and disappointment please check the film listings for individual program subtitle information; the headset logo indicates subtitled screenings.
AGE R ECOMMENDATIONS
Please bear in mind that the age range following each children’s film program description is a suggestion only. It may only refer to a program’s length or subject matter, while it cannot adequately address everyone’s sense of appropriate or inappropriate content. Each child is different and each parent has different standards.
the u gly d u CK ling and m e
Saturday, October 6, 11:00 am
Cinéarts@Sequoia
Saturday, October 6, 1:00 pm
Opening Party at the Outdoor Art Club
Film and Party $15 Adults, $12 Children UGLy06P Film Only $12 Adults, $10 Children UGLy06S Party Only $5 Adults, $4 Children PARTy06
Following the premiere of The Ugly Duckling and Me (page 107), join us at the Outdoor Art Club where our party for kids will have scrumptious finger food and lots of entertainment, including the fabulous Bubble Lady.
K a Z oo pa R ade
Sunday, October 14, 3:30 pm
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
After our short films program Bunnies and Butterflies (page 86) for ages eight and under, join us in a kazoo parade around the block and then to Double Rainbow for free ice cream. We provide the kazoos and whistles. Dress up, be bold, and get ready to blow. We’ll be led by our favorite musical duo, Orange Sherbet.
Child R en’ S FilmFe S t
pR og R am S
bunnies and butterflies (shorts) gilles ice bar
little heroes
luna: Spirit of the Whale outer and inner Spaces (shorts)
Svein and his Rat the three musketeers
the ugly duckling and me Wild b oys of the Road
the t h R ee m u SK etee RS
Sunday, October 14, 10:00 am
Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
Closing Event at the Marin youth Center
Film and Event $12 Adults, $10 Children THRE14R
Join us after the film for a concert by the kid band Crunchy Frog at the Marin youth Center (the MyC).
opening F ilm and F e S tivitie S
C
and F e S tivitie S
Youth Workshops
S CR ipt to S CR een g oe S gR een
Saturday, october 13 and Sunday, october 14
10:00 am–6:00 pm (attendance required both days)
Intel Computer Clubhouse at the Marin youth Center (the MyC) 1115 Third St., San Rafael $220 for either workshop, both days, including lunch Limited enrollment. Ages 11–19.
“Green” is the theme for these two youth video workshops, DVTEK1 for newcomers and DVTEK2 for those with some experience. Come produce digital video messages to change the way we think, act and consume in the world.
DVTEK1: $220 WORK01
DVTEK2: $220 WORK02
Please select just one workshop.
DV: TEK1
Learn how to create professional videos and post them on the Internet. From storyboard to postproduction, shoot with professional equipment and green screens, mix sound and create titles.
DV: TEK2
you’ve done some editing and made some videos but want to take it to the next level. This is the place to learn how to sharpen your storyboard skills, boost your audio and create special effects, working with professionals to produce a video for inclusion on FyI-Marin, Marin’s public access youth video show. For more information, visit www.digiquest.org.
Youth Focus
In addition to our Children’s FilmFest and the youth Reel, The iGeneration Download (see below), the Festival includes many other films that feature young people. See the list below as a reference to these films. Note: Please check the film descriptions and use your own judgment as to whether a film is appropriate for a young person. Our recommendations are not a substitute for a well-informed adult decision.
youth Fo C u S pR og R am S
autism: the musical b ee-ing me
butterfly
Chicago 10
Colors of memory Control
Crossing the dust
youth Reel
The young Critics Jury has evolved into a rich program since its inception six years ago. The popular three-day crash course held each July includes everything about film we can cram in, through lectures, round-table talks and hands-on work. young critics depart the course significantly better prepared to understand the world through this medium.
This summer’s film industry guests included everyone from the screenwriting team of Finn Taylor and Jeff Brown to veteran stuntwoman Jean Malahni. Sound editor Vivien Hilgrove and foley artist Dennie Thorpe (whose collective credits read like a volume of contemporary film history) paired up to talk about the importance of sound in film. Bob Cilman discussed being the subject of a documentary (the upcoming BBC production Young@Heart), and Jeffrey Weissman talked about being a film actor. Mike Terpstra came to talk about his work with special-effects company The Orphanage, and Academy Award–nominee and documentary filmmaker Connie Field showed clips from her latest work, while Craig Baldwin’s daring presentation from his Other Cinema delved into experimental film. On the other side of the camera, film critic Michael Fox spoke about film
doubletime the Kite Runner Kiviuq
Kobra’s decision
london to brighton Red Robin uranya
aesthetics, and pianist Bruce Loeb showed how to score a silent film, accompanying Charlie Chaplin’s Shoulder Arms
The following week, six jury members and one alternate were chosen from the larger group to peer jury hundreds of youthproduced work that eventually became our Festival youth Reel. It’s a daunting task to create a 90-minute reel from a hundred hours of film. This year’s reel, called The iGeneration Download, comprises 20 films from the US, Mexico and Germany. Jury members were Mira Levy, Charlotte Townsend, Hannah Norby, Cody Harris, Zoe Kaufman, Evan Greenwald and Harley Fisher.
At the iGeneration Download screening, on Saturday October 13 at 11:00 am, the youth filmmakers will be presented with a copy of Final Draft, the premier screenwriting software for professionals.
CFI Education will begin taking applications for its 2008 young Critics Jury course in April. For information, email John Morrison, director of CFI Education, at jmorrison@cafilm.org, or go to the CFI website, www.cafilm.org.
California Film Institute Education
Bui L din G the n ext Generation of f i L mma K ers and audiences
Film engages and inspires like no other medium. For two decades the Mill Valley Film Festival and CFI Education have pioneered creative film programs for Bay Area young people, providing year-round screenings, interactive sessions with film professionals and hands-on activities to introduce students to the power of film as a vibrant tool of communication.
We’re n ot j ust at the f estiva L
In addition to our activities at the Festival, CFI Education presents programs at the beautiful Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center in Marin, the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley and other Bay Area theaters. We also come directly to schools with our interdisciplinary, intercultural film-study programs that are designed to supplement the fields of literature, history, science and social studies. To add depth to the viewing experience we’ve created study guides, which are geared to conform to California educational standards.
h ere are some of our current programs:
i n- s choo L f i L mma K er p ro G ram d urin G
the m i LL va LL ey f i L m f estiva L
Each year three interns will work with the CFI Education director to bring filmmakers and their films from the Mill Valley Film Festival into Bay Area schools. In mid-August we sign up schools and teachers, and in September match up filmmakers with schools for an exciting classroom exchange between students and filmmakers.
s e L ected s creenin G s for s choo L s
Throughout the year we provide schools with free monthly screenings of important films. In addition, every year we select six to eight feature films from the more than two hundred films in the Festival and screen them for schools for free during Festival time. Most of these screenings occur during the school day at the Smith Rafael Film Center; others are held at theaters in the East Bay and San Francisco. After each screening, questionand-answer sessions with filmmakers challenge students to think their way through the films and to consider what goes on both behind and in front of the camera.
youn G c ritics j ury
Held every July, the Young Critics Jury is a three-day intensive workshop for youths aged 13–18 to learn media literacy skills directly from filmmakers and film historians. Directors, screenwriters, location scouts, actors, animators, critics, documentary filmmakers, cinematographers and others make this event an exceptional educational experience. Six students are chosen from the workshop to spend the following week as jury and curators of the Mill Valley Film Festival Youth Reel. Applications for this program are available on our Web site.
a pL ace i n the Wor L d
This six-film curriculum is a school-year-long study of youth from youth’s point of view. Teachers enroll groups of students who commit to viewing and examining the content of a selection of international films focusing on defining moments in young people’s lives. The films explore topics such as school, death, war, sexuality, religion, racism and family, and they are supplemented by speakers, study guides and other tools that explain the films and amplify their themes. Now in its third year, this program has received rave reviews from teachers and students alike.
m y pL ace
Our new My Place program combines hands-on filmmaking with storytelling skills. Local directors, location scouts and the Center for Digital Storytelling in Berkeley help students learn to see where they live through different eyes—like a director. In our initial program in April of this year, eight youths from Marin City and the Canal district of San Rafael each made a film about their places in their communities. In August we worked in the Mission and Hunter’s Point in San Francisco.
Part of My Place’s function is to help deepen alliances among the various community and social services that come together to assist us in locating student participants. The My Place program is generously funded by the Marin Community Foundation, Miranda Lux Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation.
t eachin G m edia Literacy in the cL assroom
Another new project involves teacher workshops on using film in the classroom, using innovative techniques to widen the uses teachers can make of the film medium. We launched the workshops in March and our first session included 49 English teachers from the Tamalpais School District.
Other programs underway include media literacy workshops and screenings and a summer 2008 young critics program, all directed to students in grades 2–5.
CFI Education serves more than 4,000 students every year. Join us, and help us grow!
A noncompetitive festival, the Mill Valley Film Festival’s objective has always been to celebrate and honor great work in film. For its 30th anniversary, the time seemed ripe to instigate a Festival award: a work of art that would embody the intentions and spirit of the Festival and those whose work it honors. And in Mill Valley artist and ceramicist Alice Corning’s work, the Festival has found the exemplary piece of art it was looking for, to represent its highest regard for the art of film.
Corning originally began her creative life as a poet and writer, but then she discovered clay. She describes its attractions as “tactile and visual . . . I liked the concreteness of it, the fact that you created something and it was there to look at and look at again. It had a connection to the past, to man’s earliest culture. Clay [made] the first art forms that human beings achieved.” As she mentions too its ready availability, the universality of creativity comes to mind: “[What] I like about clay is that it’s a very humble material. It’s really everywhere in the world; it’s nothing until it’s worked by man.”
From her earlier work making bowls, Corning began incorporating more figurative elements, inspired by pre-Columbian forms, which she felt imbued a feeling of ritual and ceremony. Now that one of her pieces is to become an award, she says, “The ritual and ceremony of the tributes . . . I think that’s pretty interesting, that these things are coming together.”
Corning says she made the transition from clay to bronze as she became increasingly aware of the fragility of clay, particularly after the earthquake of 1989. At the same time, she realized that she glazed her clay pieces in very bronze-looking colors, “So it was a short jump to do some of the pieces in bronze, and the figures were especially suited to that.”
For the Mill Valley Film Festival, the evolution of Corning’s work has resulted in the beautiful bronze statue to be given to the recipients of MVFF’s Tributes and Spotlights. Corning noted that “each one will be a little different—it’s not just a mass produced thing,” and says of her piece, “The purpose is to show the power and dignity of a human being.” Thus it is with great work in film.
The MVFF Award will be presented to the recipients of Tributes and Spotlights, our special programs honoring and celebrating the work of distinguished artists and innovators in the filmmaking community. Our Tributes recognize a career and legacy of work, while our Spotlights highlight the exceptional talents of a film artist as exemplified by a current project.
PHOTO: JAkub MOSur
PHOTO: JAkub MOSur
Tribute to Ang Lee
tribute to ang lee
Friday, October 5, 7:00 pm Christopher b. Smith rafael Film Center reception to follow at the Outdoor Art Club Tr I buTe AN d r eCe PTION $60 Tr I b05P
Cautionary tales
My 15 Minutes With ang lee
By Zoë Elton
The Tribute program to Ang lee begins with a selection of film clips, followed by an onstage interview conducted by Festival programming director Zoë elton, and the presentation of the MVFF Award.* After the program, the evening will continue with a dinner reception in the director’s honor at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley, with authentic Italian cuisine from popular Mill Valley restaurant Piazza d’Angelo, and fine wines from Sonoma County’s Verité Winery.
s ponsored by Christopher b. and Jeannie Meg smith
*See page 41 for more information about the Mill Valley Film Festival Award.
It’s September, four days since Ang lee won his second Golden lion at the Venice Film Festival—his first was for the muchawarded Brokeback Mountain in 2005— and I have 15 minutes of his time on a day full of interviews for him. The award for Lust, Caution (page 98), his erotic thriller based on eileen Chang’s story set in World War II Shanghai, comes as a relief. “It does one good thing,” he says: “I don’t have to explain to people that this is not a porno film. It’s a drama!”
I am a little stunned. When I saw the film several weeks ago, the very explicit sex in it didn’t make me think it was porn; it made me curious about what lee was exploring— eroticism, sex and power, profound intimacy coming unexpectedly out of a secret liaison. Over the years of watching his work, I trust lee implicitly as a director and filmmaker, and trust his thoughtfulness and his sense of responsibility. lee’s films generally reveal and explore his characters’ stories and their themes with an incredible compassion for the universality of the
human experience. So, not only do I trust lee, but I feel that I can give myself over to the experience of his films: I know I am in good hands, and I know I am in good company.
The intense sexual content in the film has generated lots of comment—plus an NC-17 rating in the u S and a half hour excised for viewing in China. before the award helped legitimize it, interviewers grilled lee about his intentions, and he found himself having to explain a lot and steer the conversation toward art. “It takes a lot of effort, so [the Golden lion Award] shortened a lot of the conversation in interviews . . . and saved me a lot of energy!”
Although there is levity in his voice, lee emphasizes the work it takes to execute, in an art film, scenes of incredible intimacy.
“To me,” he says, “It’s the ultimate acting job, the ultimate performance. So to go through that actual act of filming, and carry such intense motivation—acting skills and technical aspect—it’s quite exhausting.” The preparation for his actors—in this instance, Tony leung and newcomer Tang Wei— involved “a long education and research period. Information, films and then just the
Lust, Caution
way [the characters] are: walk, talk, use of words, nuances. It doesn’t come easy. It takes a long time.”
There is a scene in which leung drops Tang off at her house. It is before they become lovers and the intensity between the two is palpable, spoken in look and gesture and double entendre; it’s languid and provocative, beautifully photographed and underscored by Alexandre desplat’s excellent music. I wondered whether this had been shot early in the process, when the two actors were still relatively new to working together. lee said it was the second scene they shot, both for logistical reasons and for the dramatic setup of the relationship and chemistry of the two. Also, “It has a very sexy and adventurous fashion—and also hunter and prey from both sides.” Indeed, that sense of hunter and prey creates a gripping dynamic, a clandestine undertone known to the audience and only suspected by characters who are about to surrender all.
Lust, Caution is gorgeous—the color, the feel, the sound, the use of soundtrack. As an audience, you intuit a deep sense of the contrasts between what’s happening externally and what’s happening internally. There are, lee notes, two parts to the film.
The first part is in Hong kong, then a british colony. “It’s very colorful and also part of the story is about innocence, youth and naiveté, so we used a lot of color that represents [that]. We used that purplish red flower a lot.” He went for “the natural color of the old Hong kong, which you don’t see that any more—I’m happy to retrieve it.” The second half of the film “is more film noir, [we] used color [that was] more repressed.” About the noir influence, lee continues, “you want to inherit that spirit, but you don’t want to copy it, because it becomes so overused. So you find other ways and means to treat shadow and depth of focus, I think, to give the mystery of feeling.” but there are, as lee notes, “lots and lots . . . hundreds of elements: the lighting, the art department at work.” It’s lee’s mastery of these myriad elements that creates such incredible work.
lee’s last two films—Lust, Caution and Brokeback Mountain—are based not on novels, but short stories, yet they are very full stories. As a form, the short story usually has a succinct focus: an epiphany, a central revelation, something very specific. About these two films, lee says, “A couple of things [are] most important for me. b oth short stories are about the same length,” laughing as he continues, “by very brave
gusty women writers [eileen Chang and Annie Proulx]. And they come from a very taboo angle. Brokeback, for obvious reasons. They’re both very scary for me. Portraying an American gay cowboy, that gay element in the wild, wild west.” He laughs again. “It takes a woman to put it over. And the other is women’s sexuality, which I have never read [about] in Chinese literature. From that sort of angle . . . to examine something we all grew up with in Asia, the patriotism—she put that in the backdrop of the Sino-Japanese war. . . . It’s a very macho resistance in the patriarchal society. So that is very frightening—sex and war against China. like: How dare you. It’s very frightening.”
lee then offers an insight into the experience of directing, and into his personal connection with the work that has made him one of the great filmmakers of his time: “I very much identify with the main character, even though she’s a girl, but in terms of acting: Through pretending and playing a different part, you forget about the consequence and become braver . . . somehow [you] touch the true nature of [the] you that is trying to hide, [that you’re] not aware of, so that I very much identify with. I wouldn’t dare to challenge patriotism, or the macho pure gay nature of
BrokEBaCk Mountain
the west. [but to] tell a story . . . gets me excited; I tend to forget, and I’m empowered. So I feel very much like the central character.”
lee’s point underscores the reason that stories are so important, whether they’re in books or onscreen: they can lead us to an understanding of truth. He emphatically agrees that this is what motivates his work: “yes! That’s why I make movies; that’s why people go to the movie theater in the dark space, and look into and react to something on the silver screen. [It may be] an image, a fantasy that’s totally fake and artificial, but [it] might be the truth.”
A screenwriter on his earlier projects, lee now mostly directs. He frequently works with the same writers—in the case of Lust, Caution, longtime collaborators Hui-ling Wang and James Schamus—and he has a lot of input into the way his projects are developed, working and creating together with the screenwriters, and, when it’s in Chinese, finalizing the script. Occasionally, he has to write something while the film is in production. but, he says, “I don’t call myself writer; I see myself as director.”
lee’s collaboration with James Schamus is one of those great filmmaking partnerships. It
began with lee’s first feature. “[I] got money in Taiwan to make Pushing Hands (MVFF 1992), and came back to New york, [as] it was written to be shot here. So, through some mutual friends . . . I got to meet Ted Hope, [Schamus’] partner in Good Machine. right then, they [worked at] two tables in the back of another company.
“I pitched them the story in broken english. They told me they were the kings of nobudget filmmaking. They [said] listen: no budget, not low budget. So we hit it off, and I was just praying the whole time that they weren’t crooks! I had no idea. . . . Talk about fate!”
From that fateful moment an incredibly successful long-term creative partnership was born. One of the things notable about lee and Schamus as a duo is the diversity of the work they’ve produced together. The choices they make come about in different ways. lee says, “every project is different— [James] does development, too, for his company. The first four movies were just something I wanted to do. The first three (Pushing Hands, the Wedding Banquet, Eat Drink Man Woman), sometimes I [wrote], sometimes I [developed]. The fourth movie, s ense and s ensibility, was pitched to
me. I didn’t know anyone in england, I was very afraid, so I dragged him along.” lee laughs as he remembers their foray to england together: “He started out being my entourage then ended up producer of the movie—[meanwhile] learning how to really produce.”
by the time they made s ense and s ensibility, their work together had developed considerably. “you know, we sort of grow together, and the ice storm (MVFF 1997) is just something that he introduced to read, as reading, for pleasure, then I [said] I want to make this into a movie.” From ice storm’s look into early ’70s American suburbia, they hopped to the Civil War: “ride With the Devil (MVFF 1999) was something [James] developed, he brought to my attention as movie.” The next one was lee’s choice: “Crouching tiger was something I wanted to do. It goes both ways. This one is something I wanted to do. And I always ask his opinion. If he says, ah, that’s rubbish, then that’s discouraging to me, but if he says great, that’s a plus to me. Brokeback . . . it was something he wanted to produce in the past and couldn’t get it off the ground. [The script was already] written, [it was] a set-to-go project, and . . . he green lit it.”
As our 15 minutes come to an end, I ask lee about the clip program we will be putting together for his Tribute at MVFF: does he have requests, does he want to sign off on our choices beforehand? He thinks a little, and says, “No, I trust you.” Ah, that makes two of us.
Zoë Elton is director of programming for MVFF, and an artist, writer and theater director.
s ele Cted Fil M ography Lust, Caution (2007) Brokeback Mountain (2005) Hulk (2003)
Crouching tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) ride with the Devil (1999) the ice storm (1997) s ense and s ensibility (1995) Eat Drink Man Woman (1994) the Wedding Banquet (1993) Pushing Hands (1992)
Spotlight on Terry George
By Michael Fox
Irish writer-director Terry George has a singular gift for weaving moral dilemmas into intensely emotional sagas. More than most contemporary screenwriters and directors, George’s themes are rooted in the real-world circumstances that defined his childhood. Growing up in belfast in the ’50s and ’60s, he learned the importance of personal responsibility as well as the consequences of violence. When he began writing screenplays, it was only natural that his focus
was “the troubles.” The trio of films he made with Jim Sheridan, in the name of the Father (which garnered the co-writers an Academy Award® nomination), s ome Mother’s s on (marking George’s directing debut; MVFF 1996) and the Boxer, rank among the most memorable movies of the ’90s.
The Irish trilogy established George as a master of shaping real-life drama to the contours of a movie screen—or, more accurately, he pulled and stretched the screen to accommodate the complicated, unwieldy nuances of true stories. With the acutely shattering Hotel rwanda , George deftly moved beyond the borders of his native land, earning a second Oscar nod for his screenplay, which movingly contrasted one man’s courage with international indifference. but Hotel rwanda was not as great a stretch as one might imagine, he told an interviewer: “I had a particular knowledge of sectarian division and how that’s manipulated, the fear that’s injected into ordinary people from the threat of the ‘other side.’ It’s a millionfold the story of Northern Ireland, but the root of it is still the same: divide and conquer, create a sense of fear that the other person is going to rob you of your property and possibly your life.” The director takes another leap with reservation road, his first film set in this country. It is also a departure from his earlier
work in that it is adapted from a novel, by John burnham Schwartz. but the film is in the same vein as George’s previous dramas, continuing his obsession with individuals who stubbornly refuse to accept societal, institutional or governmental injustice. Terry George’s movies always have a hero, though he or she is assuredly not a superhero. His protagonists are simply ordinary people who are compelled beyond all logic and reasonableness to do the right thing.
George segues from history to fiction with reservation road, and one expects (and we hope) he will move between the two in the future. While the lure of true stories is irresistible for most filmmakers, George brings them to the screen with an integrity and seriousness of purpose that is precious and rare. It is a responsibility that he embraces wholeheartedly. “It’s like the distillation of wine into brandy, almost; you take the facts and you compress them together to give an emotional experience, a flavor and a taste of what went on, for an audience. That, for me, becomes the challenge. I do feel a big obligation to history because, for better or worse, feature film has become the main source of in-depth information about big events.”
Michael Fox is a critic and journalist, and curator and host of the Friday night CinemaLit film series at the Mechanics’ institute in san Francisco.
s ele Cted Fil M ography
Writer-director: reservation road (2007) Hotel rwanda (2004) a Bright shining Lie (TV) (1998) s ome Mother’s s on (1996)
Writer: Hart’s War (2002) the Boxer (1997) in the name of the Father (1993)
i n the n a M e o F Justi C e
HotEL rWan Da
soME MotHE r’s son
spotlight on terry george Wednesday October 10, 7:00 pm Christopher b. Smith rafael Film Center reception to follow at Frantoio ristorante
SPOTlIGHT AN d r eCe PTION $75 SPOT10P
SPOTlIGHT ON ly $25 SPOT10r
reservation road | u S 2007 102 MINS
Director Terry George Producers Nick Wechsler, A. kitman Ho Screenwriters John burnham Schwartz, Terry George Cinematographer John lindley Editor Naomi Geraghty Cast Joaquin Phoenix, Mark ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino, elle Fanning Print Source Focus Features
invited guests: Mark ruffalo, Mira sorvino
A car accident is a tragic occurrence, but an accident nonetheless. A hit-and-run is another matter entirely: The accident is just the beginning, the ending shaped by a human response with immeasurable consequences. In this powerful film version of John burnham Schwartz’s heartrending novel by director Terry George (Hotel rwanda; s ome Mother’s s on, MVFF 1996), two fathers end up on their own collision course after a dark night on a winding Connecticut road. desperately seeking justice and retribution, ethan (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes obsessed with near-vigilante efforts to solve a case the police can’t, while divorced dad dwight (Mark ruffalo) struggles to do the right thing and still sustain a relationship with his son. The stellar cast (including Jennifer Connelly as ethan’s wife and Mira Sorvino as dwight’s ex) delivers phenomenal performances, as grief and rage clash with guilt and fear, in a dramatic battle of wills and combustible reactions. —Joanne Parsont
The evening’s Spotlight program features an onstage conversation between Terry George and Festival director Mark Fishkin, a screening of reservation road and the presentation of the MVFF Award.* Following the program, we return to one of our favorite party venues, Frantoio ristorante in Mill Valley, for a lovely dinner complemented by wines from silver oak and twomey Cellars.
s ponsored by
*See page 41 for more information about the Mill Valley Film Festival Award.
r EsE rVation roaD
Spotlight on Jennifer Jason Leigh
a bsolute authenti C ity
By kristine kolton
Without realizing it, you may be standing next to Jennifer Jason leigh in line at the coffee shop. Why would she elude your notice? Her chameleon-like ability to seamlessly blend into her surroundings and disappear into a character makes her, paradoxically, invisible as well as memorable.
Think about it: Stacy, the wide-eyed teen who loses her innocence in Fast times at ridgemont High; Tralala, the tragic prostitute in the harrowing Last Exit to Brooklyn; Hedy, the psychotic
roommate from hell in single White Female; Amy, the snappy girl Friday whose intelligence crackles and sparks with a fury in the Hudsucker Proxy; lois, the phone sex worker who, unbeknownst to her callers, is changing diapers as she talks dirty to them in robert Altman’s short Cuts; Sally, the witty, brilliant actress holding onto the shreds of youth and fame that define her in the anniversary Party; and the exhilaratingly acerbic dorothy Parker in Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle—to name just a few.
From the beginning, leigh has been no stranger to show business. Her father was actor Vic Morrow and her mother is actress-screenwriter b arbara Turner, who wrote one of leigh’s most complex and riveting roles, the painfully and resolutely lost Sadie in Georgia leigh thrived in her early artistic environment, earning her Screen Actors Guild card as a teenager, in an episode of Baretta. Since then, her ability to play a great diversity of roles has made her one of the most mesmerizing actors of her generation.
Offscreen, leigh has proven herself a successful filmmaker. In 2001, with friend Alan Cumming, she co-wrote and co-directed the anniversary Party, a bristling comedic ensemble that takes a very honest look at Hollywood. leigh has also appeared onstage, acting in productions of the Glass Menagerie, Proof and Cabaret (as Sally b owles), among others.
up next, leigh stars opposite Nicole kidman and Jack black in Margot at the Wedding (written and directed by her husband, Noah b aumbach) and
reunites onscreen with Alec b aldwin (her co-star in the quirky 1990 crime thriller Miami Blues) in Lymelife
One factor unites the performances leigh brings to life. She is a risk taker. She tirelessly researches each role she takes on, developing an absolutely authentic voice. Through characters unhampered by the need to be liked or, ultimately, understood, leigh challenges us to recognize elements of the human condition that are at once completely alien and all too familiar.
Although associated with intense, unconventional roles, Jennifer Jason leigh is in fact one of us. And with the compassionate awareness she devotes to each character she plays, they become one of us too. Was that her studying you from the table in the corner? you should be so lucky.
Freelance writer kristine kolton has worked for various film-related organizations and is currently employed at Lucasfilm Ltd.
s ele Cted Fil M ography
Margot at the Wedding (2007) Palindromes (2004) the Machinist (2004) in the Cut (2003) road to Perdition (2002) the anniversary Party (2001) the king is alive (2000)
Existenz (1999) a thousand acres (1997)
Washington s quare (1997) kansas City (1996) Georgia (1995)
Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) the Hudsucker Proxy (1994) short Cuts (1993) single White Female (1992)
Backdraft (1991) rush (1991)
Miami Blues (1990) the Big Picture (1989)
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) Fast times at ridgemont High (1982)
DoLor Es CLai Born E
Fast ti MEs at ri DGEMont H iGH
spotlight on J enni F er J ason leigh Saturday, October 13, 6:30 pm Christopher b. Smith rafael Film Center reception to follow at the Outdoor Art Club
SPOTlIGHT AN d r eCe PTION $60 SPOT13P
SPOTlIGHT ON ly $25 SPOT13r
M argot at the W edding | u S 2007 93 MINS
Director/Screenwriter Noah b aumbach Producer Scott rudin Cinematographer Harris Savides Editor Carol littleton Cast Nicole kidman, Jennifer Jason leigh, Jack black, John Turturro Print Source Paramount Vantage
In a truly inspired feat of casting, Nicole kidman and Jennifer Jason leigh are estranged sisters with more in common than they’d care to admit. Simultaneously self-righteous and self-loathing, Margot (kidman) and Pauline (leigh) bring a wickedly wry humor and a mass of insecurities to a turbulent relationship that turns on a dime. After years apart, Margot decides to visit Pauline for Pauline’s impending wedding to Malcolm (Jack black, in fine disheveled form), an unemployed artist and musician of whom Margot clearly disapproves. As the sisters spar and personal secrets unravel, a storybook wedding seems an unlikely prospect. It doesn’t help that the nasty next-door neighbors demand they chop down the old tree under which they plan to marry. As with the s quid and the Whale (MVFF 2005), writer-director Noah b aumbach paints an authentic, sardonic portrait of a family falling apart and fighting to put itself back together again.
—Joanne Parsont
The Spotlight program for Jennifer Jason leigh features an onstage interview conducted by ben Fong-Torres, followed by a screening of Margot at the Wedding and the presentation of the MVFF Award.* Afterward we move on to the historic Outdoor Art Club, where Amiee Alan Custom Catering will provide a stellar meal accompanied by Silver Oak and Twomey Cellars wines.
s ponsored by
*See page 41 for more information about the Mill Valley Film Festival Award.
MarGot at tHE WEDDinG
the M usi C never stopped Music at the Festival, then and now
By Joshua Moore
On the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Mill Valley Film Festival, co-founder and executive director Mark Fishkin and cofounder rita Cahill sat down with longtime Festival collaborators and music producers Clare Wasserman and Stephanie Clarke, to reminisce and discuss the highlights of Festival musical events over the years. “So, a trip down memory lane here,” rita begins, eliciting gentle laughter as everyone settles in.
“yeah, that’s the problem!” Mark quickly replies, “I can’t remember what the first music show we ever did was.” More laughter, as they put their heads together and agree that that first event featured the great blues guitar legend Mike bloomfield, best known for his guitar work with bob dylan on the classic album Highway 61 revisited. “yeah, you know, that was the first event we did together, rita, the bloomfield event. Oh, I had forgotten about that!” Clare recalls.
Once upon a time, Mark Fishkin ran the Saturday Night Movie, a crowd-pleasing event created to showcase independent and
foreign cinema to audiences in Mill Valley. From this successful venture he went on to launch the Mill Valley Film Festival. Mike bloomfield used to go to the Saturday Night Movie and perform for everyone, and he and Mark developed a friendship. When, a few years later, there was a film about bloomfield’s life, it was a natural to have a bloomfield music event at the Mill Valley Film Festival. “We had a movie that Marty b alin produced about Mike bloomfield, and we decided to also present live music that would support the essence of the film,” Clare describes.
The bloomfield show started an annual tradition of music at the Festival, with events ranging from the cozy club scene to one of the Festival’s largest, most memorable events, in 1984: a tribute to legendary bay Area music promoter and rock ’n’ roll Hall of Fame member, bill Graham. Clare recalls pitching the idea to bill: “We wanted to do something with him, and bill lived in Mill Valley, so we went in and had a meeting with him, and he basically said, ‘you’re crazy, and no one likes me and why would you want to do a tribute, they’re all going to throw things, and I don’t want to do it’; and we talked him into it basically.”
It was this can-do attitude that Stephanie remembers as the essential element in producing great music events for the Festival. “We started coming up with all these crazy but wonderful ideas for shows that sounded impossible, and I think a lot of what the Festival became known for was achieving the impossible.” The bill Graham Tribute was held at the Marin Center and emceed by actors Howard Hesseman and saturday night Live regular don Novello (aka Father Guido Sarducci), with support from robin Williams, and featured live performances by a who’s who of musicians, including Graham’s personal favorites Jerry Garcia, Carlos Santana and Tito Puente. A video made prior to the event included Mick Jagger and keith richards, elton John, eric Clapton and the Grateful dead among others, all saluting Graham.
In 1986, the Festival presented another monumental event: Music in the Movies, a celebration of music in film, held at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco and produced in partnership with bill Graham Presents and with support from b MI and ASCAP in los Angeles. The Tribute honored 17 master film composers in attendance, including Alan and Marilyn bergman (who
M ICH elle SHOCked, TOdd r u N dG re N, HAl WI llN er, MAr IANN e FAITHFull, dON NOVellO (AS FATH er
returned for their own MVFF Tribute in 2001, interviewed onstage by Senator b arbara b oxer), elmer bernstein, bill Conte, Thomas Newman and Jack Nitzsche, and featured live performances by Tangerine dream, ry Cooder and the Paris, texas soundtrack band, Stewart Copeland and Spinal Tap, reunited specifically for the Tribute. robin Williams once again added his inimitable flare.
Stephanie describes the event in detail: “We had film clips and live performances that we used to illustrate how sound is layered into film, and dolby came up with this amazing segment that used the film amadeus, and they layered all the different types of sound that go into building a soundtrack, and it was phenomenal.” Never before had such an extraordinary lineup of composers and musicians been assembled in the bay Area under one roof for an event. The Music in the Movies Tribute came together thanks to an unprecedented collaboration with organizations like dolby labs, lucasfilm ltd., bill Graham Presents and esprit—as bill Graham himself mentioned, it would never happen anywhere but in the bay Area.
Mark turns to recalling some of the Festival’s smaller, yet equally remarkable, music events held at the Sweetwater Saloon, and calls programming director Zoë elton into the conversation. Over the years, the Sweetwater—a Mill Valley cultural institution and live music venue for more than 30 years that, sadly, is set to close this year—has been
a wonderful and popular Festival venue for all musical genres. Zoë recalls performances with guests like bluesman keb’ Mo’ and the world-renowned Calypso rose, who both played after screenings of documentaries featuring their music.
Mark recollects an unforgettable experience at the Sweetwater, in 1987: “I remember Aaron Neville performing at the Sweetwater and somebody told him my dad’s favorite song was “Ave Maria,” and there I was, sitting in the front row, hearing Aaron Neville singing it.” Also at the Sweetwater that night were elvis Costello, Grateful dead guitarist bob Weir, bassist rob Wasserman and the Paris, texas band with Harry dean Stanton and david lindley. Clare adds about Stanton that, “he hadn’t really toured before, and so we re-formed the Paris, texas band for our show, and after that Harry dean went out on the road with that band.”
Along with the Sweetwater, Village Music, the store owned by John Goddard—whose tenure began 50 years ago when he worked there as a teenager—is also set to close this fall. These great venues truly capture the spirit and enthusiasm Mill Valley has for music, and will be greatly missed by all. More than a decade ago, Zoë invited John Goddard, who she describes as “a walking, talking encyclopedia of music and American pop culture” to host and veejay what has become a legendary annual Festival event at the CinéArts@Sequoia theater, the Hi De Ho
show. Sharing his comprehensive knowledge of musical history, each year he presents an assemblage of rare video footage of music performances that enthrall audiences, often into the wee hours of the night. The Hi De Ho show will be on hiatus this year, but we expect it to return in future Festivals.
In 1990, the Festival paid tribute to esteemed music producer and longtime saturday night Live music director Hal Willner. Produced by Clare and Stephanie, the event, held at the Marin Theater Company, featured extensive clip reels and a phenomenal lineup of performers: Marianne Faithfull, Todd rundgren, don Was, david Sanborn, bob Weir, rob Wasserman, Michael McClure, Charlie Haden and Michelle Shocked. The house band consisted of Garth Hudson, Prairie Prince and other luminaries.
A particularly notable show at the Sweetwater in 1991 followed the robert Mugge film Deep Blues, when musician lonnie Pitchford wowed the audience by building a diddleybow—a one-string guitar—by hand on stage and then performing with it. Pitchford’s diddley-bow still hangs on the wall of the Sweetwater.
In another Wasserman and Clarke–produced Tribute, to singer-songwriter rickie lee Jones, in 1996, Jones performed at the larkspur Cafe Theatre, which held only 100 seats, following a screening of the documentary about her life, naked songs. Mark remembers
PeArl HArb Ou r
the performer’s stage fright that evening. “She wasn’t going to go on stage, so I gave her my arm and said, ‘Madame, can I accompany you to the stage,’ and I escorted her to the stage, where she played a terrific set.” The Tribute to rickie lee was hosted by Peter Coyote and featured the late legendary jazz saxophonist Joe Henderson.
Following the screening of Zakir and His Friends in 1998, Alexander’s rugs in Mill Valley was the setting for a performance by Zakir Hussain, the world-renowned percussionist who played tabla on the soundtrack to apocalypse now, and bassist rob Wasserman. The following year, Alexander’s hosted another great Indian musician, sarangi master ustad Sultan khan, following the screening of Jinnah. More greats of world music were featured at 142 Throckmorton Theatre in 2005, when khalil ragheb, ustad Aziz Herawi and ehsan Ahmad performed in celebration of Stephen Olsson’s sound of the soul
One of the first music events held at the Smith rafael Film Center was the set Grateful dead member david Grisman played in 2000, after the world premiere of Grateful Dawg, the documentary by his daughter, Gillian Grisman, about his musical friendship
with Jerry Garcia. bonnie raitt, a longtime supporter of the Mill Valley Film Festival, came to the rafael in 2002 to introduce one of her all-time favorites, musician Oliver Mtukudzi, Zimbabwe’s best-selling pop artist.
Thirty years later, the Mill Valley Film Festival music events continue to work their magic. last year’s doors film and music event featured founding member ray Manzarek and an evening with G.e. Smith, original and longtime band leader for saturday night Live. Other performers that night included bob Weir and rob Wasserman, dan Hicks & the lickettes, and a guest appearance by saturday night Live alum dana Carvey, on the drums. And in 2005, Festival Tributee Jeff daniels and Talking Heads guitarist Jerry Harrison were seen rocking out at the Sweetwater, to robert randolph and the Family band.
This year will prove no different. Following the screening of director Todd Haynes’ new bob dylan–inspired film, i’m not there (page 94), Clare Wasserman and Stephanie Clarke will present the live music event “dylan (Interpreted)”, featuring surprise special guests from the film’s highly anticipated soundtrack, including ramblin’ Jack elliott and John doe, as well as a number of
performers who have supported the Festival over the years. Another event will feature new-wave pioneer Pearl Harbour, of Pearl Harbour and the explosions, and ex-wife of Clash bassist Paul Simonon, following the screening of famed music-video director Julian Temple’s documentary Joe strummer: the Future is unwritten (page 95). See page 25 for more information on both of these live shows.
before the conversation ends and everyone heads back to work, Stephanie says, “Some of my closest friends are people I met through the Mill Valley Film Festival.” rita agrees, “The Festival has always been like a family of friends that opens its doors to the community and invites everyone to come along and enjoy the process, as well as to delight in the end result.” Clare adds, “As bill Graham said so many times, ‘It could only happen here’—we are so blessed to be able to work in this remarkable community.” At this 30th anniversary mark, with the Mill Valley Film Festival about to begin, Mark admits, “30 is young,” and there’s more film and music yet to come.
Joshua Moore is the assistant programmer for the Mill Valley Film Festival and an alumnus of san Francisco state university.
rOb WASSer MAN (Ce NTer), b Ob We I r (r IGHT)
the Ca M era and the spoon intersections of Food and Film
By Carrie Laing Pickett
As a nation, we are in the middle of a vigorous debate about food. Our current culinary craze has introduced Americans at large to the parlance and activities of the food world. From r atatouille (2007) we learn the stations of a traditionally run upscale restaurant kitchen, while social critiques like super size Me (2004) and Fast Food nation (2006) inform us of the nutritional and environmental hazards and fat profits of the fast-food industry.
Often in this debate the deeply pleasurable experience of cooking and dining is pitted against the need for convenience and inexpensiveness, and more in-depth discussion about health, economics and well-being becomes a casualty in the fray. Meanwhile, we all struggle on, working out how to get something to eat between the other activities of our lives, and how to care for and enjoy ourselves as best we can.
For those of us passionate about food, any film that reveals an authentic connection with it is rich with meaning. One such cinematic benchmark is Babette’s Feast (1987). At the heart of this sincere and elegant film about the meeting of high e uropean culture and plain-living Protestantism is an exquisite homage to the intersecton of art and spirituality that is illustrated by an age-old and basic activity: a cook’s desire to express herself through her work, and the absolute, wholesome effect of her efforts.
The lengthy feast scene in the film gives viewers such fine detail that we subconsciously yearn for a sip of the Clos de Vougeot or a taste of the turtle soup, to find out for ourselves just how good they are. We become part of the legendary French dining experience: hours long, with myriad courses carefully designed down to the smallest nuance of a single ingredient, color or preparation, to give the diner a succession of sensory experiences that together create an extraordinary sense of well-being and fellow feeling.
Following along so closely, by the end of the film we look around for a little something to complete the experience, or wish we could head out right then for a truly well-made repast.
When the camera focuses so clearly on food, or on its preparation or on the experience of eating, one immediately senses something important is being said. Small movements, such as the licking of a fingertip after touching the icing of a cake, or pausing to smell and look at a piece of fruit before taking a bite—movements that show real appreciation or consideration of food— suddenly give that moment a real-time, depth: a moment of a person’s lived experience.
German director doris dörrie’s How to Cook Your Life (page 93) focuses expressly on this rich, lived experience. Through the medium of cooking, the film’s subject, edward espe brown, renowned Zen priest,
cook and food author, connects the many facets of being human. Contrasting massproduced food with the choosing and handling of ingredients ourselves, he draws out the hazards, satisfaction and importance of preparing food under the influence of life. For brown, nourishment doesn’t “come out of a package, it comes from your heart.”
Attentive food films like How to Cook Your Life and Babette’s Feast aside, there are other equally vital ways that food appears in film. like clothes, living spaces and modes of transportation, food is often used on screen to set a location or scene, or to establish characters’ personalities and their cultural, class and social background. In august Evening (page 84), for example, a point is made about a character’s eating with his hands. In Blame it on Fidel (page 86), the protagonist’s parents alter the family fare from fine bourgeois cuisine to beans and rice, indicating a significant lifestyle shift.
Within a film narrative, the sharing of a meal is frequently used as a time in which characters interact with one another, working out problems, making plans, revealing themselves. In the Darjeeling Limited (page 89), a family dynamic is revealed in the ordering of food, and stages (page 105) plays out an estranged couple’s relationship over meals.
Meals are often times of reckoning, too, when moments of meaning spring up amid the act of communal dining. A boy’s
BaBEttE’s FEast
blessing of a meal in r ails & ties (page 103) quickly alters the tone and relational dynamics at the dinner table, while in Clouds o ver Conakry (page 87), mealtime serves to produce insightful conversation.
Sometimes a film attracts and enlightens us with a food-related detail we have not experienced before, as with the harsh realities of the mass production of sugar in the d ominican r epublic documented in the Price of sugar (page 102). For most Americans, simply seeing someone eating raw cane, as the malnourished workers do in this film, is a revelation.
Is food art, or fuel? Sometimes one, sometimes the other, most often both and something more. In spite of simply needing to eat to live, we exalt in our food when it looks, smells and tastes good, and we love variety as well as comfort. In a world of many cultures there are myriad ways of cooking and eating, and one of the great things about movies is the opportunity to see into other people’s lives, finding out how they live, what they’re like, the choices they make—and what and how they eat. While stories often move us by revealing the commonalities of human life, it’s the unique details of difference that draw us into new ways of thinking about ourselves and about others.
riding s olo to the top of the World (page 104) is an eloquent example of this idea. It combines the dreamy universal theme of the pursuit of parts unknown with the specifics
of actual endeavor to create a startlingly beautifully shot work of art. A one-man operation, filmmaker and long-distance motorcyclist Guarav Jani travels via bike and camera from Mumbai, India, up to the highest habitable place in the world, the Changthang Plateau, between the Himalayas and the karakoram range, bordering China. Time after time the mountain people he meets and visits with invite him to share their food (even when, in one case, he’s distinctly turned off by a dish). On a couple of occasions, seasoned old-timers insist he eat huge platefuls, or they add meat to their usually vegetarian dishes, in order to sustain Jani on his journey. Poor in terms of money, they share their lives with a sympathetic sojourner.
It takes an entire local community to come together to create a film festival, a celebration of rich artistic expression within the larger culture. All sorts of people, businesses and organizations work together to fashion a network of aesthetic experiences and practical resources that will entertain and also take care of Festival goers. If you haven’t yet discovered these resources at the Mill Valley Film Festival, your first stop should be the lovely Outdoor Art Club (OAC), a century-old retreat just across the street from the CinéArts@Sequoia theater in Mill Valley. There’s a pleasant tree-shaded patio garden and Festival café, where folks can hang out, eat, drink and rest between films. Many of the Festival’s receptions, dinners and parties also take place there, with food from local restaurants, caterers and other food purveyors. ( s ee page 24 for more about oaC offerings during the Festival.)
All this is done to allow us to immerse ourselves in an art form that takes time to experience, while enabling us to take care of ourselves. Which brings us to what you’re going to do about food before or after your next film. If you haven’t already done reconnaissance, Mill Valley and San rafael are both full of an easy variety of cafés and restaurants. So come a little early or wander out after the show, and find a spot to let your hair down or to discuss a film. dinner and a movie: a time-honored combination.
Carrie Laing Pickett is a Bay area writer, editor and longtime cook and is the MVFF copy editor.
JELLYFisH
HoW to Cook Your Li FE
Film Categories
Wor L d c inema
Whether they aim to move, provoke, entertain, amuse or thrill, the films in the World Cinema section tell stories that reveal elements of the universal, while changing our ways of seeing and understanding our global neighbors. sponsored by
va LL ey of the d ocs
Reality spins some of the most fascinating yarns of all. The Valley of the Docs presents the latest in documentary filmmaking, in which filmmakers from around the world explore the consequences of truth.
sponsored by
us c inema
A showcase for new American films, US Cinema celebrates the work of well-known masters and emerging filmmakers who share a talent for independent, insightful storytelling.
sponsored by
c hi L dren’s f i L m f est
A cinematic globetrot for kids of all ages, the Children’s FilmFest gives young people a taste of cultures and adventures they won’t get anywhere else, including hands-on filmmaking workshops. sponsored by
MVFF Premieres
7 islands and a Metro 14 Women
365 (nascor nasci natus)
Body & Soul: diana & Kathy
Butterfly
California dreamin’ (Endless)
Caramel
Cassandra’s dream
The Colors of Memory
Compound Eye
Crossing the dust
djanta
The End of the Neubacher Project
Go Together
Heartbreak Hotel
ice Bar
irina Palm
iron Ladies of Liberia
Juncture
Kiviuq
Laviva
Luna: Spirit of the Whale
Mind the Gap
My Brother is an Only Child
My Enemy’s Enemy
The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry
2007 Focus
f ocus: r omania
Romania is poised to become the national cinema of choice among film aficionados. Three new award-winning films give a snapshot of life before, during and after the1989 revolution: The Way I Spent the End of the World, The Paper Will Be Blue and California Dreamin’ (Endless)
f ocus: Germany
New German cinema includes some of the world’s most talented directors including Doris Dörrie (How to Cook Your Life); Christian Wagner (Warchild) and Christian Petzold (Yella).
Other countries and regions strongly represented this year include Africa, India, Iran, Israel and Sweden.
v (ision) f est
Tomorrow’s technology is today’s medium for the imagination. V(ision)Fest mediamakers come from the school of all possibilities. They are the innovators and experimenters who are ready to shake, rattle and reboot the state of cinema. sponsored by
5@5 & mvff s hor ts
Eclectic in content and style, our shorts programs are an assortment of filmic gems by emerging artists and established masters. Our 5@5 matinee series takes its program titles from the songs of a musical performer; this year’s selected artist is beloved singer-songwriter-poet Leonard Cohen. sponsored by
Possession
Presque isle
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana)
Red Robin
The Secrets
Stages
Strong Love
Things We Lost in the Fire
The Trips Festival
uranya
used
When darkness Falls
Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution
active c inema m ovement
This category offers a selection of films by filmmakers whose work is committed to the causes their stories portray, even beyond the screen. These films have the potential to inspire audiences to connect and get involved. This year’s selection: Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy; Djanta; Soldiers of Conscience; Strong Love; Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution and the documentary shorts program Bee-ing Me
5@5: Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye
TOTAL PROGRAM 79 MINS
Tuesday, October 9 5:00 pm 5AT509S Sequoia Thursday, October 11 5:00 pm 5AT511R Rafael
Partings are often loaded times of in-betweenness. Mark Andrews’ Violet (US 21 mins) looks at what happens when someone never quite learns to let go. An imaginary ball is the connection at the heart of Ruben Grijalva’s lyrical Shadow Ball (US 12 mins). In Dead Letters (New Zealand 14 mins) Paolo Rotondo takes on war, loss and the power of communication. Keith Bogart’s sparse The Rapture of the Athlete Assumed into Heaven (US 5 mins), written by Don DeLillo, explores the inner mind of the athlete at a point of departure. In Karen Dee Carpenter’s Sarah & Dee (US 20 mins), two young women try to break free from the restrictions of their lives. Ramon Alos’ Before and After Kissing Maria (Spain 7 mins) follows the yearnings of a young boy, and the nature of goodbye. —Osnat Shurer
5@5: I’m Your Man
TOTAL PROGRAM 82 MINS
Monday, October 8 5:00 pm 5AT508S Sequoia
Wednesday, October 10 5:00 pm
5AT510R Rafael
We all want to be cherished by someone, to be truly loved. And yet when love comes, are we able to receive it? In Kurt Kuenne’s quirky Validation (US 17 mins), a young man uses kind words to make everyone feel validated, worthy. But can he make the girl smile? Moon Molson’s Pop Foul (US 20 mins) takes a painful look at what happens when a boy loses respect for his father. Mike Jonathan’s Hawaikii (New Zealand 15 mins) plays out in a very different family dynamic, but the question remains the same: Will a father be able to come through for his child? In Thouly Dosios’ House of the Olive Trees (Greece 30 mins), set in the beautiful Greek Islands, a young woman yearns for love. But can she bring herself to accept it when it comes? —Osnat Shurer
5@5: Take This Longing
TOTAL PROGRAM 84 MINS
Friday, October 5 5:00 pm 5AT505R Rafael
Thursday, October 11 5:00 pm 5AT511S Sequoia
At the heart of these short films lies a longing for something more. Sometimes it’s a longing for like-minded friends, as in Suzi Yoonessi’s delightful Dear Lemon Lima, (US 11 mins). Sometimes it’s a geeky boy who returns from the jellyfish display with his dreams completely transformed, as in Rob Meyer’s Aquarium (US 17 mins). Michael Karbeinikoff’s Balloon Animals (US 18 mins) explores the universal longing to connect, through an unlikely friendship between an aging clown and a young prostitute. Atsushi Ogata’s wonderful Eternally Yours (Japan 15 mins) turns expectation on its head, while Michelle Hung’s Chinese Dumplings (US 8 mins) looks at the bonds of sisterhood. Per Hanefjord’s Fore Checking Grandpa (Sweden 14 mins) beautifully explores how we project our yearnings onto others and how hard it is for us to just let each other be ourselves. —Osnat Shurer
5@5: The Future
TOTAL PROGRAM 88 MINS
Friday, October 5 5:00 pm 5AT505S Sequoia Monday, October 8 5:00 pm 5AT508R Rafael
Some say the only time we truly have is the present moment, that the past and future are but a figment of our imagination. But we humans have always been fascinated by our past, and how it creates our future. Jonathan Browning’s pithy The Job (US 3 mins) imagines a moment in which roles are reversed. The theme continues in Marty Shea’s quirky The Planning Lady (US 9 mins), which looks at our culture’s obsession with planning our children’s futures. Oskar Thor Axelsson’s Misty Mountain (Iceland 30 mins) is an elegant meditation on time and the power of love. Christopher Clark’s The King Boys (New Zealand 15 mins) explores darker family connections. Andreas Tibblin’s When Elvis Came to Visit (Sweden 11 mins) is an astute observation of what happens to prejudice when it’s faced with the simplicity of a child, while Ciro Altabas’ DVD (Spain 18 mins) is a delightful romp about geeks and freaks and the interactivity of our times. —Osnat Shurer
5@5
5@5
5@5: There Is a War
TOTAL PROGRAM 84 MINS
Wednesday, October 10 5:00 pm 5AT510S Sequoia
Friday, October 12 5:00 pm 5AT512R Rafael
In times of war, everything seems heightened. These courageous short films encourage us to look at it all—the tragedy, the betrayals and the moments of great love. In Michaela Danby’s poignant Tatterson (Australia 5 mins) an uncle describes the jungle in the form of a children’s story in a letter to his young niece and nephews back home. Set in Korea, John Arlotto’s powerful Deface (US 20 mins) explores what happens to a man when everything is taken away. Nicole Haeusser’s The Death Strip (US 30 mins) looks at war and betrayal through a mother’s eyes. A different, but no less brutal war is fought in Jenifer Malmqvist’s Peace Talk (Sweden 15 mins). In Fredrik Emilson’s delightful Love and War (Sweden 14 mins) puppets act out a classic wartime love story accompanied by a lovely romantic libretto. —Osnat Shurer
5@5: Waiting for the Miracle
TOTAL PROGRAM 88 MINS
Tuesday, October 9 5:00 pm 5AT509R Rafael
Friday, October 12 5:00 pm 5AT512S Sequoia
Someone once defined a coincidence as a miracle for which God chooses not to take any credit. The only difference between the two, it seems, is in perception itself. In Shyam Balsé’s lovely Monsoon (US 22 mins), the coming of the rain is a cosmic sign of a father’s death. Or is it all just the rantings of an old man? Will there be time to forgive? Forgiveness, a miracle in its own right, seems even more distant on the battlefield, when two enemy soldiers meet alone face to face in Jason Eli Lewis’ Stars (US 14 mins). In Guido Thys’ Tanghi Argentini (Belgium 14 mins) office Christmas presents take on new meaning. Two people born on the same day in the same hospital meet again as adults in Rob Sorrenti’s Wednesday (UK 24 mins). A young boy watches as art, nature and great patience take flight in Seamus McNally’s gentle To Paint the Portrait of a Bird (US 15 mins), based on the poem by Jacques Prévert. A miracle? Perhaps. —Osnat Shurer
7 Islands and a Metro
Saturday, October 6 1:30 pm 7ISL06R Rafael Saturday, October 13 4:30 pm 7ISL13T 142 Throckmorton
In English, Hindi, Urdu, Marathi and Bombaiya with English subtitles • Madhusree Dutta’s 7 Islands and a Metro is a meditation on the magnificent, misery-saturated city known variously as Bom Bahia, Bombay, Mumbai. Its many names reflect a turbulent history dating back to 1534, when the Portuguese colonized one of the seven islands that make up the sprawling metropolis. Through remarkably poetically charged imagery and music, Dutta depicts everyday scenes, introducing us to the city’s workers who labor in professions such as window washing, moviestunt horseback riding, and beer-bar dancing. Threaded through their testimonies wind the words of two legendary writers, questioning how the city’s story can be told when the ground beneath is “as restless as mercury.” The story itself, meanwhile, continues on its own: Squatters find housing in ancient graveyards; high-rise owners push to close centuries-old open-air markets. This eloquent film reveals a complex city “hung in pieces and parts” and rife with the tragedies and triumphs of survival. North American Premiere —Frako Loden
14 Women
Sunday, October 14 12:00 pm 14WO14R Rafael
US 2007 79 MINS
Director Mary Lambert Producers Sharon Oreck, Nicole Boxer, Mary Lambert Cinematographers Mary Lambert, Bill Pope
Editors Michelle Harrison, Stephen Kanter Print Source Vertical Films
What does it take to be one of the 14 female senators of the 109th senate? Four-term senator Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., observes, “Just because you get tackled, doesn’t mean you get out of the game—you brush yourself off, put that lipstick on.” With an explicitly bipartisan stance, director Mary Lambert attends to these 14 senators through interviews, days-in-the-life and home visits. Lambert, the sister of Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and producer Nicole Boxer, the daughter of Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., allow us an intimate view of the senators at work in committee, at conventions and fund raising, and at dinner with their families. Civics primer as well as portraiture, 14 Women includes a conversation with Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., about the Moscone-Milk assassinations and the launching of her political career, and it reminds us that healthcare, education, employment and the environment are no longer so-called women’s issues but human issues. World Premiere —Lisa Katovich
•••Sponsored by Amiee Alan Custom Catering
5@5
5@5
valley of the docs
v(ision)fest
365 (nascor nasci natus): Parts 1 and 2
Sunday, October 7 6:00 pm NAS107R Rafael
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor John Sanborn Print Source John Sanborn
US 2007 140 MINS
John Sanborn (MM1, MVFF 2002; Psychic Detective, MVFF 1995) is at it again. Experimental filmmaker, humorist and master media magician, with 365 Sanborn has composed a four-part “docu-montage” opus to . . . daily life. Whether looking out of his window in Berkeley or fixing our gaze on the vacant chair in an L.A. recording studio where a no-show Shaquille O’Neal is being paid to (not) sit, Sanborn is a brilliant and acerbic archivist of our most mundane and profound thoughts, a master weaver of the textures of daily life. In Parts 1 and 2, he worries about his ability to be a good dad to Miranda, his wild-haired, free-spirited daughter. He starts a new media company and makes deals with Shaq and Alanis Morissette. For Parts 3 and 4, stay tuned! World Premiere —Karen Davis
v(ision)fest
365 (nascor nasci natus): Parts 3 and 4
Sunday, October 14 4:00 pm
NAS214R Rafael
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor John Sanborn Print Source John Sanborn
Director John Sanborn continues his four-part “docu-montage” opus to daily life with a trip to the Tribeca Film Festival, where MM1 is showing. Feeling honored but anonymous among lower Manhattan’s red-carpet royalty, Sanborn is overjoyed to discover he is taller than Robert De Niro. With his rock ’n’ roll cooking show sputtering out on the back burner, he feels his professional life may be at a standstill, but maybe he doesn’t care? Back at home in Berkeley, daughter Miranda joins an all-male t-ball team, and the family goes on an annual seaside retreat. Miranda starts school; John accepts a job at eBay, and life goes on, whirling with color and sound, like a little girl after her birthday party: giddy, silly, slightly sick to her stomach from too much cake—and too excited to go to sleep. World Premiere —Karen Davis
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
Saturday, October 6 8:00 pm
Monday, October 8 9:45 pm
ANIT06R Rafael
ANIT08R Rafael
Directors/Editors Robbie Cavolina, Ian McCrudden Producer Mellisa Davis Cinematographer Ian McCrudden Print Source Elan Entertainment
“All you can do in this world is learn to be a good loser,” jazz singer Anita O’Day once said, “and come out smiling.” Before her death last Thanksgiving at age 86, O’Day, one of jazz’s most complex and rhythmic vocalists, smiled on the music world for six decades. This captivating film portrait captures all the magic that took this sly Chicago native, a white girl who could hold her own against Billie and Ella, from Gene Krupa’s bandstand to solo stardom. The film is packed with great film footage: O’Day’s appearance at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, immortalized in the 1960 documentary Jazz on a Summer’s Day and excerpted here, may be the defining moment of the post-bebop era. Like the woman herself, Anita O’Day hits all the right notes and, despite all the pain and struggle, ends with a smile.
—Greg Cahill
•••Presented in association with the Doc Film Institute of San Francisco State University •••Sponsored by KDFC
August Evening
Sunday, October 7 3:30 pm AUGU07R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter/Editor Chris Eska Producers Jason Wehling, Connie Hill Cinematographer Yasu Tanida Cast Pedro Castaneda, Veronica Loren, Abel Becerra, Walter Perez Print Source Doki-Doki Productions
In Spanish with English subtitles • Writer-director Chris Eska’s sensitive, understated debut is deliberately layered to expose the frailty and strength of the human connection. From the opening shots of a man laboring on a chicken farm and a young woman nervously washing dishes in a kitchen restaurant and then patiently teaching guitar to a group of children, this careful visual storytelling slowly reveals the fragile lives of an older, undocumented Mexican farm worker, Jaime (Pedro Castaneda), and his widowed daughter-in-law, Lupe (Veronica Loren). Rooted in family traditions, their way of life places them at odds with a new generation awkwardly struggling with the realities of the American Dream. Castaneda and Loren give standout performances as the leads of an award-winning ensemble cast. Arresting cinematography by Yasu Tanida reveals a sometimes ominously beautiful Texas landscape, as well as the slow stillness of the characters, whose silences often betray more eloquence than their words. —Margaret Daniel
•••Presented in association with the Canal Alliance
•••Sponsored by Peet’s Coffee & Tea
valley of the docs
Autism: The Musical
Saturday, October 13 4:30 pm AUT13R Rafael Sunday, October 14 2:30 pm AUT14S Sequoia
Single mother of an autistic boy and tireless founder-director of the Miracle Project, a Southern California program for autistic children, Elaine Hall proposes that the kids create and perform a show, in keeping with the project’s aim of developing social skills and self-confidence. The months leading up to the performance provide an ideal framework for director Tricia Regan to involve us with these incredible kids. Henry, for example, is an expert on dinosaurs and reptiles, while Lexi is a gifted singer. But for every breakthrough there’s a setback, often just moments later. Filled with extraordinary people, in particular the kids’ remarkable parents, and unflinching in the face of hard realities, Autism: The Musical accomplishes the rare feat of being at once heartwarming and heart-wrenching. This is one of the richest documentaries of the year—even before the kids take the stage and steal the show (yet again).
—Michael Fox
•••Presented in association with Autism Speaks/Cure Autism Now •••Sponsored by CBS 5 TV
Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin)
Sunday, October 7 7:30 pm
Tuesday, October 9 7:30 pm
Marin Civic Center
Marin Civic Center
Director/Editor Sergei M. Eisenstein Producer Jacob Bliokh Screenwriters Nina Agadzhanova, Sergei M. Eisenstein
Cinematographer Edward Tisse Cast Aleksander Antonov, Vladiir Barsky, Grigori Alekandrov, Mikhail Gomorov, A. Levshin Print
Source Sheldon M. Rich & Associates Inc.
With English intertitles • All the power and glory of this 1925 silent film classic comes alive accompanied by the Marin Symphony in live performance of legendary composer Dimitri Shostakovich’s triumphant, alternative musical score. It’s 1905, and the sailors aboard the battleship Potemkin are in the midst of a fiery uprising against their senior officers in a collective, courageous act of resistance to inhumane conditions aboard ship. Tragedy strikes one of the sailors, and, as the ship docks in the Odessa harbor, a revolution soon spreads among the passionate citizenry, sparking a bloody confrontation (the inimitable Odessa Steps sequence) that results in triumph over social injustice. Long hailed by critics and cinemagoers as one of the most innovative, landmark films of all time (even Charlie Chaplin admitted it was his favorite), director Sergei Eisenstein’s Battleship Potemkin remains a testament to the mightiness of the moving image. —Josh Moore
•••See page 24 for more information on this special live music event.
•••Sponsored by the Marin Symphony
Beaufort I SRAe L 2007
Sunday, October 7 9:00 pm BEAU07S Sequoia Tuesday, October 9 8:15 pm BEAU09R Rafael
Director Joseph Cedar Producers David Silber, David Mandil Screenwriters Ron Leshem, Joseph Cedar Cinematographer Ofer Inov Editor Zohar M. Sela Cast Oshri Cohen, Itay Tiran, Eli Eltonyo, Itay Turgeman, Ohad Knoller, Arthur Faradjev Print Source Kino International
In Hebrew with English subtitles • Winner of the Silver Bear for best director at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival, director Joseph Cedar employs an effective minimalist style in this intense, subtle study of war. Southern Lebanon, 2000: Israeli troops have held the strategic Beaufort Castle for 18 years, but international concerns about the occupation leads to their covert withdrawal. A small cohort of soldiers still occupies the fort, led by the tough, taciturn Liraz (Oshri Cohen). As the soldiers wait, unclear whether their mission serves a justified purpose, long days in the remote, picturesque locale unfold slowly and skillfully, moments of bravery and cowardice alongside simpler scenes of mealtime chats and bedtime music. Tension builds as Hezbollah mounts an offensive and the film moves toward the moment of Israeli retreat. With more recent Israeli–Lebanese history clearly in mind, Cedar has crafted a riveting reminder of the frustrations and futility of armed conflict. —Rod Armstrong
•••Presented in association with the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival
Bee-ing Me
ACTIVE CINEMA MOVEMENT • Vanities, ventures and vulnerabilities collide in this program of nonfiction shorts. In Jesse Erica Epstein’s The Guarantee (US 11 mins) a dancer reveals discomfort with his nose. Bees charm their way into your heart after their arduous journey, in Singeli Agnew and Joshua Fisher’s Pollen Nation (US 26 mins). Civil disobedience or performance art? Local young activists set up parks in open spaces in Matthew Passmore’s Park(ing) Day (US 14 mins). Children from Richmond sound off on life in the hood in May Lin Au Yong’s Bullet Proof Vest (US 6 mins). Soldiers from Iraq speak out on post-battle adjustment in Peter Jordan and John Kane’s Left in Baghdad (US 13 mins), and in Julie Caine and Charlotte Buchen’s All the Way Home (US 27 mins) a soldier’s return is only the beginning of his and his family’s emotional adjustment. —Janis Plotkin
valley of the docs
world cinema
USSR 1925 66 MINS
world cinema
120 MINS
valley of the docs
Blame It on Fidel (La faute à Fidel)
Sunday, October 7 7:45 pm BLAM07S Sequoia Thursday, October 11 6:00 pm BLAM11R Rafael
In French with English subtitles • This accomplished first feature depicts the shifting familial landscape of an intelligent, precocious girl, Anna (the remarkable Nina Kervel-Bey). Anna’s Spanish father (Stefano Accorsi) and French mother (Julie Depardieu) begin to question their politics and bourgeois lifestyle when Anna’s uncle is murdered under Franco’s regime. After a trip to Chile during Salvador Allende’s election, they move the family to more modest housing and open their home for leftist meetings, arousing the curiosity and resentment of young Anna and her more sanguine brother, François (Benjamin Feuillet). Director Julie Gavras (daughter of Costa Gavras) explores her young central character’s growing political awareness, as the children puzzle out the meaning of “group solidarity,” engage in games of “putsch” around the house and try to accommodate their bearded revolutionary visitors. With the camera often at Anna’s level, Gavras lets us see up close as Anna finds her way to her own first epiphanies. —Rod Armstrong
Bunnies and Butterflies
Sunday, October 7 10:30 am BUNN07R Rafael Sunday, October 14 2:15 pm BUNN14R Rafael
In various languages with English subtitles • An international sampling of little-person-friendly short films featuring: a snowman and rabbit competing for the same thing in Carrot! (Partell Tall, Estonia 7 mins); fantasies from a kid’s view in We’ve All Fallen from Mars (SAF Cakovech workshop, Croatia 2 mins); dancing like butterflies in Flutterby (Cynthia Pepper, US 5 mins); animated madness in Garlic Boy (John R. Dilworth, US 7 mins); a lunar cat in Puss and the Moon (Suzanne Tuyman, Netherlands 5 mins); a nervous mother giraffe in Jungle Beat—Born to Be Wild (Brent Dawes, Zimbabwe 5 mins); mean people in Hard-Boiled Chicken (Arjan Wilschut, Netherlands 5 mins) and Meany (Sarah Klein, US 3 mins); Tomi Ungerer’s transcendent fairy tale Moonman (Fritz Böhm, Germany 30 mins); and finally, the crescendo, with Come Blow Your Kazoo! (John R. Dilworth, US 3 mins). All ages —John Morrison •••The October 14 screening will be followed by a kazoo parade and free ice cream. See page 30.
Butterfly (Bolboreta, Mariposa, Papallona)
Sunday, October 7 8:00 pm BUTT07R Rafael Saturday, October 13 1:00 pm BUTT13S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter/Editor Pablo García Producers Yolanda Olmos, Luis Miñarro, Pablo García Cinematographer Beth Rourich Cast Fele Martínez, Tzeitel Rodríguez, David Bendito Print Source Doble Banda
In Spanish, Catalan and Galician with English subtitles • A delicate interplay of stylized documentary and fiction, Pablo García’s captivating debut considers filmmaking from both sides of the camera. Director Victor (Fele Martínez) has discovered during the editing of his feature film that he hadn’t captured the specific atmosphere of his film’s location. With his assistant Laura (Tzeitel Rodríguez) he travels back to the region of Galicia (in northwest Spain) to photograph the rustic streets of a small village and interview the inhabitants. Fiction and reality intersect as Victor encounters an actual group of local, precocious young cinema workshop students and charges them with finishing the film. García and cinematographer Beth Rourich gracefully juxtapose the village’s easy rhythms with the gruff visage of Victor and the wise ruminations of the children as they operate handmade cameras and create storyboard collages to trace the film’s emotional arcs, in this rich and subtle study of the everyday imaginary. North American Premiere —Margaret Daniel
Tuesday, October 9 9:00 pm CAL09S Sequoia Sunday, October 14 4:15 pm CAL14R Rafael
MINS
Director Cristian Nemescu Producer Andrei Boncea Screenwriters Tudor Voican, Cristian Nemescu, Catherine Linstrum Cinematographer Liviu Marghidan Editor Catalin Cristutiu Cast Armand Assante, Razvan Vasilescu, Jamie Elman, Maria Dinulescu, Ion Sapdaru, Alex Margineanu Print Source MediaPro Distribution
FOCUS: ROMANIA • In Romanian with English subtitles • A promising auteur’s legacy is captured here. Writerdirector Cristian Nemescu died in a car crash while this film was in postproduction. Onscreen, his keen political vision is alive and well in a story inspired by a true event: During the war in Kosovo in1999, a NATO train on a classified mission is literally stopped in its tracks by a Romanian station master with his own agenda. As the US lieutenant (Armand Assante, Gotti) faces off against the station agent (Razvan Vasilescu), the rest of the village goes mad, NATO soldiers eye eager local girls and the casualties of war reveal themselves to be, as always, too close to home. Awarded the Un Certain Regard prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. US Premiere —Deanna Quinones •••Presented in association with the Romanian Cultural Institute New York
In Arabic with English subtitles • A Beirut beauty salon is the colorful center around which the lives of five women friends revolve, and a microcosm of the issues Lebanese women face today. Layale is trying to end her affair with a married man, while her salon colleagues also face matters of the heart: Nisrine is soon to have a traditional Muslim wedding and is trying to cover up the fact that she’s not a virgin, and Rima is realizing her attraction to women. Their client Jamale is obsessed with her looks and in denial about aging, and Rose, a seamstress, has sacrificed her desire for love in order to take care of her somewhat crazy sister. True to its title, Nadine Labaki’s feature debut is a sweet confection of a film, offering intimate and provocative opinions about love, life and sex, and challenging the hypocrisy in both Christian and Muslim communities with delicious warmth and humor. US Premiere —Zoë Elton
•••Friends of the Festival screening on October 8 is free to members presenting a ticket from the box office.
•••Sponsored by Tamalpais Bank
Cassandra’s Dream
Monday, October 8 9:00 pm CASS08C Cinema
Director/Screenwriter Woody Allen Producers Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum, Gareth Wiley Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond Editor Alisa Lepselter Cast Hayley Atwell, Colin Farrell, Sally Hawkins, Ewan McGregor, Tom Wilkinson Print Source
The Weinstein Company
Set in contemporary London, Academy Award-winning writer and director Woody Allen’s new drama is a powerful and thrilling story about two working-class brothers who are desperate to better their troubled lives. Terry (Colin Farrell) is a chronic gambler in debt over his head, and Ian (Ewan McGregor) is a young man in love with a beautiful and seductive actress (newcomer Hayley Atwell) he has recently met. The brothers’ lives gradually become entangled in a sinister situation, with intense and unfortunate results, when they are presented with a startling request by their wealthy uncle (Tom Wilkinson) that may solve all their problems. Superb performances from the entire cast and a powerful, driving score by master composer, Philip Glass, make Cassandra’s Dream a gripping drama that examines the lengths people will go to preserve their dreams. US Premiere —Josh Moore •••Sponsored by KGO Newstalk AM810
Chicago 10
Sunday, October 7 1:00 pm CHIC07R Rafael
Monday, October 8 6:30 pm CHIC08R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Brett Morgan Producers Graydon Carter, Brett Morgan Editor Stuart Levy Cast Hank Azaria, Dylan Baker, Nick Nolte, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Liev Schreiber Print Source Roadside Attractions
Director Brett Morgan forgoes the role of objective historian in this wonderfully unique simulacrum of the 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention. The film jumps right into the fray—the emotions, determination and indomitable drive for justice of a ragtag group of hippies, yippies, Panthers and other “undesirable elements” intent on giving voice to the spirit of their generation. Deftly and provocatively mixing archival footage and original animation, Chicago 10 recalls the disastrous trial of the men charged with organizing civil disobedience to counter empty political promises. The film flashes between scenes of the kangaroo court and increasingly violent encounters between protesters and police. Censuring Bobby Seale for laying claim to his constitutional rights, the judge orders him physically restrained and gagged, while on the streets, the tactics are cruder. The film’s stylized visuals and riotous soundtrack may prove jarring, but how better to wake the activists of tomorrow? —Ilya Tovbis
•••Sponsored by the Katz Family Foundation
Clouds Over Conakry (Il va pleuvoir sur Conakry)
Friday, October 12 7:15 pm
Saturday, October 13 7:00 pm
G UIN eA 2006 113 MINS
CLOU12S Sequoia
CLOU13R Rafael
Director/Producer/Screenwriter Cheick Fantamady Camara Cinematographer Robert Millié Cast Alex Ogou, Bakary Kéita, Tella Pkomahou Print Source COP Film
In French with English subtitles • Twenty-five-year-old BB seems to have everything going for him. A talented artist who works as a political cartoonist at the town newspaper, he’s in love with a beautiful young woman, Kesso, a Web designer and daughter of his boss and mentor. Yet this modern young man’s life becomes entangled in a web of secrets when his father, an imam and griot who is unaware of his son’s vocation (BB signs his works with a pseudonym), chooses him as his successor over BB’s pious, religious older brother. To complicate matters, BB’s girlfriend is pregnant. With humor and lyricism, director Cheick Fantamady Camara shapes an insightful, compelling, cautionary tale that explores destiny and desires in conflict with family expectations and religious traditions. His characters’ nuances and challenges compose an intriguing portrait of the contradictions of contemporary African life. Camara’s feature debut suggests that he is an impressive new talent in African cinema. —Zoë Elton
•••Presented in association with the Museum of the African Diaspora
•••Sponsored by Gordon Radley
world cinema
world cinema
The Colors of Memory
Saturday, October 6 3:45 pm COL06R Rafael Tuesday, October 9 9:45 pm COL09S Sequoia
Director Amir Shahab Razavian Producers Mohammad Farokhmanesh, Amir Shahab Razavian, Seyed Saeed Razavian Screenwriters Amir Shahab Razavian, Armin Hofmann, Mohammad Farokhmanesh Cinematographers Daari Ayari, Mohamad Reza Sokoot, Claus Bosch Dos Santos Editor Faramarz Hootaham Cast Shahbaz Noshir, Ezatollah Entezami, Saber Abar Print
Source Brave New Work Film Productions
In Farsi and German with English subtitles • Layers of metaphor knit one man’s path of discovery from a broken life back to his now earthquake-ravaged childhood home in Iran. Returning from abroad ostensibly to perform surgery, Dr. Parsa sees modern Iran through the eyes of his young driver, while at the same time he rediscovers the soul of the culture under the tutelage of his father’s old friend. A quest to revive the family’s palm groves and the search for a childhood love evolve into an unexpected pilgrimage, not only to the spiritual center of a country in transition but also to the soul of a man who’s been adrift, devoid of spirit and heart. Part road trip, part vision quest, The Colors of Memory highlights both the value of remembrance and the vitality of place as that which feeds and forms us. North American Premiere —Melissa Howden
•••Presented in association with Iranian.com
Compound Eye
Sunday, October 7 5:30 pm COM07S Sequoia
Saturday, October 13 2:45 pm COM13R Rafael
Director/Producer/Cinematographer/Editor yahn soon Screenwriters yahn soon and cast Cast Fausto Caceres, Jesse Reklaw, Atosa Babaoff, Josh Millican, Jill Pixley, Jonathan Kaplan Print Source John Balquist Productions
Blurring documentary and fiction, Compound Eye explores the lives and work of two artists and “militant vegans” who share a warehouse/studio in Oakland, California. Jesse Reklaw spends his waking nights drawing inspiration for his weekly comic strip, Slowave, by reading other people’s dreams. He becomes the center of a controversy when one dreamer conjures an Afghan refugee-run IHOP standing where the twin towers once did. Jesse’s roommate, Fausto Caceres, works with found sound to create audio collages for his pirate radio show. Through a discarded scrapbook of letters and photographs, he befriends a long-dead schizophrenic. Director yahn soon (Scared New World, MVFF 2005) worked with an improvised script, drawing, in turn, upon the actual lives of the cast. He has woven these gleaming threads of the real with the surreal (there’s an unforgettable scene involving a circular rope swing and a ukulele) into a fascinating metafictional fabric. World Premiere —Holly Roach
Control
Friday, October 5 9:15 pm CONT05R Rafael Friday, October 12 9:30 pm CONT12S Sequoia
Director Anton Corbijn Producers Orian Williams, Anton Corbijn, Todd Eckert Screenwriter Matt Green Halgh Cinematographer Martin Ruhe Editor Andrew Hulme Cast Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Alexandra Maria Lara Print Source The Weinstein Company
The haunting story of the brief sad life of British punk rock singer Ian Curtis, of the influential ’80s band Joy Division, is a luminous feature debut for director Anton Corbijn and was awarded a special mention for first feature film at Cannes this year. Shot in black and white in almost minimalist style, the emotional complexities of the troubled musician, who took his life at age 23, are memorably portrayed by Sam Riley, part of a cast that astonishingly re-creates Joy Division’s music with crisp accuracy. There’s no need to be a punk fan; the film delves into the humanity of its subject with such poignancy that it becomes a transcendent experience. A remarkable performance by Samantha Morton as the singer’s wife bearing up under the pain of Curtis’ depression and his affair with a pretty Belgian woman (Alexandra Maria Lara) adds dimension to this very touching work. US Premiere —Peter Stack
•••Sponsored by San Francisco magazine
The Crazy Quilt
Saturday, October 6 2:15 pm CRAZ06R Rafael
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer John Korty Editor David Schickele Cast Tom Rosqui, Ina Mela, Ellen Frye
Print Source Korty Films Inc.
This lighthearted, cleverly cynical fable by Marin’s John Korty (Oscar-winning director of Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids?; first MVFF tributee, 1978) takes a brilliant look at men, women and expectations. Narrated by Burgess Meredith, with Tom Rosqui as the humorless but practical husband, Henry, and Ina Mela as his perpetually idealistic wife, Lorabelle, the film follows as their hapless relationship ebbs and flows between what they each think they want from one another and what they actually find. Filmed in Marin and San Francisco, Korty’s first feature remains a treasured classic, a soft-spoken masterwork of American independent cinema of the ’60s. “US cinema has seldom produced a picture as sophisticated in style as Crazy Quilt…. He [Korty] demonstrates day by day, crisis by crisis, how fear and lust and ignorance transform at last into the sacred mystery of marriage.” (Time, September 16, 1966). —Maureen Dixon
•••Sponsored by Marin Acura
world cinema
world cinema
Crossing the Dust (Parinawa la Ghobar)
K UR d ISTAN /F RAN ce 2006 76 MINS
Saturday, October 6 4:30 pm CROS06S Sequoia
Tuesday, October 9 9:30 pm CROS09R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Shawkat Amin Korki Producers Hasan Ali, Nechirvan Argosi, Toraj Aslani, Shawkat Amin Korki Cinematographer Toraj Aslani Editor Ebrahim Saeedi Cast Adil Abdolrahman, Hossein Hasan, Abdola Awayd, Aba Rash, Ayam Akra Print Source Arc En Ciel Films
In Kurdish and Arabic with English subtitles • While the American invasion of Iraq is in its initial stages, two Kurdish militants heading home from Iraq encounter a major obstacle: a little boy (named after the deposed dictator) searching for his missing parents. The younger, idealistic soldier is determined to help the lost child; the older man, physically maimed and psychologically scarred by years of fighting, wants nothing to do with the kid. As the trio travel in search of the boy’s family, they encounter a land filled with righteous holy men and stoic American troops, abandoned corpses and looting villagers, mass graves and marauding youths. Evoking both classic Italian neorealism and the roots of Iranian cinema’s recent renaissance, Shawkat Amin Korki’s humanistic parable paints a tragic picture of life during wartime. Even those who are shellshocked and who have had their innocence stolen are capable of hope for a better tomorrow. US Premiere —David Fear
The Darjeeling Limited
Thursday, October 4 9:30 pm
Director Wes Anderson Producers Scott Rudin, Lydia Pilcher, Wes Anderson, Roman
2007 91 MINS
Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola Cinematographer Robert D. Yeoman Editor Andrew Weisblum Cast Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, Jason Schwartzman, Amara Karan Print Source Fox Searchlight
SPECIAL SCREENING • In director Wes Anderson’s The Darjeeling Limited, three American brothers who have not spoken to each other in a year set off on a train voyage across India, with a plan to find themselves and bond with each other—to become brothers again like they used to be. Their “spiritual quest,” however, veers rapidly off course (due to events involving over-the-counter pain killers, Indian cough syrup and pepper spray), and they eventually find themselves stranded alone in the middle of the desert with eleven suitcases, a printer and a laminating machine. At this moment, a new, unplanned journey suddenly begins. Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman shine as brothers Francis (the complete control freak), Jack (who has left his pregnant wife at home) and Peter (who is . . . well, between girlfriends). Surprise cameos just add more spice to an already fantastic journey. —Lily Buchanan
Daughters of Wisdom
US 2007 68 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 82 MINS
Sunday, October 7 11:00 am DAUG07T 142 Throckmorton Sunday, October 14 12:30 pm DAUG14S Sequoia
In English and Tibetan with English subtitles • In beautiful, remote eastern Tibet, one visionary lama and 300 joyful nuns are changing the destiny of women “born into suffering.” Graciously they welcome filmmaker Bari Pearlman and her crew to Kala Rongo, a Buddhist monastery dedicated solely to the devotional practice of women. Founded by Lama Norlha Rinpoche, a survivor of the Chinese genocide, Kala Rongo is a spiritually and politically complex mixture of exile and return. Freed of household duties and gender-based expectations, the nuns find happiness and fulfillment through dedicating their lives to Buddhist spiritual practice. In documenting the monastery as it enters its third decade, this film reveals an inspiring new generation of female spiritual leaders in contemporary Tibetan culture. —Carol Harada PRECEDED BY
The Headman and I
Director Peå Holmquist
Sweden 2007 14 MINS In Swedish with English subtitles • An intimate portrait of the 30-year relationship between a Swedish photographer and a Hmong tribal chief, as both mature through the years.
•••Presented in association with Bay Area Friends of Tibet
•••Sponsored by Back to Earth Organic Catering
Days of Darkness (L’Age des tenèbres)
cANAdA/F RAN ce 2006 109 MINS
Friday, October 5 9:30 pm DAYS05S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter Denys Arcand Producers Daniel Louis, Denise Robert Cinematographer Guy Dufaux Editor Isabelle Dedieu Cast Marc Labrèche, Diane Kruger, Sylvie Léonard, Caroline Néron, Rufus Wainwright, Macha Grenon Print Source Studio Canal
In French with English subtitles • The dehumanizing world of government bureaucracy provides fertile ground for the latest work from Oscar-winning Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions; MVFF tributee 2003). Jean-Marc Leblanc (Marc Labrèche) is an anonymous civil servant who is ignored at home by his workaholic realtor wife, despised by his iPod-obsessed teenage daughters and burdened by responsiblity for his bedridden mother. At work he must listen to the endless misery of his clients he is powerless to help, due to mountains of governmental red tape. To counter his frustrations, Leblanc escapes into a Walter Mitty–like series of vivid daydreams, where he becomes an exotic prince, a sword-swinging samurai, a famous author, and star of the stage, each fantasy sequence cleverly inserting a satirical comment on the Kafkaesque state of Canadian politics. Chosen for the prestigious closing night slot at Cannes this year, Days of Darkness is classic Arcand: an entertaining satire with plenty of teeth. US Premiere
us cinema
Coppola Screenwriters
valley of the docs
world cinema
Dig-It-All! TOTAL PROGRAM 81 MINS
Monday, October 8 7:00 pm DIG08T 142 Throckmorton Saturday, October 13 12:00 pm DIG13T 142 Throckmorton
Eleven wondrous shorts represent this year’s finest experimental work. Stacey Steers’ Phantom Canyon (US 10 mins) is a surrealistic collage based on Muybridge’s work. Rachel Mayeri’s Primate Cinema: Baboons as Friends (US 6 mins) crafts a parable of behavior among the “naked apes.” Marina Shoupe’s Bounce (US 6 mins) explores the altered textures of aging. Tamara Taddeo’s haunting Cold Rust (Canada 11 mins) is a daughter’s letter to her absent father. Singular perspectives of Bay Area bicyclists are featured in Sinisa Kukik’s Pump (US 5 mins). Set in the lower Ninth Ward, Ben Mor’s Help Is Coming (US 8 mins) “unmasks” despair in New Orleans. In Alex Potts’ Anthem (US 10 mins), patterns of moving lightbeams create beautiful washes of color. In Vanessa Woods’ 5 Cents a Peek (US 7 mins) a woman searches for identity in strange places. Stephanie Maxwell’s animation melds with Michaela Eremiasova’s music in Runa’s Spell (US 4 mins). Tiffany Doesken-Polos’ M (US 4 mins) is a sensuous study of the body in space. And Naveen Singh’s 27,000 Days (US 10 mins) is a powerful memoir scripted at the end of a life. —Karen Davis
Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Le Scaphandre et le papillon)
Saturday, October 13 5:00 pm
Sunday, October 14 2:00 pm
Director Julian Schnabel Producers Kathleen Kennedy, Jon Kilik. Screenwriter Ronald Harwood Cinematographer Janusz Kaminski Editor Juliette Welfing Cast Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze, Anne Consigny, Patrick Chesnais Print Source Miramax Films
In English and French with English subtitles • Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the remarkable true story of JeanDominique Bauby (Mathieu Amalric), a successful and charismatic editor-in-chief of French Elle, who believes he is living his life to its absolute fullest when a sudden stroke leaves him in a life-altered state. While the physical challenges of Bauby’s fate leave him with little hope for the future, he begins to discover how his life’s passions, his rich memories and his newfound imagination can help him achieve a life without boundaries. The film brings together the incredible creative talents of director Julian Schnabel (Basquiat; Before Night Falls) and screenwriter Ronald Harwood, whose beautiful screenplay is based on Bauby’s bestselling book. Spielberg regular Janusz Kaminski’s cinematography is superb, as is the cast. Through moments both internal and external, and encounters full of both ordinary and extraordinary intimacy, this is a testament to the power of the human spirit. —Lily Buchanan •••Sponsored by the Katz Family Foundation
Djanta
bURKINA FASO 2007 106 MINS Thursday, October 11 6:00 pm DJAN11S Sequoia Saturday, October 13 12:00 pm DJAN13R Rafael
In French with English subtitles • Djanta is doing well at university: She is smart and conscientious, has a talent for writing and has a boyfriend. At the behest of the pastor who has raised her since childhood, she returns to visit her family in their rural village. Their traditional ways of life and the strict patriarchy they live under are a striking contrast to the familiarity of city life. And Djanta is stunned to find that her father expects her to marry a polygamous older man to whom she was betrothed as a baby. The resulting conflict causes huge rifts in the family and community, as Djanta’s mother and little sister side with her against her father and attempts are made to force Djanta to submit to the destiny chosen for her. Director Tahirou Tasséré Ouédraogo’s exploration of the traditional/contemporary divide is movingly rendered, and while tragedy hovers, the possibility of change lights the way forward. North American Premiere —Zoë Elton
•••Presented in association with the Museum of the African Diaspora •••Sponsored by Joie de Vivre Hospitality
Director/Cinematographer Stephanie Johnes Producers Stephanie Johnes, Alexandra Johnes, Andrea Meditch Editors Michael Culyba, Paul Frost, M. Wantanbe Milmore Print Source Cactus Three
Skipping rope has busted out of the grade-school playground and boxing gym in a big way. No more nursery rhymes; we’ve got four, five, six jumpers and twirlers leaping, diving and throwing out martial arts moves as they weave in and out of the ropes to a hip-hop beat. Doubletime follows two teams as they move toward the double Dutch championship competition at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. We get to know the members of both groups, a mostly white team from North Carolina and a mostly black team from South Carolina, as they train and prepare for the big night, and we witness the ways race and class play out in this emerging sport. The dedication and atheleticism of these young people is inspiring, and if they seem at first a little intimidated by the international competition, there are some surprises in store. —Peter Moore
•••Sponsored by the Marin Independent Journal
world cinema
world cinema
Drained (O Cheiro do ralo) bRAz IL 2006 105 MINS
Wednesday, October 10 9:45 pm DRA10R Rafael Saturday, October 13 6:45 pm DRA13T 142 Throckmorton
Director Heitor Dhalia Producers Heitor Dhalia, Joana Mariani, Marcelo Doria, Matias Mariani, Rodrigo Teixeira Screenwriters Heitor Dhalia, Marcal Aquino. Cinematographer Jose Roberto Eliezer Editors Jair Peres, Pedro Becker Cast Selton Mello, Paula Braun, Lourenco Mutarelli, Silvia Lourenco, Fabiana Gugli, Martha Meola Print Source Ondamax Films
In Portugese with English subtitles • A wild and witty deadpan daydream, Drained is adapted from Lourenco Mutarelli’s novel and focuses on the troubled mind of a twisted pawnbroker and the eccentric characters that cross his path. Lourenco (Selton Mello) is a strange, scruffy man who spends his days having philosophical conversations about the value of gold watches, glass eyes and rakes. Things take a turn for the weird when a horrible smell coming from his workplace drain, and his unadulterated lust for the specific body part of a local waitress, push Lourenco into a mind-bending loop of comedy and confusion. Filmmaker Dhalia uses minimalist sets, a scattering of evocative music and crisp editing to create a hypnotic atmosphere in which to portray the unexpected actions of these unconventional people. Absurd, funny and giddily absorbing from the first frame, Drained is one-of-a-kind experience that will charm filmgoers in search of a new cult classic. —Brendan Peterson
Thursday, October 11 9:30 pm ELV11S Sequoia Friday, October 12 7:15 pm ELV12R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Will Geiger Producers Nick Quested, Carolyn Pfeiffer Cinematographer Conrad W. Hall Editor Sandra Adair Cast Max Minghella, Blake Lively, Joe Mantegna, Keith Carradine, Mary Steenburgen Print Source Goldcrest Films International
Elvis and Anabelle finds romantic innocence in dark and bizarre places. Elvis (Max Minghella, Bee Season, MVFF 2005), the brooding yet devoted son of a mortician, meets Anabelle (Blake Lively, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), a lovely young Texas pageant queen, as he prepares her for her funeral. Miraculously, he discovers she’s alive. Resurrected, Anabelle yearns for joy in her second life. She is also strangely drawn to Elvis’ funeral home, captivated by a vision she can’t quite remember. Elvis slowly becomes enchanted by Anabelle’s vibrant, pure spirit, while her curiosity threatens to expose his secret, that he has secretly taken over the business for his brilliant but now tragically disabled father. Lush cinematography, a haunting soundtrack and characters with a distinct voice and depth are finessed by powerful performances by Minghella and Blakely, who radiate boundless chemistry as the titular couple, and by Mary Steenburgen and Joe Mantegna. —Kristine Kolton
•••Sponsored by Pacific Union
The End of the Neubacher Project
AUSTRIA/NeThe RLAN d S 2006 74 MINS Saturday, October 6 1:00 pm END06S Sequoia Monday, October 8 9:30 pm END08R Rafael
Director Marcus J. Carney Producers Lukas Stepanik, Rolf Orthel, Georg Tschurtschenthaler Cinematographers Marcus J. Carney, Ludwig Löckinger, Rolf Orthel Editors Marcus J. Carney, Georg Tschurtschenthaler Print Source Marcus J. Carney In English and German with English subtitles • Filmmaker Marcus J. Carney’s gripping and intimate film examines “Morbus Austracus,” a so-called Austrian psychic disease with symptoms including a “disability to accept historical facts, denial of responsibility and covering shame with persistent silence.” Specifically, Carney focuses on his grandparents, who had been high-ranking members of the Austrian Nazi Party, and the way in which his relatives persist in the pretense that their family has no skeletons in the closet. In the course of making the film, Carney also documented his mother’s losing battle with lung cancer. A devastating chronicle of one nation’s refusal to confront a less-than-stellar legacy, The End of the Neubacher Project is also one man’s attempt to find peace with his parents. Like fellow first-person documentarian Ross McElwee, Carney knows how to seamlessly match the political with the personal. What begins as a scathing social indictment becomes an extraordinary testament to the power of forgiveness. North American Premiere —David Fear
•••Presented in association with Facing History and Ourselves, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival and the Doc Film Institute of San Fancisco State University
Four Sheets to the Wind US 2007 91 MINS
Sunday, October 7 3:30 pm FOUR07S Sequoia
Saturday, October 13 5:00 pm FOUR13R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Sterlin Harjo Producers Ted Kroeber, Chad Burris Cinematographer Frederick Schroeder Editor David Michael Maurer Cast Cody Lightning, Tamara Podemski, Laura Bailey, Jerri Arredondo Print Source Ted Kroeber
In English and Muscogee with English subtitles • “Every now and then, good things happen in Oklahoma,” promises the film’s narrator, and the wry melancholy of this observation infuses every frame of this haunting portrait of modernday Native Americans. The simple, unaffected story—a Seminole-Creek family coping with the untimely death of its taciturn patriarch—unfolds with disarming quiet, as if the constricted choices of poverty and Indian life have constricted voices as well, words being too precious to spend. But as silence gives way to talking, and listening, the characters’ emotions break through in heart-rending waves. After the death of his father, dutiful son Cufe Smallhill leaves home to visit his self-destructive, hard-living sister, Miri, in Tulsa. Here, he meets Miri’s white neighbor Francie, whose genuine affection for Cufe opens him up—to grief, reconciliation and new possibilities. This first feature by Oklahoma native Sterlin Harjo crackles with lived authenticity, nuanced acting and an unexpectedly cool soundtrack. —Jeff Campbell
us cinema
Elvis and Anabelle
US 2007 105 MINS
valley of the docs
Frozen Life
Friday, October 12 9:45 pm FROZ12R Rafael Sunday, October 14 11:30 am FROZ14S Sequoia
In English and Japanese with English subtitles • Director shin’s beautifully photographed first feature film is a delightfully unpredictable tale of love, loss and mistaken identity. Grieving over the loss of her husband, a woman named Riri receives an unexpected package on her birthday, containing a single item that turns her already fragile world upside-down. This event causes her to pack her beloved Theremin and move to the vacant family home in the countryside, to try to come to terms with the past. As she’s settling in, a mysterious young man, Wataru, shows up on her doorstep. He seems interested only in photographing traditional Japanese architecture, but it becomes apparent that he has a hidden agenda that concerns Riri’s late husband. As past ties between Riri and Wataru begin to unfold, events gravitate toward one climactic moment that will change their lives forever. A touching human drama, Frozen Life will resonate long after you leave the theater. —Kelly Clement
•••Presented in association with the Japan Information Center and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
•••Sponsored by Ora Restaurant
Friday, October 5 4:00 pm GILL05R Rafael Wednesday, October 10 4:30 pm GILL10S Sequoia
Director Jan Verheyen Producer Dirk Impens
Screenwriter Ed Vanderweyden Cinematographer Danny Elsen
Editor Philip Ravoet Cast Ilya Van Malderghem, Filip Peeters, Joke Devynck Print Source Dirk Impens
In Flemish with English subtitles • An offside ruling in soccer can be complicated and subjective, and for 12-yearold Gilles it’s more than a game penalty. Gilles is a talented soccer player whose father Bert’s passionate support and coaching feed their dream that Gilles will make the Red Devils pro team. When Bert’s enthusiasm causes a heart attack, a grieving Gilles finds a way to bring his father back to life so that he (but no one else) sees his dad everywhere, especially when playing soccer. But there’s a down side to Bert’s continuing presence: When Gilles learns that soccer might jeopardize his future, Bert still pushes Gilles to keep playing. Is this Gilles’ desire too, or only his father’s? While his mother urges him to quit and his friends offer encouragement, in the end Gilles must rule a buitenspel (“offside” in Dutch), either as his penalty or his father’s trap. Ages 9+ —Roberta McNair
Go Together
Saturday, October 13 9:15 pm
GOTO13R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Rob Nilsson Producers Denney Dey, Rob Nilsson Cinematographer Mickey Freeman Editors Nadine Laule, Chikara Motomura Cast Denny Dey, Michelle Allen, Robert Viharo, Paige Olson, Kieron McCartney, Michael Edo Keane Print
Source Citizen Cinema
In this last installment of his 9@Night series, Rob Nilsson (Opening, Pan, MVFF 2006) conjures a remarkably haunting, expressionist homage to cinema. 9@Night antihero, Malafide (Robert Viharo), undergoes an identity-swap, and so does his counterfeit cash. Seeking respite from the streets, Malafide watches scenes from his own life (clips from earlier Nilsson films) unspool as psychic-cinematic projections on the screen of Oakland’s historic Parkway Theater. Meanwhile, the challenge of a life in the film industry is explored through the strained sexual relationship of theater-owners Denny and Michelle, who struggle to keep the Parkway out of the hands of the pornographers and swindlers. Michelle needs what Denny cannot provide: something “amazing”; something as powerful as pure, unadulterated “total cinema.” In a beautiful climax of fiction-meets-reality and past-meets-present, she gets her wish. As viewers of this cinematic love song to the passionate art of filmmaking, so do we. See also program note for Used, page 108. World Premiere —Karen Davis
Gone Baby Gone
Tuesday, October 9 7:00 pm GONE09C Cinema
Director Ben Affleck Producers Ben Affleck, Sean Bailey, Alan Ladd, Jr., Danton Rissner Screenwriters Ben Affleck, Aaron Stockard Cinematographer Jon Toll Editor William Goldenberg Cast Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan Print Source Miramax Films
A decade after his screenwriting Oscar win for Good Will Hunting, Ben Affleck returns to his Boston roots with a dynamic directorial debut and a screenplay he adapted from a Dennis Lehane (Mystic River) novel—a potent combination reinforced by a powerhouse cast led by younger brother Casey Affleck, as private detective Patrick Kenzie. Kenzie and partner Angie (Michelle Monaghan) are hired to assist with the investigation of a missing fouryear-old neighborhood girl. But a seemingly familiar tale of child abduction twists and turns, beginning with a lessthan-model mother with a drug habit, a police chief (Morgan Freeman) desperate to avenge his own daughter’s murder years earlier, and a tough, New Orleans–born detective (Ed Harris) who doesn’t always play by the rules. Much like in Mystic River, an explosive undercurrent ripples through this blue-collar community in which broken families and broken dreams make for rough edges, quick tempers and some very bad decisions. —Joanne Parsont •••Sponsored by Jennifer Coslett MacCready
world cinema
children’s filmfest
Gilles (Buitenspel)
Grace Is Gone
Tuesday, October 9 7:15 pm GRAC09S Sequoia
US 2006 92 MINS
Director/Screenwriter James C. Strouse Producers Galt Niederhoffer, John Cusack, Grace Loh, Celine Rattray, Daniela Taplin Lundberg Cinematographer Jean-Louis Bompoint Editor Joe Klotz Cast John Cusack, Shélan O’Keefe, Grace Bednarczyk, Alessandro Nivola Print Source The Weinstein Company
John Cusack gives his most mature performance in this emotion-charged story of a midwestern big-box store manager who can’t find a way to tell his preteen daughters their mom, a soldier in the Iraq war, has been killed. Swallowing his grief, patriotic dad Stanley Phillips (Cusack) plunges into the American landscape of strip malls and farmlands, taking his daughters, Heidi, 12, and Dawn, 8, on an impromptu road trip to a Florida theme park. Only a brief visit enroute with a mouthy antiwar brother (Alessandro Nivola) treats the war as controversial. This study of a man trapped between parental care and heart-rending grief becomes a spiritual journey as well, as Cusack turns the seemingly simple conceit of this film into a soulful exploration of loss and hope. A strong directorial debut by screenwriter James C. Strouse (Lonesome Jim). —Peter Stack
A Guest of Life (Az élet vendége)
hUNGARy 2006 80 MINS
Saturday, October 6 2:15 pm GUES06S Sequoia
Tuesday, October 9 7:30 pm GUES09R Rafael
Director Tibor Szemzo Producer Attila Bognár Screenwriter László Sári Cinematographer István “Taikyo” Szaladják Editor Teri Losonci Cast Susannah York, Mari Töröcsik Print Source Magyar Filmunio
In Hungarian with English subtitles • In 1819, the scholar Alexander Csoma de Körös set out on foot from his home in Transylvania to discover “the original Hungarians.” What he found was a peaceful Asiatic civilization living at the foot of the Himalayas. Csoma’s writings would later introduce the rich culture of Tibet and the practice of Buddhism to the world at large. Tibor Szemzo’s mesmerizing and meditative film charting Csoma’s spiritual journey combines grainy Super-8 footage of the region’s geography and ancient rituals with animated renderings of Romanian folktales (narrated by Susannah York). This unique hybrid of media perfectly mirrors Csoma’s connection of the spiritual Old World of Eastern philosophy and the scholarly New World of Western knowledge, creating a singular celebration of both the man and his mythic life. —David Fear
•••Sponsored by Coldwell Banker v(ision)fest
Heartbreak Hotel
Friday, October 12
10:00 pm
Saturday, October 13 5:30 pm
Swede N 2006 110 MINS
HEAR12S Sequoia
HEAR13S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter Colin Nutley Cinematographer Olof Johnson Editor Perry Schaffer Cast Helena Bergström, Maria Lundqvist, Claes Mãnsson, John Rabaeus, Erica Braun, Marie Robertson Print Source Swedish Film Institute In Swedish with English subtitles • Gudrun, a dour metermaid, cites the posh Elisabeth for a parking violation, and the encounter quickly descends into a flurry of name-calling, threats and vulgarity. Two chance meetings later, one at the Heartbreak Hotel, a local club, the women see things another way. The spirited Elisabeth snaps the solemn Gudrun out of her lonely nights of TV game shows and crossword puzzles. Gudrun gives the recently divorced Elisabeth a partner in crime, ultimately becoming the driving force behind the forty-somethings’ increasingly “teenile” (senile teen) behavior. When a mysterious man shows up at the Heartbreak Hotel, the duo’s friendship is called into serious question. Veteran actresses Helena Bergström and Maria Lundqvist breathe confidence and defiance into their roles, even as their characters face moments of crushing insecurity and betrayal. Filmed with humanity and humor by writer-director Colin Nutley, Heartbreak Hotel gently maps the contours and contradictions of the second stage of adult life. North American Premiere —Aaron Lazenby
•••Presented in association with the Consulate General of Sweden of San Francisco
FOCUS: GERMANY • In English and German with English subtitles • In the search for enlightenment, one need look no further than the kitchen. Cooking, as practiced by Zen priest and chef Edward Espe Brown, is not just working with food but working on ourselves. Director Doris Dörrie (Enlightenment Guaranteed, MVFF 2000) spends time with Brown at a Buddhist retreat in Austria and at the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in California, exploring our spiritual connection to food in ways that are both soothing and provocative. A tenzo, or chief cook, at Tassajara since the ’60s and author of The Tassajara Bread Book, among others, Brown blends cooking class with Dharma teaching, imploring us to treat food “as if it was your eyesight”—a precious commodity. Offset by archival clips of his mentor, Zen priest Suzuki Roshi, Brown exhibits wisdom and passion, anger and frustration as he laments the means of modern food production and consumption, while encouraging us to salivate and meditate. —Joanne Parsont
•••The October 7 screening will be followed by a party at the Outdoor Art Club, featuring organic foods by Back to Earth Catering. Separate ticket required. $20 PARTY07
•••Presented in association with the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany
world cinema
valley of the docs
Ice Bar (Ice-keki)
Sunday, October 7 10:00 am ICEB07S Sequoia Saturday, October 13 10:30 am ICEB13S Sequoia
Director Ingwang Yeo Screenwriter Mi-Jeong Ham Editor In-dae Mun Cinematographer Ki-Seok Hwang Cast Ji-bin Park, Shiu Aera Print Source MK Pictures
In Korean with English subtitles • It’s summer, and all boys should be having fun. But ten-year-old Young-rae wants to know where his long-lost father is, and he doesn’t believe his mother when she says she doesn’t know. Overhearing a conversation, he suspects his dad probably lives in the capital, Seoul. The enterprising boy sets out to sell ice cream in the town square all summer, to raise the money for the trip. But his quest is hindered by his mom, who keeps getting arrested for selling black-market cosmetics, and by his best friend, who always needs to be rescued from bullies. And Young-rae’s worst enemy is a money-hungry ice-bar maker who keeps changing the rules about Young-rae’s profits. Set in a meticulously re-created 1960s South Korea, this delightful comedy stars Ji-bin Park, who is as famous in Asia as Macauley Culkin is here. He will make your heart melt faster than a popsicle in August. Ages 9+ US Premiere —John Morrison
The iGeneration Download
Saturday, October 13 11:00 am IGEN13R Rafael
From around the world—including Marin—our annual Youth Reel is peer juried and curated by the Young Critics Jury program. The excellent offerings in this year’s packed program include: Delirium (Max Sokoloff, US 4 mins); Dessert (Max Strebel, US 4 mins); Catastrophe in the Hotel del Gallo (Enrique Vargas Celis, Mexico 5 mins); In Superheroes We Trust (Ryan Gallagher, US 10 mins); The Rose (Marko Zerjav, Croatia 2 mins); The Jungle (Ramona Polk, US 3 mins); Rendezvous (Sarah Blake, US 6 mins); The Bottle Half Empty (Antonio Beroldo, US 1 min); Cheating the Dream (David Crawford, US 7 mins); The Stop (Toby Narat, US 3 mins); Berkeley (Mollie Penberthy, Luisa Romeo, US 3 mins); Jabberwocky (Blaire Stapp, US 3 mins); The Life Effect (Katie Flynn, US 3 mins ); What Makes You Different from Everybody Else? (Jean Karnow, US 3 mins); The Homecoming (Max Strebel, US 10 mins); The Pig (Alex Babakitis, US 2 mins); Learning to Curse (Bert Kervan, US 3 mins); My Adventure (Fernando Mís, US 3 mins); iGeneration (Emily Buder, US 8 mins); The Quiet World (Noah Averbach-Katz, US 3 mins). —John Morrison
I’m Not There US 2007 135 MINS
Sunday, October 7 5:45 pm IMNO07S Sequoia Tuesday, October 9 8:00 pm IMNO09R Rafael
Director Todd Haynes Producers Christine Vachon, James D. Stern, John Sloss, John Goldwin Screenwriters Todd Haynes, Oren Moverman Cinematographer Edward Lachman Editor Jay Rabinowitz Cast Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Winshaw Print Source The Weinstein Company
“You don’t have to write anything down to be a poet…. Me, I’m a trapeze artist.” Poet, prophet, outlaw, star—Bob Dylan is an acrobat extraordinaire, able to re-create himself time and again. Writer-director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven, Velvet Goldmine) has crafted a singular pseudobiography, as unconventional as its inimitable subject—a poem to a poet. Six characters embody the different personas and days of Dylan: Marcus Carl Franklin as Woody, a rail-riding black boy with a beat-up guitar and a soul full of blues; Heath Ledger as Robbie, the actor lothario and reluctant father; Richard Gere as Billy, the weather-beaten desperado; Christian Bale as Jack, the ’60s folk icon and “troubadour of conscience”; Ben Winshaw as Arthur, the poet for all times; and a brilliantly androgynous Cate Blanchett as Jude, the rebellious rock star. Watching the tales unfold is like inhabiting a classic Dylan album— soundtrack included. —Joanne Parsont
•••The October 7 screening will be followed by Dylan (Interpreted), a live music event. Separate ticket required. See page 25 for more information. •••Sponsored by Larry Goldfarb & LRG Capital Group, LLC
In Search of a Midnight Kiss US
Saturday, October 6 9:45 pm INSE06R Rafael Monday, October 8 9:00 pm INSE08R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Alex Holdridge Producers Seth Caplan, Scoot McNairy Cinematographer Robert Murphy Editor Frank Reynolds Cast Scoot McNairy, Sara Simmonds, Brian Matthew McGuire, Katie Luong Print Source Midnight Kiss Inc. New Year’s Eve brings the promise of a fresh start and the pressure for a perfect ending. Having endured a year of misfortune, the charming but jaded Wilson can’t wait to leave it behind. After a humiliating incident in which he is caught fantasizing about his best friend’s girlfriend, lonely Wilson is persuaded to post a personal ad on craigslist: “Misanthrope seeks Misanthrope.” Desperate to escape the past and start the New Year with the perfect guy, sassy, attractive Vivian responds. In stunning black and white paired with a jazzy soundtrack, Wilson and Vivian traipse through L.A., managing to pack all of the revelations, blow-ups, break-ups and make-ups of a relationship into a single day. But what will happen at midnight? This delightfully classic touch to the very modern story of finding romance in the digital age was touted by the Edinburgh International Film Festival as “the American indie discovery of the year.” —Holly Roach
•••Sponsored by Post Street Surgery Center
children’s filmfest
mvff shorts
Irina Palm b e LGIUM /LUxe M b OURG /UK/Ge RMANy/F RAN ce 2007 103 MINS
Saturday, October 6 8:45 pm IRIN06S Sequoia Monday, October 8 9:45 pm IRIN08S Sequoia
Director Sam Garbarski Producer Sebastien Delloye Screenwriters Philippe Blasband, Martin Herron, Sam Garbarski Cinematographer Christopher Beaucarne Editor Ludo Troch Cast Marianne Faithfull, Miki Manojlovic, Kevin Bishop, Siobhán Hewlett, Dorka Gryllus, Jenny Agutter Print Source Strand Releasing Marianne Faithfull goes from shy widowed grandma to superstar sex worker in this funny and charming film set in London’s Soho district. When Maggie (Faithfull) learns that her grandson needs an expensive life-saving operation, she knows desperate measures are necessary. In this case, desperate measures appear as a Hostess Wanted sign in front of the Sexy World club. And before you can say “Mitchell Brothers,” middle-aged Maggie has morphed into Irina Palm, the most popular companion of club regulars. With laser-like focus, Maggie winds her way through an unknown world of London’s underbelly, meeting a wild crew of new friends while alienating some of her fiftysomething peers back in the suburbs. Filmmaker Garbarski perfectly balances comedy and drama as Faithfull delivers a hilarious, heartfelt performance that captures the amusing and awkward fish-out-of-water reality of an old-fashioned matriarch plunged into a seedy sea of sex and sin. US Premiere
•••Sponsored by Marin French Cheese Company
Friday, October 5 6:30 pm IRON05R Rafael
Sunday, October 7 3:45 pm IRON07T 142 Throckmorton
Directors Daniel Junge, Siatta Scott Johnson Producers Henry Ansbacher, Jonathan Stack Cinematographer Daniel Junge Editor Davis Coombe Print Source Just Media
After surviving a 14-year civil war and a government riddled with corruption, the African nation of Liberia elected Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to be the country’s first woman president and lift it from debt and devastation. Filmmakers Daniel Junge and Siatta Scott Johnson explore a historic transition from authoritarianism to democracy in this joyous, inspirational testimony of the political power of women’s leadership and diplomacy. We watch the newly elected head of state during the first year of her presidency, as she populates her cabinet with strong women, including her ministers of finance, justice and commerce; together, these “iron ladies” tackle indolent bureaucracy, black markets and the omnipresent threat of violent riots. Expertly straddling the dual public identites of “Old Ma” and Chief Executive, President Sirleaf teaches generations of Liberians trained to rule and be ruled by violence and fear that the expression “compassion is revolutionary” is far more than a slogan. —Sara Schieron •••Presented in association with the Museum of the African Diaspora
Saturday, October 6 7:15 pm JELL06R Rafael Saturday, October 13 8:00 pm JELL13S Sequoia
Directors Etgar Keret, Shira Geffen Producers Yael Fogiel, Amir Harel, Ayelet Kit Screenwriters Shira Geffen, Etgar Korot Cinematographer Antoine Héberlé Editors François Gédigier, Sasha Franklin Cast Sarah Adler, Nicole Leidman, Gera Sandler, Noa Knoller Print Source Zeitgeist Films
In Hebrew with English subtitles • This highly cinematic seriocomic ensemble piece adds a touch of whimsy to its exploration of existential loneliness. Various intertwined story strands share the themes of the human need for love and of our inability to communicate, as a panoply of protagonists wander through contemporary Tel Aviv in search of meaningful connections and discover that frolics, friendships and family ties aren’t quite as nurturing as a solid sense of self and a well-timed visit from the ice-cream man. Acclaimed fiction writers–turned–co-directors Etgar Keret and Shira Geffen have made a fluid transition to film, winning this year’s Camera d’Or for best first feature at the Cannes Film Festival. A wistful, wonderfully wise rumination on hope and happenstance, Jellyfish, like its titular creature, appears delicate and amorphous yet stings when you least expect it. —Steven Jenkins
•••Presented in association with the San Francisco Israel Center
•••Sponsored by Comcast
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
I R e LAN d/UK 2006 124 MINS
Friday, October 12 6:30 pm JOES12S Sequoia Sunday, October 14 7:30 pm JOES14R Rafael
Director Julien Temple Producers Amanda Temple, Anna Campeau, Alan Moloney Cinematographer Ben Cole Editors Mark Reynolds, Tobias Zaldua, Niven Howie Print Source IFC First Take
Son of a diplomat pines away in a British boarding school, dreams of becoming a rock star and graduates at the top of the class of ’77, the rag-tag collection of punk and New Wave bands that challenged the corporate music world. That’s just part of the mythical life of singer, guitarist and songwriter Joe Strummer, whose politico-punk rock band the Clash became one of the most influential rock outfits of the modern era. Filmmaker Julien Temple (The Great Rock ’n’ Roll Swindle) has crafted here perhaps the best-filmed account of the British punk scene. Structured as a fireside wake, featuring Jim Jarmusch, Johnny Depp, Pearl Harbour, Bono, John Cusack and more, and including riveting rare film footage of home movies of Strummer and his nascent band and onscreen interviews old and new, Joe Strummer rekindles the fiery musical cauldron that spawned some of the most vital music of the Reagan years.
—Greg Cahill
•••The October 12 screening will be followed by a live music event with Pearl Harbour. Separate ticket required. See page 25 for more information.
•••Sponsored by Scheyer/SF
valley of the docs
Iron Ladies of Liberia
MINS
world cinema
Jellyfish (Meduzot)
F RAN ce/I SRAe L 2007 78 MINS
valley of the docs
Juncture
Saturday, October 6 9:15 pm JUNC06R Rafael Saturday, October 13 9:00 pm JUNC13T 142 Throckmorton
Director James Seale Producers Kevin V. Duncan, James Seale Screenwriter Robert Gosnell Cinematographer Richard Lerner
Editors Peder Morgenthaler, James Seale Cast Kristine Blackport, John Hutton, Bill LeVasseur Print Source Front Range Films
Anna Carter’s life is a nightmare come true. Diagnosed with a terminal illness at 28, Anna’s jet-setting lifestyle has come crashing down. The respected director of a national foundation that funds programs to help children, she has always strived to make life better for kids. But now she sees the world through different eyes. Using her prestigious job as a cover, Anna travels the country, searching for criminals that have slipped through cracks in the justice system and then dispensing her own style of brutal retribution. As the police close in and death knocks at her door, will she complete her plan? And will she be considered a hero ... or a sociopath? The uncompromising story of an ordinary woman turned vigilante, Juncture is a controversial, fast-paced action-thriller that casts a harsh light on the darkness, perversion and greed lurking just beneath the surface of society. World Premiere —Kelly Clement
Friday, October 5 6:30 pm KENN05S Sequoia Wednesday, October 10 9:45 pm KENN10S Sequoia
At first glance, Kenny is an extraordinary piece of nonfiction working-class social realism replete with an unforgettable everyman protagonist who empties portable toilets for a living Down Under. Indeed, the lisping, rotund, deliciously outspoken Kenny Smyth is endearingly real in his humble and earnest proletarian gravitas, as he travels to music festivals, air shows, parades, carnivals, drag races and even Nashville, Tennessee, plying his unenviable yet fascinating trade. But the sheer brilliance of filmmaker Clayton Jacobson’s wildly entertaining narrative feature is that it’s fictional, employing the standard trickery of the mockumentary in a time when the blurring of reality and fiction is more confounding than ever. A superb, warm and humorous portrait of the artist as a middle-aged porta-loo specialist from Melbourne, Australia (wonderfully played by Jacobson’s sibling, Shane Jacobson), Kenny is winsome proof that the mockumentary hasn’t exhausted its filmic capacity. —Andrew Bailey •••Sponsored by Qantas Airways
The Kite Runner
Sunday, October 14 5:00 pm
Sunday, October 14 5:15 pm
Director Marc Forster Producers William Horberg, Walter F. Parks, Rebecca Yeldman, E. Bennett Walsh Screenwriter David Benioff Cinematographer Roberto Schaefer Editor Matt Chesse Cast Shaun Toub, Khalid Abdalla, Nasser Memarzia, Said Taghmaoui Print Source Paramount Vantage
CLOSING NIGHT • In English and Dari with English subtitles • Director Marc Forster’s (Finding Neverland, MVFF 2004) reverent envisioning of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel is that rare example of refined literary adaptation, which makes a beloved book transcendent on screen. This heartrending story of friendship and redemption begins in Afghanistan in 1978, where two boys are inseparable, but unequal: Amir is the privileged son of a wealthy businessman, Hassan his loyal servant—and a member of the disdained Hazara minority. Their social inequality, and a brutal incident, ultimately tarnish their joyful youth, and when the Soviets invade in 1979, Amir and his father flee the country, completing the boys’ separation. As an adult, Amir finds the past resurfacing, along with long-buried feelings of shame. But an unexpected opportunity to “be good again,” takes him on a perilous journey back to his war-torn homeland, where carefree children once finessed kites across the rooftops of Kabul. —Joanne Parsont
•••For Closing Night event information, see page 23.
•••Sponsored by Lucasfilm, Ltd.
Kiviuq
Sunday, October 7 1:30 pm KIV07T 142 Throckmorton Monday, October 8 7:30 pm KIV08R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter John Houston Producer Kirt Ejesiak Cinematographer Dave Albiston Editor John Brett Cast Lamech Kadloo, Annie Peterloosie, June Shappa, Samson Quinangnaq, Henry Evaloarjuk Print Source Drumsong Communications Inc. In Inuktitut with English subtitles • Renowned Canadian director John Houston tells the story of the Inuit culture’s celebrated epic hero, the prophet and shaman Kiviuq. The tale of Kiviuq, who was born when the world began, is considered “the secret Bible” in Inuit tradition, and Houston—who is known worldwide for making movies that celebrate Inuit culture—relates this millennia-old tale as told to him by Inuit elders. In a unique performance piece, spoken in Inuktitut and filmed in one room, Houston lets the Inuit arts of music, dance, song and storytelling reveal a timeless story about bravery, betrayal and survival. Not only does this intriguing work preserve a rich history in danger of being lost, it also instructs viewers which paths to take and which paths to avoid, no matter what century they live in. US Premiere —Nora Isaacs
us cinema
world cinema
Kenny
AUSTRALIA 99 MINS
Knee Deep
Saturday, October 6 12:00 pm KNEE06S Sequoia
Tuesday, October 9 6:00 pm KNEE09R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor Michael Chandler Producers Michael Chandler, Sheila Canavan Print Source The Moenkopi Group, Inc.
Josh Osborne quit school when he was 12 to work full time on his family’s farm in rural Maine. He spent years laboring 16 hours a day on the farm. It was what he knew and loved, and it was promised to him. Then one day, learning that his mother planned to sell the farm to developers, Josh tried to murder her. Seems straightforward, but former Bay Area filmmaker Michael Chandler uncovers rich complexities in this absorbing, surprisingly touching true story. Through probing interviews, first-rate footage and a suspenseful telling of the facts, Chandler uncovers the complicated path to committing an unthinkable crime. The moment we form an opinion about any of the colorfully candid people involved, more information comes to light, making it harder to take a side. After putting yourself in someone else’s shoes, you may be surprised by what you might do.
In Farsi with English subtitles • Kobra (Zeinab Sohrabi), a young orphan girl who shepherds in the Iranian countryside, is summoned back to her tribe’s camp, where she is issued an order from her guardian: Spend several days in town with a mysterious elderly woman. Reluctant to leave behind her life (and her beloved horse), Kobra goes, though she has a hard time in her new surroundings and yearns to rejoin her people. Like his previous film, the wonderfully fairy tale-like The Liar Shepherd (MVFF 2006), director Sirous Hassanpour’s latest work has a folklore feel that’s complemented by an impressive sense of poetic naturalism. Iranian cinema has long had a knack for making films about children; this fable on the importance of community and finding your place in the world speaks eloquently to audiences, whoever and wherever they are. —David Fear
•••Presented in association with Iranian.com
Laviva
Sunday, October 7 5:30 pm LAV07R Rafael
Monday, October 8 9:00 pm LAV08T 142 Throckmorton
Director Izu Ojukwu Producers Onyebuchi Eriobu, Peace Anyiam Fiberisima Screenwriter Amoto Okomanyi Cinematographer Chimezie Ojukwu Editor Emeka Ojukwu Cast Joy Egbunu, JT Tom West, Hank Anuku, Frances Duru Print Source Jamie Meltzer In Pidgen with English subtitles • One of the most ambitious directors in Nigeria’s booming digital-cinema industry, Izu Ojukwu adroitly blends domestic melodrama with the camaraderie and tension of a soldiers-in-arms saga in Laviva. During the Liberian civil war in 1992, the Nigerian government sends a “peacekeeping mission” to Liberia, targeting Liberian rebels. Civilians are caught in the middle and suffer the most, of course. A Liberian nurse whose father died at the hands of the Nigerians, Laviva (Joy Egbunu) encounters a Nigerian officer with genuine ideals, and her hatred begins to dissolve. “We are all Africans,” he declares during a prickly confrontation with a group of women at the village pump. “We are one people, one blood and one love.” This heartfelt drama honors the idealism and chronicles the brutality of war with nuance and fidelity. The filmmaker’s own travails in making this picture are documented with humor and pathos in Welcome to Nollywood (see page 109). North American Premiere —Michael Fox
•••Presented in association with the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Museum of the African Diaspora
Little Heroes (Giborim Ktanim)
I SRAe L 2006 76 MINS
Saturday, October 6 10:30 am LITT06T 142 Throckmorton
Sunday, October 14 10:30 am LITT14S Sequoia
Director Itai Lev Producers Roni Dvash, Ayelet Imberman Screenwriter Eran B. Y. Cinematographer Ofer Harari
Editor Gila Cohen Cast Alon Lysy, Anastasia Safonov, Daniel Damidov, Nir Zwickel, Dana Ivgy, Avigail Ariely, Miki Kam Print Source Itai Lev In Hebrew and Russian with English subtitles • Life is hard when you’re a misfit, but it’s even harder for a kid who feels alone. In Little Heroes, four square pegs embark on a quest, and their naive courage affects everyone in their lives. Alicia is a recent immigrant from Russia who is responsible beyond her years, and hears and knows things others don’t. Sure that a couple is injured and in danger somewhere in the desert, she enlists aid from Erez, a boy trying to recover from his father’s recent death while enduring well-meaning indulgence from adults and resentful bullying from classmates. Though doubtful about Alicia’s mission, Erez sets off with her and her childlike, strapping older brother, Lev. Their search proves more difficult than anticipated, but the trio find support from Lior, an outsider in his kibbutz community. Enemies become allies, bullies find compassion, and adults reach understanding in this moving story. Ages 8+ —Roberta McNair
valley of the docs
world cinema
world cinema
children’s filmfest
London to Brighton
Saturday, October 13 9:45 pm LOND13R Rafael Sunday, October 14 7:15 pm LOND14R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Paul Andrew Williams Producers Allistair Clark, Rachel Robey, Ken Marshall Cinematographer Christopher Ross Editor Tom Hemmings Cast Lorraine Stanley, Johnny Harris, Sam Spruell, Nathan Constance, Alexander Morton, Georgia Groome Print Source Outsider Pictures
In this harrowing award-winning thriller, a London prostitute and a 12-year-old runaway girl form a desperate alliance to escape a violent pimp and a callous strip club owner who both want to possess them for their own evil ends. Writer-director Paul Andrew Williams refuses to make this journey into darkness anything close to comfortable, but the intense drama frequently alludes to the loveliness of innocence, a saving grace skillfully rendered. Lorraine Stanley as Kelly, the scuffed-up hooker, and Georgia Groome as her unexpected ward, Joanne, are superb in their emotional interplay, thrust into an awkward sisterhood in a sinister world. The unkempt pimp, Derek, is played with chilling menace by Johnny Harris. Not for the faint of heart, this one’s an audacious look at the dark side, seething with danger yet brushed by hope—and not without powerful assurances that innocence forges its own brand of redemption. —Peter Stack
Luna: Spirit of the Whale
Sunday, October 7 10:45 am LUNA07R Rafael
Saturday, October 13 10:00 am LUNA13R Rafael
Director Don McBrearty Producer Trish Dolman Screenwriter Beth Stewart Cinematographer Jan Kiesser Editor Michael John Bateman Cast Adam Beach, Jason Priestley, Aaron Miko, Graham Greene, Tantoo Cardinal Print Source Screen Siren Pictures
When a friendly young Orca takes up residence near a Vancouver fishing village, news crews and tourists scramble to get close to nature. Behind the scenes, a showdown is brewing between the local Mowachaht-Muchakaht First Nations, convinced that the whale carries the spirit of their chief, and the government agency that claims concern for the animal’s safety. The chief’s wayward son, Mike (Adam Beach, Flags of Our Fathers), returns for a funeral and steps into the fray, locking horns with tribe members who expect him to take his father’s place, and with the underhanded Fisheries honcho (Jason Priestley, playing against his 90210 type) who sees the situation as a mere public relations nuisance. A fictionalized account of a real-life drama, Luna is an engaging journey that carries us below the waves, to the whales’ fluid beauty, and above the surface, to witness a young man discovering his true nature. Ages 7+ US Premiere —Deanna Quinones
Lust, Caution (Sie jie)
c h INA/US 2007 158 MINS Thursday, October 4 6:30 pm LUST04R Rafael $25
Director Ang Lee Producers Bill Kong, Ang Lee, James Schamus Screenwriters Wang Hui Ling, James Schamus Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto Editor Tim Squyres Cast Joan Chen, Tony Leung, Tang Wei, Wang Lee Hom Print Source Focus Features
OPENING NIGHT • In Mandarin with English subtitles • Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain; The Ice Storm, MVFF 1997) proves once again that his filmmaking excels in any genre; this time he has chosen the erotic espionage thriller. Loyalties are spread thin in Shanghai during World War II, as political tension mounts between Chinese Nationalists and Japanese occupiers. For a young stage actress, Wong (Tang Wei in an explosive debut performance), this tension comes to a boil when she finds herself in a deadly game of espionage and sexual intrigue with Mr. Yee (Tony Leung), a powerful political figure and Japanese collaborator. Wong goes deep undercover to expose Yee, quickly earning the trust of his neglected wife (Joan Chen)—while becoming the man’s mistress. Based on a short story by acclaimed Chinese novelist Eileen Chang, Lust, Caution smolders on the screen, revealing layers of emotion and sexual desire in a thrilling tale that resonates deep within the human heart. —Josh Moore • Note: This film is rated NC-17 and contains explicit sexual content. No one under 18 admitted.
•••For Opening Night event information, see page 21.
Man in the Chair
Director/Screenwriter Michael Schroeder Producers Michael Schroeder, Randolf Turrow, Sarah Schroeder
Dana Gonzales Editor Terry Cafaro Cast Christopher Plummer, Michael Angarano, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Wagner, Joshua Boyd, Mimi Kennedy Print Source Outsider Pictures
CENTERPIECE
• The superb Christopher Plummer is Flash, a curmudgeon with a hankering for classic movies and booze. Cameron (Michael Angarano) is a volatile teen who commits grand theft auto just because the car is an exact replica from Christine. Their relationship is forged in the darkness of a movie theater and fueled by a mutual appreciation of rebellion and cinema. Cameron enters a student film contest, though he lacks the resources of his peers. Learning that Flash is a retired Hollywood gaffer—and the only surviving crew member from Citizen Kane Cameron follows him to his home at the Motion Picture Residence for the Elderly, a colony of aging film folk set aside by the industry. A quirky fellowship develops, in which Flash and his friends help Cameron make his film, and, in doing so, change his life. Plummer is outstanding as the cantankerous cynic who becomes an ardent mentor.
•••For Centerpiece event information, see page 22.
•••Sponsored by U.S. Trust
world cinema
children’s filmfest
cANAdA 2006 91 MINS
world cinema
Margot at the Wedding US 2007 93 MINS
Saturday, October 13 6:30 pm SPOT13R Rafael $25
Director/Screenwriter Noah Baumbach Producer Scott Rudin
Cinematographer Harris Savides Editor Carol Littleton Cast Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro Print Source Paramount Vantage SPOTLIGHT ON JENNIFER JASON LEIGH • In a truly inspired feat of casting, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Jason Leigh are estranged sisters with more in common than they’d care to admit. Simultaneously self-righteous and self-loathing, Margot (Kidman) and Pauline (Leigh) bring a wickedly wry humor and a mass of insecurities to a turbulent relationship that turns on a dime. After years apart, Margot decides to visit Pauline for Pauline’s impending wedding to Malcolm (Jack Black, in fine disheveled form), an unemployed artist and musician of whom Margot clearly disapproves. As the sisters spar and personal secrets unravel, a storybook wedding seems an unlikely prospect. It doesn’t help that the nasty next-door neighbors demand they chop down the old tree under which they plan to marry. As with The Squid and the Whale (MVFF 2005), writer-director Noah Baumbach paints an authentic, sardonic portrait of a family falling apart and fighting to put itself back together again. —Joanne Parsont
•••For Spotlight event information, see page 57.
•••Sponsored by Kerner Optical
Wednesday, October 10 7:00 pm MICH10S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter Tony Gilroy Producers Sydney Pollack, Steven Samuels Cinematographer Robert Elswit Editor John Gilroy Cast George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Sydney Pollack Print Source Warner Bros
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is an in-house “fixer” at one of the largest corporate law firms in New York. At the behest of the firm’s co-founder Marty Bach (Sydney Pollack), Clayton, a former prosecutor from a family of cops, takes care of Kenner, Bach & Ledeen’s dirtiest work, cleaning up clients’ messes, from hit-and-runs and damaging stories in the press to shoplifting wives and crooked politicians. At the agrochemical company U/North, the career of in-house chief counsel Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) rests on the settlement of the suit that Kenner, Bach & Ledeen is leading to a seemingly successful conclusion. When Kenner’s top litigator, the brilliant Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson), has an apparent breakdown and tries to sabotage the entire case, Bach sends Clayton to tackle this unprecedented disaster and, in doing so, Clayton comes face to face with the reality of who he has become.
•••Sponsored by Maroevich, O’Shea & Coghlan
Mind the Gap (Se upp för därarna)
Swede N 2007 102 MINS
Thursday, October 11 9:30 pm MIND11R Rafael Saturday, October 13 3:00 pm MIND13S Sequoia
Director Helena Bergström Producer Colin Nutley Screenwriters Helena Bergström, Denize Karabuda Cinematographer Olof Johnson Editor Perry Schaffer Cast Rakel Wärmländer, Nina Zanjani Print Source Swedish Film Institute
In Swedish with English subtitles • A charming story about knowing yourself, knowing where you came from and taking opportunities because you deserve them, Mind the Gap concerns two young women from different backgrounds who become friends while training at the Swedish Police Academy. The rebellious daughter of a famous criminologist, Elin has something to prove; Yasmín, a thoughtful Turkish immigrant whose family is falling apart, is idealistic. As the two struggle to make the cut, their dreams, fears and lives become intertwined. Yasmín’s father, a respected surgeon in his home country, can now only find work as a subway driver. Yasmín’s devotion to her family simultaneously keeps her from and pushes her toward true maturity. Elin’s bold nature serves as a shield, so that she doesn’t have to trust anyone. Together, they learn to mind the gaps along the path toward independence and self-discovery. North American Premiere —Kristine Kolton
•••Presented in association with the Consulate General of Sweden of San Francisco
•••Sponsored by A Party Center
Miss Universe 1929
AUSTRIA/NeThe RLAN d S 2006 70 MINS
Friday, October 5 6:30 pm MISS05T 142 Throckmorton
Saturday, October 6 6:00 pm MISS06R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Péter Forgács Producers Cesar Messemaker, Georg Misch, Ralph Wieser Cinematographers Archiv Material, Péter Forgács Editor Péter Sass Print Source Mischief-films
In English and Hungarian with English subtitles • Master of found-footage filmmaking Péter Forgács (El Perro Negro, MVFF 2005) uses rare archival material and home movies to craft an intimate look at one woman’s journey from fräulein to famous beauty. Lisl Goldarbeiter was just another pretty girl growing up in early 20th-century Vienna. Her cousin, Marci Tenczer, had two interests: the cinema, and Lisl. After obsessively filming his objet d’amour, the amateur auteur sent her photo to a beauty pageant committee; Lisl ended up being crowned Miss Universe, the most gorgeous woman in the world. She also attracted the interest of Hollywood’s elite, married a gamblingaddicted heir to a European necktie empire and subsequently watched war destroy almost everything she held dear. In Forgács hands, Lisl’s story is a time capsule of the 20th century, a testament to the power of the seventh art and a chronicle of infatuation with an unlikely happily-ever-after ending. —David Fear
us cinema
Michael Clayton US 2007 120 MINS
world cinema
valley of the docs
Mr. Dial Has Something to Say US 2007 56 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 79 MINS
Saturday, October 6 5:15 pm MRD06T 142 Throckmorton Wednesday, October 10 6:00 pm MRD10R Rafael
Director/Producer Celia Carey Cinematographer Christopher Holmes Editors Jared Shull, Chris Tomberlin Print Source APT
This enlightening documentary makes its case regarding the way one of America’s most prolific and talented living artists has been overlooked. Told through the unlikely relationship between Bill Arnett, a white man obsessively searching the South for undiscovered African-American art, and Thornton Dial, a self-taught Southern black artist who crafts breathtakingly complex assemblages, the film chronicles Dial’s attempts to enter the art world and his subsequent wild ride from nowhere to success and back. With a stellar soundtrack and beautifully shot images, this provocative, lyrical film reveals a troubling underside of the museum and gallery world. —Carrie Lozano PRECEDED BY
Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide
Director Ben Wu
US 2006 23 MINS A beautifully crafted portrait of the artists at work at San Francisco’s acclaimed Creativity Explored workshop for the developmentally disabled—and amply gifted—community.
•••Presented in association with the Berkeley Art Center and the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts valley of the docs My Enemy’s Enemy
Monday, October 8 4:30 pm MYEN08S Sequoia
Friday, October 12 4:45 pm MYEN12R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Kevin Macdonald Producers Rita Dagher, Kevin Macdonald Cinematographer Jean-Luc Perreard
Editor Nicolas Chaudeurge Print
Source The Weinstein Company
In French with English subtitles • Haunting yet sharply relevant today, this alarming documentary by director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, MVFF 2006) does much more than dust off history when it looks at the twisted life of infamous Nazi Klaus Barbie, “the butcher of Lyon.” Through chilling footage of events and interviews, Barbie emerges as focal point for a scary reality: Rightist ideologues, particularly American ones that once battled Hitler, can be perfectly comfortable colluding with former enemies. Never mind justice. In Barbie’s case, the ruthless torturer eluded authorities, tried to create a Fourth Reich in Latin America and survived a noted trial in France for his Nazi criminal deeds. And, not incidentally, he worked for the CIA. Macdonald calls his film “alternate history.” Produced by Rita Dagher (Fahrenheit 9/11), My Enemy’s Enemy is a much-needed historical study of hypocrisy magnified, a vision hard to shake off. US Premiere —Peter Stack •••Sponsored by KQED
The Orphanage (El Orfanato)
Friday, October 5 9:00 pm ORPH05S Sequoia Friday, October 12 10:00 pm ORPH12R Rafael
Director Juan Antonio Bayona Producers Mar Targarona, Joaquin Padro, Alvaro Augustin, Guillermo del Toro Screenwriter Sergio G. Sanchez. Cinematographer Oscar Faura Editor Elena Ruiz Cast Belen Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Montserrat Carulla, Andres Gertrudix, Edgar Vivar, Geraldine Chaplin. Print Source Picturehouse
In Spanish with English subtitles • Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) as producer presents Juan Antonio Bayona’s stunning feature directorial debut, a spine-tingling tale with extraordinary emotional depth about a haunted locale and its frightening effects on the relationship between a mother and son. After 30 years away, Laura (Belen Rueda, The Sea Inside) returns with her husband, Carlos, and their young son, Simón, to the orphanage where she grew up on the coast of Spain. They plan to reopen it, but Simón’s imaginary friends soon begin leaving deadly clues to Laura’s haunted past, and Laura suspects an outside presence may be looming in the dark depths of the orphanage, and may threaten her son’s safety. It’s up to Laura to find the answers as she navigates the orphanage’s eerie pathways and murky cellar. Not only a masterful ghost story, The Orphanage is also a heartfelt portrait of the strength needed to overcome loss. —Josh Moore
•••Sponsored by SF Weekly
Outer and Inner Spaces
Thursday, October 11 4:00 pm OUTE11R Rafael Friday, October 12 4:30 pm OUTE12R Rafael
In various languages with English subtitles • For the slightly older kid crowd this stunning collection features: David and Steven go crazy in the minimalist Black and White: Ladies Shoes (Jon Izen, Canada 1 min); a little bit of blarney with The Boy Who Had No Story (Aidan Hickey, Ireland 13 mins): wacky imagination in Portable Living Room (Ransom Riggs, US 3 mins); a little girl with a big problem in Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot (David Chai, US 7 mins); Brazilian break-dancing with Mare Capoeira (Paola Barrero LeBlanc, Brazil 15 mins); an imaginative Shipwrecked (Devon Bolton, Canada 10mins); more David and Steven getting crazy in Black and White: Movie Magic (John Izen, Canada, 1 min); the all-important book in Charlie and Lola: But That Is My Book (Kitty Taylor, UK 12 mins), and a magic book in Magic Cellar: Where Stories Came From (Firdaus Kharas, Zimbabwe 12 mins); and the doubting teacher in A Great Big Robot Stole My Homework (Mark Shira, Canada 2 mins). Ages 8+ —John Morrison
valley of the docs
The Paper Will Be Blue (Hîrtia va fi Albastra)
R OMANIA 2006 95 MINS
Tuesday, October 9 7:00 pm PAPE09S Sequoia
Sunday, October 14 2:00 pm PAPE14R Rafael
Director Radu Muntean Producers Dragos Potop, Dragos Vilcu Screenwriters Alexandru Baciu, Radu Muntean, Razvan Radulescu Cinematographer Tudor Lucaciu Editor Alexandru Radu Cast Paul Ipate, Adi Caraleanu, Dragos Bacur, Tudor Aron Istodor Print Source Romanian Cultural Institute
FOCUS: ROMANIA • In Romanian with English subtitles • Set during the final days of the Ceausescu regime, Radu Muntean’s stunning docudrama transports viewers to the moment when revolution was in the air and riots filled Romania’s streets. While militia forces try to keep various terrorist factions from seizing power after the leader’s fall, a soldier (Paul Ipate) assigned to protect Bucharest’s suburbs decides to abandon his post and join the cause. His unit attempts to track him down, with disastrous results. Like fellow countrymen Cristi Puiu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) and Corneliu Porumboiu (12:08 East of Bucharest), director Muntean has a knack for lacing Eastern European dourness with humanism and bone-dry humor. But it’s the film’s refusal to candy-coat a politically turbulent moment that makes this you-were-there view of the country’s liberation something akin to a gutpunch. —David Fear
•••Presented in association with the Romanian Cultural Institute New York
•••Sponsored by Cinda Home Furnishings
Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm
US 2007 74 MINS
Saturday, October 6 2:00 pm PASS06R Rafael Saturday, October 13 2:15 pm PASS13T 142 Throckmorton
Well worth all the great buzz it’s generated, this intriguing film looks at the evolution of women’s sexual satisfaction through one simple invention—the vibrator. The informative yet playful documentary expertly takes us through the vibrator’s secret history, from its use by Victorian doctors to relieve women of “hysteria” to its resurgence during the sexual revolution of the 1970s and on to its status today, when in some states laws still exist that restrict the number of vibrators one may own. Interviews feature sexologist Betty Dobson, Ph.D.; pioneering feminist Dell Williams, founder of the first sex-toy store exclusively for women; and Dr. Rachel Maines, a historian who, accidentally uncovering ads for vibrators in early 20th century magazines while researching needlepoint patterns, set off on a historical journey to uncover the truth about women’s pleasure, passion and power. —Nora Isaacs
•••Presented in association with Bay Area Women in Film and Television
The People’s Advocate:
The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry
Saturday, October 6 4:45 pm
US 2007 59 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 85 MINS
PEOP06R Rafael
Monday, October 8 9:30 pm PEOP08S Sequoia
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Editor Hrag Yedalian Cinematographer Ara Soudjian Print Source Hrag Yedalian
Charles R. Garry was one of the great badass radicals of the ’60s. The San Francisco criminal defense attorney changed the way American law was practiced when he won freedom for clients like Black Panthers Huey Newton and Bobby Seale, and the antiwar activists dubbed the Oakland Seven, in the most highly charged political trials of the day. This is a superb portrait of “the defender of the despised,” whose career came to a shattering end when his client, the Reverend Jim Jones, enacted a mass suicide at Jonestown. World Premiere —Deanna Quinones
PRECEDED BY
Common Enemies
Directors Nick Guroff, Tonantzin De Aztlan
US 2007 26 MINS In Arabic and English with English subtitles • The true story of a most uncanny alliance forged in the ’80s between American Indian, Chicano and Black activists and Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy.
•••Presented in association with the San Francisco Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild and the Bay Area Video Coalition
•••Sponsored by In Ticketing
The Pixar Story US 2007 87 MINS
Saturday, October 6 7:00 pm PIXA06R Rafael
Sunday, October 7 6:30 pm PIXA07R Rafael
Director/Producer/Screenwriter Leslie Iwerks
Print Source Leslie Iwerks
Cinematographer Suki Medenevic Editors Leslie Iwerks, Stephen Meyers
It’s the Story Behind the Stories: In the mid 1980s, three men united together to follow a dream; Ed Catmull, John Lasseter and Steve Jobs pushed beyond the boundaries of what was known in the world of art and science to form Pixar Animation Studios. In 1995, their Academy Award–winning computer-animated film, Toy Story, launched an entirely new animation industry, and the seven films that have followed have entertained millions of people worldwide. Yet over the last 20 years, Pixar’s dramatic rise has often been one of struggle, belief and sheer commitment, as the group forged their way in an unknown medium. The result has been a serendipitous blend of art, science, business acumen and extraordinary vision and talent. Through never before seen archival footage, candid interviews and visually stunning art and animation, Oscar-nominated director Leslie Iwerks takes us inside the fascinating and unique world of Pixar.
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Possession (Badha)
Saturday, October 6 4:30 pm POSS06R Rafael Wednesday, October 10 7:15 pm POSS10S Sequoia
In Marathi with English subtitles • In the visually striking first moments of Possession, an only son disappears from the barren landscape of a shepherding village, opening the door into this montage of interconnected incidents in the life of a small community. This latest work from directors Sumitra Bhave and Sunil Sukthankar (Long Live Life, MVFF 1998) plays like music, exploring variations on a theme, the battle between fear and faith. A grandmother believes a boy must be born to her family, in order to attain salvation; her daughter-in-law endures the fear and anguish of an unconsummated marriage; the wife of a soldier serving on the borderlands lives alone, has no children of her own and is accused of witchcraft. Against the complexity of the emotions that run through the village, Bhave and Sukthankar’s film questions whether the instinct for hope and compassion can break through fear and superstition. World Premiere —Zoë Elton
•••Presented in association with the India Community Center •••Sponsored by Events Ondine
Postcards from Tora Bora
Saturday, October 13 1:30 pm
POST13R Rafael Sunday, October 14 2:00 pm
POST14T 142 Throckmorton
Directors Wazhmah Osman, Kelly Dolak Producers Stephen Jablonsky, Wazhmah Osman, Kelly Dolak Screenwriter Wazhmah Osman Cinematographer Kelly Dolak Editor Stephen Jablonsky Print Source Obscured Pictures
In English and Farsi with English subtitles • This powerful and innovative documentary combines intimate observation with artistic animation to tell the story of war’s legacy on family and country through the eyes of an Afghan woman returning home after 20 years. Wazmah Osman had a peaceful childhood growing up in Kabul until the Soviet invasion in 1972. Over the following years, she witnessed government coups, violence and death, and her father’s imprisonment and subsequent involvement in the resistance movement—until she left everything behind to escape to a Pakistani refugee camp. Returning to Afghanistan 20 years later to look for evidence of her former life, Osman struggles with the truth of what she finds: ruins, rubble, traumatized people, estrangement. But while this story is one of immeasurable loss, pain, fortitude and survival it is also a testimony of reconciliation, as Osman meets her father again and returns to the land she had had to leave behind. —Nora Isaacs •••Presented in association with the Asia Foundation
Presque Isle
Friday, October 5 7:15 pm PRES05S Sequoia Thursday, October 11 9:15 pm PRES11R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Rob Nilsson Producers Jeremiah Birnbaum, James Savoca, Rob Nilsson Cinematographer Mickey Freeman Editor Milena Grozeva Lely Cast Kieron McCartney, Kara McCartney, Robert Viharo, Michael Edo Keane, Elizabeth Skylar, Carrie Paff Print Source Citizen Cinema
Rob Nilsson’s powerful and complex tale dives into the heart of a man driven to confront his past in order to heal the pain of the present. Danny (Kieron McCartney, featured in Nilsson’s Pan, MVFF 2006) is a tortured man-child who returns to his family’s abandoned island retreat and finds himself beset by fantasies of deceased ancestors, former lovers and concerned friends. Frazier (Robert Viharo, featured in Nilsson’s Attitude, MVFF 2003) is Danny’s enigmatic father-figure, and the man Danny’s deceased mother Alicia passionately loved but could not let herself have. Both men are prisoners of their pasts; neither can abandon their passionate devotion to Alicia. Produced in collaboration with the San Francisco School of Digital Filmmaking, Presque Isle captures the tone of Ingmar Bergman’s early work in its psychological exploration of characters set in a physical and emotional landscape colored by loneliness, rich memories and a soul-baring search for meaning. World Premiere —Karen Davis
Sunday, October 7 12:15 pm
Sequoia Wednesday, October 10 7:15 pm PRIC10R Rafael
Director Bill Haney Producers Bill Haney, Eric Grunebaum Cinematographers Eric Cochran, Jerry Risius Editor Peter Rhodes
Print Source Uncommon Productions
In English and Spanish with English subtitles • This story of a modern saint follows Father Christopher Hartley as he unites immigrant cane cutters in the Dominican Republic against the oppressive sugar empire. While the US pays for Dominican sugar products at twice the world market rate, Haitian cane workers are stripped of their identification and rights. Devoting himself to the laborers, Father Christopher has built soup kitchens and broken a centuries-old taboo by bringing doctors into the bateyes (shantytowns). His efforts have been met with death threats and calls for his removal. Director Bill Haney weaves a tight film, smoothly integrating information about national history, bigotry and economics to render fully a tale of the suffering of many for the benefit of the few. Narrated by Paul Newman. —Sara Schieron
PRECEDED BY
Turn Back South
Director Igor Borovac
US 2007 11 MINS In Spanish and English with English subtitles • The realities of the US–Mexico border, told from the dual perspective of migrating families and their supporters, and US Border Patrol agents.
world cinema
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana) US/Mex I c O 2007 54 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 69 MINS
Saturday, October 13 2:30 pm QUEV13R Rafael
Sunday, October 14 4:00 pm QUEV14T 142 Throckmorton
Director/Producer Gustavo Vazquez Cinematographer Luis Martel Editor Jonathan Parra Print Source Maskarte Productions In Spanish with English subtitles • Professional wrestlers in Mexico are like mid-level rock stars, especially in the sport’s capital, Tijuana. They walk the streets and pilot their big cars in their masks, signing autographs and posing for pictures. But the spectacle in the ring goes beyond anything the WWF sanctions. The bad guys (heroes and villains are a staple of the sport) taunt the crowd with rude, crude obscenities, while every wrestler gets blasted with blows to the head from steel chairs and ladders. “Sometimes you don’t gauge the consequences correctly,” one competitor wryly remarks about the extreme and occasionally bloody leaps and falls that are de rigueur. Gustavo Vazquez’s affectionate, action-packed documentary exposes the surprising variety of nuances in a seemingly macho culture. World Premiere —Michael Fox PRECEDED BY
Learning to Fly: A First Year of BASE Jumping Director Lincoln Else
US 2007 15 MINS A year in the life of avid BASE jumper Chris McNamara as he completes 395 jumps in 365 days—well on his way to flying like a bird.
•••Sponsored by Best Beverage Catering
Rails & Ties
Saturday, October 13 8:15 pm RAIL13S Sequoia
US 2007 105 MINS
Director Alison Eastwood Producers Robert Lorenz, Peer Oppenheimer, Barrett Stuart Screenwriter Micky Levy Cinematographer Tom Stern Editor Gary D. Roach Cast Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Miles Heizer, Eugene Byrd Print Source Warner Bros
Unable to face the possibility of losing his wife to illness, Tom Stark buries himself in his job as a train engineer. But when Tom’s train hits a car on the tracks, a young woman is killed and her son, Davey, is left to cope with the loss of his mother. The accident puts the Starks and Davey on their own collision course. Instead of leading to tragedy, however, this crossing could mean new hope for a woman who has only one chance left to fulfill her dreams, for a man who must learn to open his heart before it is too late and for a boy who has never known the true meaning of family. The directorial debut of Alison Eastwood, Rails & Ties stars Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden.
•••Sponsored by Marin Magazine
Red Robin (Sineh Sorkh)
Saturday, October 6 12:00 pm REDR06R Rafael Friday, October 12 4:30 pm REDR12S Sequoia
I RAN 2006 81 MINS
Director/Screenwriter Parviz Sheikhtadi Producer Majid Esmaeili Cinematographer Sirus Abdoli Editor Shahrzade Pouya Cast M. R. Davoodnejad, Reza Safaipour, Yousef Maradian Print Source Aviny Cultural Artistic Institute In Farsi with English subtitles • Red Robin takes place against the backdrop of a beautiful hillside area. While a group of adults watch a bullfight, some local children play games, chasing young Aliyar through the fields with a scarecrow. But when Aliyar tries to get his own back on his best friend, Gholam Hossein, tragedy occurs, and Aliyar fears that he has been the cause of Gholam Hossein’s death. A Muslim, Aliyar has noticed that members of the Christian church nearby believe in resurrection; moreover, the priest has recently acquired a new cross for his church, hoping this will make it the most beautiful in the area. So Aliyar resolves to search for someone who has the breath of Christ in order to resurrect his friend. Director-writer Sheikhtadi’s mystical tale about faith and the interconnectedness of all people is told with a gentle power that recalls Majid Majidi’s Color of Paradise and Children of Heaven North American Premiere —Zoë Elton
•••Presented in association with Iranian.com
Saturday, October 6 6:00 pm REND06S Sequoia
Sunday, October 7 8:45 pm REND07R Rafael
Director Gavin Hood Producers Steve Golin, Marcus Viscidi Screenwriter Kelley Sane Cinematographer Dion Beebe Editor Megan Gill Cast Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Alan Arkin, Meryl Streep Print Source New Line What if someone you knew just ... disappeared? In Oscar-winning director Gavin Hood’s (Tsotsi; A Reasonable Man, MVFF 1999) gripping film, Anwar El-Ibrahim inexplicably vanishes on his return from South Africa to Washington DC. His wife, Isabella (Reese Witherspoon), is left in the dark about his whereabouts. but with the aid of a friend and budding politician (Peter Sarsgaard), she learns Anwar is the victim of “extraordinary rendition”—the policy developed in the ’90s that allows terror suspects to be transferred secretly from one country to another. Anwar, meanwhile, is held and interrogated in an undisclosed detention facility in northern Africa, where CIA analyst Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal), assigned as an observer, questions the nature of this unorthodox practice and makes a daring attempt to secure Anwar’s release. Performed by an incredible ensemble cast, Rendition is a powerful, layered examination of the US government’s methods of interrogation and their devastating effects. —Josh Moore
•••Sponsored by the Gruber Family Foundation
valley of the docs
us cinema
world cinema
Reservation Road
Wednesday, October 10 7:00 pm SPOT10R Rafael $25
Director Terry George Producers Nick Wechsler, A. Kitman Ho Screenwriters John Burnham Schwartz, Terry George Cinematographer John Lindley Editor Naomi Geraghty Cast Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning Print Source Focus Features
SPOTLIGHT ON TERRY GEORGE • A car accident is a tragic occurrence, but an accident nonetheless. A hitand-run is another matter entirely: The accident is just the beginning, the ending shaped by a human response with immeasurable consequences. In this powerful film version of John Burnham Schwartz’s heartrending novel by director Terry George (Hotel Rwanda; Some Mother’s Son, MVFF 1996), two fathers end up on their own collision course after a dark night on a winding Connecticut road. Desperately seeking justice and retribution, Ethan (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes obsessed with near-vigilante efforts to solve a case the police can’t, while divorced dad Dwight (Mark Ruffalo) struggles to do the right thing and still sustain a relationship with his son. The stellar cast (including Jennifer Connelly as Ethan’s wife and Mira Sorvino as Dwight’s ex) delivers phenomenal performances, as grief and rage clash with guilt and fear, in a dramatic battle of wills and combustible reactions. —Joanne Parsont
•••For Spotlight event information, see page 51.
•••Sponsored by Frantoio Ristorante and Kerner Optical
Gaurav Jani is a one-man film crew and “star” of this remarkable documentary: a solo motorcycle trek to the highest habitable place on earth, the Changthang Plateau in Ladakh, bordering China. From teeming Mumbai, Jani rides his 350 cc. Enfield, creaking under the weight of movie equipment, fuel and camping gear, negotiating hairpin turns on an ascent to more than 18,000 feet. There’s nary a false note in this adventure as he rides undaunted from one outpost to another, toughing out altitude sickness and cold so bitter his bike won’t run. The barren landscape is gorgeous and lonesome, but Jani finds astonishing humanity at every turn. In the great middle-of-nowhere he meets the nomadic herding Chang-pas people, chances upon a rare religious festival and films the inside of an isolated monastery never filmed before. It is a surprising mix of scenery, soulful simplicity and flat-out fun. —Peter Stack •••The October 8 screening will be followed by a Children’s Medical Aid Foundation benefit at the Outdoor Art Club, featuring fine food and beverages and live music by Sukhawat Ali Khan and Musicians. Separate ticket required. $30 PARTY08
•••Presented in association with the Indian Community Center •••Sponsored by American Airlines
The Rind (La Cáscara) U RUGUAy 2007 105 MINS Friday, October 12 9:30 pm RIND12R Rafael Saturday, October 13 12:30 pm RIND13R Rafael
Director/Screenwriter Carlos Ameglio Producers Diana Frey, Luis Miñarro, Mariana Secco Cinematographer Juan Carlos Lenardi Cast Juan Manuel Alari, Martin Voss Print Source Film Department—Salado Media
In Spanish with English subtitles • Ad-agency creative director Juan’s sudden death just before he is to create a new flu-meds campaign presents a career—if not an existential—crisis for his assistant, Pedro, when he inherits his boss’s job. A slacker who has never experienced an original thought, Pedro investigates Juan’s life, trying to recover his ideas. But the answer to Pedro’s dilemma may lie with Juanito, the odd, spaceship-obsessed little boy he befriends. Deadpan humor drives this quirky black comedy that might be described as character driven, except that the self-absorbed, monstrously passive-aggressive Pedro does not have much in the way of actual character as he goes to ridiculous lengths to avoid doing any actual work. In spite of that, he is a likeable lout. This deadbeat antihero prowling the streets of Montevideo could have stepped out of a Jim Jarmusch film, so evocative is The Rind’s deliberate pacing and off-kilter vibe. —Pam Grady
Director/Screenwriter Tamara Jenkins Producers Ted Hope, Anne Carey Cinematographer Mott Hupfel Editor Brian A. Kates
Cast Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco Print Source Fox Searchlight OPENING NIGHT • Two exceptional actors navigate the bumpy terrain of shifting familial responsibility. Weighed down by family dysfunction and sibling rivalry, adult siblings Wendy Savage (Laura Linney, MVFF Spotlight 2004) and her brother, John (Philip Seymour Hoffman), become reluctant caretakers for a man neither has spoken to for years, when their estranged father is suddenly in need of long-term care. Options are limited, so John, a fortysomething unmarried professor with a paunch and a passion for Bertolt Brecht, checks their parent into a nursing home. Wendy, a neurotic aspiring playwright who’s also single but sleeping with her older married neighbor, is guilt-ridden over institutionalizing Dad—even if they are taking better care of him than he ever did of them. From The Slums of Beverly Hills to the nursing homes of Buffalo, director Tamara Jenkins’ films dwell in the hot spots of family dramedy, where irony lives side by side with misery. —Joanne Parsont •••For Opening Night event information, see page 21.
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The Secrets I SRAe L/F RAN ce 2006 120 MINS
Thursday, October 11 8:45 pm SECR11S Sequoia Saturday, October 13 9:30 pm SECR13R Rafael
Director Avi Nesher Producers Avi Nesher, David Silber
Screenwriter Hadar Galron Cinematographer Michel Abramowicz
Editor Isaac Sehayek Cast Fanny Ardant, Ania Bukstein, Michal Shtamler Print Source United King Films
In Hebrew and French with English subtitles • Set in Safed in Northern Israel where the mystical texts of the Kaballah were first interpreted and studied, three women meet on the road to redemption. Naomi knows her sacred texts better than her own heart. Michelle’s passion needs purpose. Ailing Anouk brings them together. Each seeks reconciliation with G-d and her own female essence. Daughter of an esteemed rabbi, Naomi tricks her father, postponing an arranged marriage to attend a seminary for women. Her father does not know that she harbors the desire to be a rabbi herself. She and Michelle deliver food for the soul to Anouk. Raiding forbidden Kaballah texts, they create the rituals to release her from her painful past. As Naomi and Michelle’s bond intensifies, old secrets are revealed and new ones must be kept. They risk all to fulfill their commitment to their sick friend and to each other. To err is human; to forgive, divine. US Premiere —Carol Harada
•••Presented in association with the Consulate General of Israel to the Pacific Northwest
Soldiers of Conscience
Friday, October 5 8:30 pm
Sunday, October 7 11:00 am
Directors/Producers Gary Weimberg, Catherine Ryan
Print Source Luna Productions
ACTIVE CINEMA MOVEMENT
US 2007 86 MINS
SOLD05T 142 Throckmorton
SOLD07R Rafael
Cinematographer Kevin O’Brien
Editors Gary Weimberg, Josh Peterson
• How does a patriotic West Point graduate become a conscientious objector? How does a person trained to kill deal with the moral consequences of taking a human life? These fascinating questions are the core of this philosophical documentary. Using the Iraq war as a backdrop, filmmakers Catherine Ryan and Gary Weimberg (Three Women and a Chateau, MVFF 2006) delve deep into the hearts of soldiers who joined up for love of country, were asked to kill for that love and were unable to pull the trigger. Intimate interviews with several soldiers reveal the different paths that brought them to the battlefield and then to the difficult and drastic decision to become a conscientious objector, opposed to all war, in the midst of combat. Narrated by Peter Coyote, Soldiers of Conscience transcends general politics to uncover weightier thinking about free will, morality and life during wartime. —Brendan Peterson
•••Presented in association with the Episcopal Diocese of California and the Marin Interfaith Council
Stages (Tussenstand)
Friday, October 5 8:30 pm
Sunday, October 7 1:30 pm
NeThe RLAN d S 2007 80 MINS
STAG05R Rafael
STAG07S Sequoia
Director Mijke de Jong Producers Joost de Vries, Leontine Petit Screenwriters Jolein Laarman, Mijke de Jong Cinematographer Ton Peters Editor Dorith Vinken Cast Elsie de Brauw, Marcel Musters, Stijn Koomen Print Source Lemming Film In Dutch with English subtitles • Roos and Martin are intellectual, middle-aged and divorced. Despite their estrangement, they find plenty of time to rehash the details, and consequences, of their relationship over dinner and drinks, in Mijke de Jong’s chatty, intimate family drama. While the two cry, taunt, reminisce and even exchange blows, their teenage son Isaac becomes increasingly isolated, avoiding contact with his family and the outside world, in favor of sneaking into nearby homes while the neighbors are away. A unique mix of formalism and verité, the film intersperses a series of conversations with spare tableaus featuring the morose Isaac. Using extreme close-ups and positioning actors partially out of frame, director de Jong masters the anxious fatalism that plagues his characters, and—as Roos and Martin try to find a way to move on with their lives that doesn’t require them to leave their family behind—makes Stages an exceptional chamber piece. US Premiere —Aaron Lazenby
Starting Out in the Evening US 2006 105 MINS
Saturday, October 6 9:00 pm STAR06S Sequoia
Thursday, October 11 7:00 pm STAR11S Sequoia
Director Andrew Wagner Producers Nancy Israel, Fred Parnes, Gary Winick, Jake Abraham Screenwriters Andrew Wagner, Fred Parnes Cinematographer Harlan Bosmajian Editor Gena Bleier Cast Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor, Adrian Lester, Karl Bury, Anitha Gandhi Print Source Roadside Attractions
Anchored by the award-winning performance of Frank Langella and filled with fascinating insights into the life of a writer, Starting Out in the Evening is a sweet, sad, spellbinding exploration of cross-generational longing and desire. Leonard Schiller (Langella) is a lonely, aging, prominent New York City author who has seen better days. Heather Wolfe (Lauren Ambrose) is an energetic graduate student who plans to save Leonard from obscurity by reviewing his out-of-print work in her master’s thesis. Over time, this intellectual odd couple form an unexpected bond, as they debate everything from artistic inspiration to the fine line between fact and fiction. Meanwhile, Leonard’s daughter, Ariel (Lili Taylor), struggles with her own aging and intimacy issues. Director Andrew Wagner focuses on intimate moments, thoughtful conversations and on Langella’s sublime, subtle acting to craft a delicate, deep tale about the volatile nature of writing, love and family. —Brendan Peterson
•••Sponsored by Qantas Airways
valley of the docs
world cinema
Strong Love / Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy
Sunday, October 7 11:00 am STRO07S Sequoia Sunday, October 14 11:45 am STRO14R Rafael
ACTIVE CINEMA MOVEMENT • Not long ago, being born with an acute developmental disability such as Down Syndrome was a one-way ticket to life in an institution. But as disabled rights have gained ground, this marginalized population shows that disabled does not have to mean disenfranchised. The dynamic duos in this poignant pair of documentaries have certainly not let disability prevent them from fulfilling lives. In Alice Elliott’s Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy (USA 40 mins), a 61-year-old woman with severe cerebral palsy and a woman with Down Syndrome have been together for 38 years. Their remarkable example of independent living is outdone only by their unrelenting activism—they jeopardize their Medicare benefits in order to travel the country and lobby for disabled rights. In her equally inspiring Strong Love (USA 56 mins World Premiere), director Bonnie Burt introduces Holly and Jon, a local couple with Down Syndrome and many personal achievements, who met as kids and now prepare for their wedding, their lives graced by family support and their own unconditional love. —Joanne Parsont
•••Presented in association with Lifehouse •••Sponsored by the Pacific Sun
Saturday, October 6 10:00 am SVEI06R Rafael Tuesday, October 9 4:00 pm SVEI09R Rafael
Director Magnus Martens Producer Dag Alveberg Screenwriters Siv Rajendram, Kristin Ulseth Cinematographer Marius Johansen Hansen Editor Kirsti Marie Hougen Cast Thomas Saraby Vatle, Luis Engebrigtsen Bye, Celine Louise Dyran Smith, Benjamin Gulli, Miriam Sogn, Aslag Guttormsgaard Print Source Norwegian Film Institute
In Norwegian with English subtitles • Svein doesn’t understand why everyone hates rats. He loves them, particularly his pet, Halvorsen. Except for chewing through wiring and rubber tubing, Halvorsen’s a very cool pet. He has a great life with Svein’s family, and gets to play with Svein’s friend Dan’s pet rat, James Bond. Svein decides he has to prove that rats are cooler than other pets. His new friend Melissa thinks Halvorsen’s great and encourages Svein to enter him in the annual pet competition. But Svein’s desire to make his point pushes him to take Halvorsen to school and the hospital, where rat-haters abound and chaos ensues. When Svein’s parents tell him that if he doesn’t keep Halvorsen out of mischief, it’s back to the pet store, Svein takes drastic action. Though run-ins with bullies, romantic bumps, and appliance disasters create obstacles, the love between a boy and his rat stays true. Ages 8+ —Roberta McNair
Things We Lost in the Fire
Friday, October 12 7:00 pm THIN12R Rafael Sunday, October 14 2:15 pm THIN14R Rafael
Director Susanne Bier Producers Sam Mendes, Sam Mercer Screenwriter Allan Loeb Cinematographer Tom Stern Editors Pernille Bech Christensen, Bruce Cannon Cast Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny, Alison Lohman Print Source Paramount
Academy Award winners Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro star in director Susanne Bier’s (Oscar-nominated After the Wedding, MVFF 2006) compelling drama. When Audrey Burke (Berry) loses her husband (David Duchovny) in an act of random violence, she forges an unlikely relationship with Jerry Sunborne (Del Toro), a down-and-out addict who has been her husband’s close friend since childhood. Desperate to fill the painful void caused by her husband’s death, Audrey invites Jerry to move into the room above their garage in the hope that he can help her and her children cope with their sudden loss. Fighting a daily battle to stay off drugs, Jerry finds a core of inner resilience in his unexpected role as surrogate parent and friend to Audrey’s children. Though their fragile bond is constantly tested as they navigate grief and denial, working together they find the strength to move on. US Premiere
•••Sponsored by Dolby Laboratories
The Three Musketeers (De Tre
d e NMARK 2006 75 MINS
Thursday, October 11 4:00 pm THRE11S Sequoia Sunday, October 14 10:00 am THRE14R Rafael
Director Janis Cimermanis Producers Peter Garde, Mikael Olsen Screenwriter Maris Putnins Cinematographer Evalds Lecis
Editors Janis Cimermanis, Evalds Lecis, Rasmus Madsen Print Source Danish Film Institute
CHILDREN’S FILMFEST CLOSING
• In English • Ladies, gentlemen, children of all ages, prepare yourself for the finest puppet animation on earth. This Latvian-Danish-British retelling of Dumas’ classic swashbuckler is so original and the dialogue so rich that the characters seem to transform themselves from mere cloth into flesh without your even noticing, and their faces are as expressive as any method actor’s. The feckless D’Artagnan, the evil Cardinal Richelieu and the brave musketeers Aramis, Porthos and Athos are all in their places—in love, opposition and friendship. And they’re accompanied by a comic host of characters, including D’Artagnan’s sway-backed but faithful horse. With luxurious traditional stop-motion animation by some of Europe’s old masters, this marvelous labor of love is incredibly refreshing to watch, particularly at a time when everyone’s rushing to duplicate today’s fast-paced computer animation. Ages 5+ —John Morrison
•••The October 14 screening will be followed by a Children’s FilmFest Closing event at the Marin Youth Center (the MYC). See page 30.
•••Sponsored by Bellam Self-Storage & Boxes
valley of the docs
children’s filmfest
Svein and His Rat (Svein og Rotta)
world cinema
children’s filmfest
Musketerer)
Tooned to Murder: Daring Duels and Dastardly Deeds
TOTAL PROGRAM 72 MINS
Friday, October 5 9:30 pm TOON05R Rafael
Saturday, October 6 10:00 pm TOON06R Rafael
Distorted reality, introspection, political satire and murder are the themes of this year’s MVFF animation program in 2D, 3D and stop motion. Providing a whimsical introduction, Troy Morgan’s The Instrumentalist (US 2 mins) plays organ to the seasons, while various animators join forces in Michelle Meeker’s When I Grow Up (US 7 mins). Reality takes a turn for the sinister in Peter Ricq’s Glitch (Canada 11 mins) and John Jota Leaños’ politically charged Los ABCs ¡Qué vivan los Muertos! (US 5 mins). Jahmad Rollins’ Slum Noir (US 5 mins) gives chase through a concrete jungle while Magnus Fredriksson’s The Blue Shoe (Sweden, 5 mins) seeks reprieve from a mundane existence. Dana Dorian’s Fetch (Scotland, 2 mins) and Anton Dawson’s Anatomy 101 (US 8 mins) give new visual meaning to the sardonic beating before a visit to Bill Plympton’s mysterious Shuteye Hotel (US 7 mins). Find hope in Jeff Riley’s innovative Operation: Fish (US 11 mins) before wrapping up the program with the best of comical combat in Francisco Ruiz and Sean McNally’s A Gentlemen’s Duel (US 8 mins). —Amanda Todd
Director/Producer Eric Christensen Cinematographers Chuck Hastings, Eric Christensen, Russ Johnson, Chris Felver Editor Schooner Stephenson Print Source Eric Christensen
Eighteen months before the Summer of Love, a handful of San Francisco performance artists, filmmakers, musicians, entrepreneurs and futurists planted the seeds of countercultural happenings. The result: the Trips Festival, a mindblowing three-day multimedia rock show featuring guerilla theater, light shows and music by the Grateful Dead. For many celebrants, the event—replete with LSD-spiked ice cream—proved a transformative experience that would radiate throughout the culture. Filmmaker Eric Christensen shows how the Trips Festival became the blueprint for Burning Man, raves and much more. The festival inspired its presenter, Bill Graham, to book his first rock show at the Fillmore Auditorium; its producer, Stewart Brand, would go on to create the seminal Whole Earth Catalog and pioneering online community the Well. Narrator Peter Coyote likens this hip happening to “the proverbial lightning bolt that hit the primordial soup . . . just the right spark to create a new life form.” Get on the bus. . . . World Premiere —Greg Cahill
•••Screening will be followed by a panel discussion with special guests from the film.
•••Sponsored by Kim & Rob Schacter
Tuya’s Marriage (Tuyade Hunshi)
Saturday, October 6 6:30 pm
c h INA 2006 92 MINS
TUYA06S Sequoia Monday, October 8 7:30 pm
TUYA08R Rafael
Director/Editor Wang Quan’an Producer Yan Jugang Screenwriter Lu Wei Cinematographer Lutz Reitemeier Cast Yu Nan, Bater, Sen’ge, Zhaya Print Source Xi’an Motion-Picture Co. Ltd.
In Mandarin with English subtitles • The physical hardship and relationship quandaries of Mongolian peasant life are depicted without romanticism, but with gentle humor, in Wang Quan’an’s remarkable third film. Tuya (Yu Nan) walks 30 kilometers a day just to gather the day’s water from the well. Since her infirm husband, Bater, cannot work, she also does the farming while he looks after their two children. After Tuya suffers a serious back injury, relatives recommend she divorce and find someone who’ll take care of her. Once word spreads, a plethora of suitors arrive from long distances to propose, including her neighbor Sen’ge, who has matrimonial problems of his own. Our nononsense heroine, however, has other ideas, stemming from her reluctance to part from her loving husband. Winner of the Golden Bear for best film at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Tuya’s Marriage is the story of one remarkable woman’s attempt to have her cake and eat it too. —Rod Armstrong
•••Presented in association with Center for Asian American Media
•••Sponsored by Gaylord India Restaurant
The Ugly Duckling and Me (Den grimme ælling og mig)
d e NMARK 2006 89 MINS
Friday, October 5 4:30 pm UGLY05S Sequoia
Saturday, October 6 11:00 am UGLY06S Sequoia
Directors Michael Hegner, Karsten Kiilerich Producer Irene Sparre Hjorthøj Screenwriters Stefan Fjeldmark, Michael Hegner, Karsten Kiilerich, Mark Hodkinson Editors Thorbjorn Christoffersen, Virgil Kastrup Print Source Danish Film Institute CHILDREN’S FILMFEST OPENING • In English • A very irreverent retelling of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, this beautifully made animated film creates a new character. Escaping from some big over-muscled rats he’s offended, crafty Ratso decides to hide out in a nice barnyard among ducks and chickens until the coast is clear. He pretends to be a show-biz promoter to impress them and win their protection. When an errant egg hatches and becomes the strangest duck ever seen, Ratso names him Ugly. Nobody wants him, but something about this awkward and innocent bird brings out the tenderness in Ratso. Forced out of the barnyard, Ugly and Ratso travel on together, Ugly hilariously growing from chick to adult until he becomes . . . well, let’s just say he isn’t a duck. This classically crazy animation harks back to the golden years of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck, including ultra-snappy smart dialogue. Ages 6+ —John Morrison
•••The October 6 screening will be followed by a Children’s FilmFest Opening Party at the Outdoor Art Club. Separate ticket required. See page 30.
mvff shorts
valley of the docs
world cinema
children’s filmfest
Uranya
Saturday, October 6 11:45 am URAN06R Rafael Saturday, October 13 2:45 pm URAN13S Sequoia
In Greek with English subtitles • In this charming coming-of-age story from Greece, a boy, Achilles, longs to escape his village, his bickering parents and the unbearable destiny of being a blacksmith’s son. It’s 1969, and the town, you see, doesn’t have a television. The problem distresses everyone, but particularly Achilles, who dreams of being an astronaut and wants to watch the Apollo 11 lunar landing. The genre’s amusing tropes provide good slapstick comedy—gossiping wives, bumbling authority figures and the eternal adolescent quest to lose one’s virginity—while the film evokes its historical moment so distinctly, and Achilles exudes such a poignant lightness of being, that we are transported with him above the fray. Getting a television means cutting through a Gordian knot of challenges political, familial, financial, and Achilles’ only tool is his determination. But, desire can work miracles, the film proposes, perhaps none more astonishing than putting a man on the moon itself. North American Premiere —Jeff Campbell
•••Sponsored by Raymond Vineyards
Saturday, October 13 7:15 pm
Director/Producer/Screenwriter Rob Nilsson Cinematographer Chikara Motomura Editor Rob Lee Cast Robert Viharo, Paige Olson, Edwin Johnson, Johnny Tidwell, Kieron McCartney, Rob Nilsson Print Source Citizen Cinema Rob Nilsson (Opening, Pan, MVFF 2006) returns with the second chapter in the 9@Night series. 9@Night resident antihero, Malafide, departs his part-time lover Tracey’s restful digs for the streets. After a mental breakdown, he develops a strong bond with a homeless man as they embark on a journey to bring a “mystical man,” named People, “to his spiritual place.” Tracey enlists the help of her underworld, coke-addicted nephew to help pay off a debt to “Uncle Kenny.” Nilsson explores his signature themes with gritty, dynamic characters, portraying the socially marginalized as honorable, dignified, even spiritually gifted, and illuminating indefinable connections between human beings. Used distinguishes itself among the 9@Night films with its stark landscape photography, in which the desolate beauty of the Nevada desert mirrors the characters’ own. The series draws to a close at MVFF with the final installment, Go Together (see page 92). World Premiere
Warchild (Stille Sehnsucht- warchild)
Ge RMANy/S LOve NIA 2006 103 MINS Saturday, October 6 3:00 pm WARC06S Sequoia Sunday, October 7 9:15 pm WARC07R Rafael
Director Christian Wagner Producers Christian Wagner, Dunja Klemenc Screenwriters Edin Hadzimahivic, Stefan Daehnert Cinematographer Thomas Mauch Editor Jens Klüber Cast Labina Mitevska, Katrin Sass, Senad Basic, Otto Kukla, Crescentia Dünesser, Miranda Leonhardt Print Source Christian Wagner Film
FOCUS: GERMANY • In German, Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian with English subtitles • The frantic ache of a displaced loved one carried off to safety elsewhere during wartime haunts the striking heroine of the second installment in Christian Wagner’s Balkan Blues Trilogy. Labina Mitevska (Before the Rain) stars as Senada, a young mother whose only daughter Aida was removed from Bosnia-Herzegovina during the worst years of the war and presumably adopted into a Western European family. Searching for her after the war, Senada follows her intuition; eventually she enters illegally into Germany, where she discovers through a UNICEF worker (played by Katrin Sass, so memorable as the frazzled mother in Wolfgang Becker’s Good Bye, Lenin!) the harsh truth of postwar adoption: Aida is alive and well and living happily with a German family. Dark secrets then emerge, leaving no one unscathed in this expertly crafted, superbly performed drama. —Andy Bailey
•••Presented in association with the Goethe Institute San Francisco
•••Sponsored by Blithedale Terrace
The Way I Spent the End of the World (Cum mi-am petrecut sfarsitul lumii) R OMANIA 2006 110 MINS Tuesday, October 9 4:30 pm WAY09S Sequoia Sunday, October 14 11:30 am WAY14R Rafael
Director Catalin Mitulescu Producers Catalin Mitulescu, Daniel Mitulescu and David Thion Screenwriters Catalin Mitulescu, Andreea Valean Cinematographer Marius Panduru Editor Cristina Ionescu Cast Dorteea Petre, Timotei Duma, Cristian Vararu, Ionut Becheru Print Source Film Movement
FOCUS: ROMANIA • In Romanian with English subtitles • Most recent exports from Romania’s extraordinary new wave have focused on the aftermath of former president Nicolae Ceausescu’s reign of terror, but Catalin Mitulescu’s drama unflinchingly looks at life under the stranglehold of communist rule. The country’s “Christmas revolution” is still several months away, and the teenage Eva (Doroteea Petre, winner of the 2006 Un Certain Regard best actress award at Cannes) is struggling under the yoke of frustrated parents and suffocating under her high school’s stifling rules. After her boyfriend accidentally breaks a bust of their Beloved Leader and lets her take the rap, Eva is transferred to an even stricter reformatory school. And what’s with their rebellious new neighbor and his mysterious scheme? Filled with tenderness and tart with humor, this coming-of-age story filters a nation’s turbulent history through an adolescent’s awakening. —David Fear
•••Presented in association with the Romanian Cultural Institute New York
world cinema
us cinema
world cinema
Welcome to Nollywood
US 2007 57 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 72 MINS
Sunday, October 7 3:30 pm WELC07R Rafael
Tuesday, October 9 7:30 pm WELC09A SF Art Institute
Director Jamie Meltzer Producers Henry S. Rosenthal, Cayce Lindner Cinematographer Bruce Dickson
Editor Daniel Friedman Print Source Jamie Meltzer
Roger Corman meets the digital age in Nigeria, where a hyperactive young film industry churns out an astonishing 2,400 movies a year. Entrepreneurial producer-directors shoot fast and cheap, targeting the ravenous direct-to-DVD market. Some of these young moguls are artists at heart, dreaming of making “serious” films as they labor away under extremely trying conditions. With a perfect blend of respect and deadpan humor, director Jamie Meltzer documents the ambitions and struggles of several Nollywood filmmakers on the rise, including Izu Ojukwu, who is embarking on a daunting, largescale film about the Liberian civil war, based on actual events (Laviva, MVFF 2007; see page 97). Interviews with actors, journalists and industry professionals round out this excellent introduction to the Nigerian film explosion. —Michael Fox
PRECEDED BY
Salim Baba
Director Tim Sternberg
India/US 2007 15 MINS In Bengali with English subtitles • A handcranked-cinema-cart projectionist artfully edits his own medley of Bollywood’s best song and dance spectacles for his young viewers.
•••Presented in association with the San Francisco Black Film Festival and the Museum of the African Diaspora
When Darkness Falls (När Mörkret Faller)
Wednesday, October 10 9:30 pm
Swede N 2006 134 MINS
WHEN10S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter Anders Nilsson Producer Joakim Hansson Cinematographer Per Arne Svenson Editor Darek Hodor Cast Oldoz Javidi, Lia Boysen, Reuben Sallmander, Per Graffman, Bibi Anderson, Peter Engman Print Source Swedish Film Institute
In Swedish with English subtitles • With shifting storylines reminiscent of Crash, this intense, understated Swedish thriller unfolds in a compromised society in which danger lurks in even the most seemingly benign situations. Two young sisters discover their immigrant family’s deadly notion of honor when their parents suspect one of them has shamed them by consorting with boys; after years of abuse, an award-winning television journalist has her husband arrested, only to see her colleagues take his side; a restaurateur receives death threats after agreeing to testify against the gunman that shot his bouncer. Tension and dread increase as each of these characters, regardless of personal cost, manages to find the will to stand up against the twin threats of injustice and social censure—and a ray of light begins to peek out of the bleak Stockholm winter. North American Premiere —Pam Grady •••Presented in association with the Consulate General of Sweden of San Francisco •••Sponsored by Frank Howard Allen Realtors
Wild Boys of the Road US 1933 68 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 75 MINS Monday, October 8 4:30 pm WILD08R Rafael
Director William Wellman Producer Robert Presnell, Sr. Screenwriter Earl Baldwin Cinematographer Arthur L. Todd Editor Thomas Pratt Cast Frankie Darro, Dorothy Coonan, Edwin Phillips Print Source Warner Bros. Classics
In 1933, the year Oscar winner William Wellman’s hard-hitting movie about kids who leave home to ride the rails was released, the Great Depression was at its lowest point and Franklin D. Roosevelt had just begun to implement his sweeping governmental reforms. Frankie Darro, who played the lead, and his “leading lady,” Dorothy Coonan, were both 16. Their two characters meet while hopping trains, and they eventually hook up with a large community of kids living rough because their parents can’t support them. As they wander from state to state in search of work, a glimmer of hope finally appears when New Deal reforms offer jobs to young people. Never released on video and seldom shown in Warner Brother retrospectives, Wild Boys, with its gritty realism and natural acting, nonetheless wins audiences every time it’s shown. Ages 10+ —John Morrison PRECEDED BY
Betty Boop for President
Director Dave Fleischer
US 1932 7 MINS Betty runs for president in the same year as FDR, in this parody of politics that is very relevant to Depression-era concerns.
Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution
US 2007 57 MINS - TOTAL PROGRAM 95 MINS
Wednesday, October 10 7:00 pm WOME10T 142 Throckmorton Saturday, October 13 3:30 pm WOME13R Rafael
Director/Producer Rosemary Rawcliffe Cinematographer Peter McCandless Editor Miriam Telles Print Source Frame of Mind Films, Inc.
ACTIVE CINEMA MOVEMENT • In English and Tibetan with English subtitles • In 1959, Tibetan women in Lhasa took to the streets to oppose the violent occupation of their country by Chinese forces, and remained there until heavy shelling forced their surrender. Some were jailed; some risked escape across the Himalayas. The exiled elders of what became known as the Tibetan Women’s Uprising are at the heart of this second film in director Rosemary Rawcliffe’s trilogy about women of Tibet. Interviews with three generations of women—including Ama Adhe Tapontsang, Dolma Tsering Teykhang and Tseten Choeden—as well as with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, reveal incredible stories of long incarceration, of perilous treks and of women in exile who continue to embody their country’s cultural legacy as they build schools, clinics and communities, and work as doctors, engineers and politicians. The rare footage and thoughtful beauty of the film, combined with these deeply moving stories, make this a perfect companion piece to last year’s Gyalyum Chemo—The Great Mother (MVFF 2006). World Premiere —Zoë Elton
•••A panel discussion with special guests will follow both screenings.
•••Presented in association with Bay Area Friends of Tibet
valley of the docs
world cinema
children’s filmfest
valley of the docs
Words and Music by Jerry Herman
Sunday, October 7 1:00 pm WORD07R Rafael Monday, October 8 7:15 pm WORD08S Sequoia
Director/Producer/Screenwriter Amber Edwards Cinematographers Mike Budd, Paul Horvath, Dean Krueger Editors Amber Edwards, Tim Hufnel Print Source NJN Public Television
“When they passed out talent,” Broadway star Carol Channing says of composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, “Jerry stood in line twice.” Herman rose to acclaim during the 1960s, penning the words and music to some of the greatest musicals to hit Broadway, including Hello, Dolly! and Mame and the cult fave Mack & Mabel. This charming look at a true American master takes you backstage through insightful on-camera interviews and brings out rare photographs and archival footage of the original Broadway cast performances—the film clip alone of a 1964 White House command performance of Hello, Dolly! is worth the price of admission. It’s a moving portrait of an uncompromising artist who weathered ups and downs before his triumphant 1983 comeback with La Cage Aux Folles. Critics have dismissed Herman as a lightweight; you won’t make that mistake after seeing this film. —Greg Cahill
•••Presented in association with Broadway by the Bay •••Sponsored by Sherman Clay
Late Addition!
Thursday, October 11 8:30 pm YELL11R Rafael Saturday, October 13 12:45 pm YELL13S Sequoia
Director/Screenwriter Christian Petzold Producers Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber Cinematographer Hans Fromm Editor Bettina Boehler Cast Nina Hoss, Devid Striesow, Hinnerk Schoenemann, Burghardt Klaussner, Barbara Auer, Christian Redl Print Source Cinema Guild
FOCUS: GERMANY • In German with English subtitles • In this superb metaphysical thriller crafted by acclaimed writer-director Christian Petzold (Wolfsburg), a woman named Yella decides to leave behind a failed marriage and broken dreams in her small eastern German town for a new life on the other side of the Elbe. In Hanover, she meets Philipp, a young executive at an equity firm, who hires her as his assistant. Although she has no knowledge of the world of venture capital, Yella discovers she has a knack with ruthless businessmen, and sees a potential future with Philipp. As she begins to worry that her new life could be too good to be true, strange voices and sounds suddenly start to plague her—truths from her past coming back to haunt her. Nina Hoss (Something to Remind Me) won the Berlin Film Festival’s Silver Bear for best actress for her performance in the title role.
My Brother Is an Only Child (Mio fratello e figlio unico)
ITALy/F RAN ce 2007 100 MINS Saturday, October 13 9:45 pm MYBR13S Sequoia
Director Daniele Luchetti Producers Riccardo Tozzi, Giovanni Stabilini, Marco Chimenz Screenwriters Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli, Daniele Luchetti Cinematographer Claudio Collepiccolo Editor Mirco Garrone Cast Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Diane Fleri, Alba Rohrwacher Print Source THIN KFilm
During the 1960s and ’70s in the small central Italian town of Latina, a city created by Mussolini’s Fascist government, Accio (Elio Germano) is his working-class parents’ despair, irritable and a troublemaker, impulsive and explosive, fighting every battle like a war. His brother, Manrico (Riccardo Scamarcio), is handsome, charismatic, loved by all, but just as dangerous. The brothers also have opposing political beliefs and are in love with the same woman (Diane Fleri). Through their endless confrontation, the two live through a period of their lives made up of escaping, returning, fighting and great passions. Already a hit in Italy and featured at the Cannes Film Festival, this coming-of-age tale is also a panoramic snapshot of Latina through time, as fifteen years of Italian history pass through the adventures of two brothers so different, yet alike.
•••Sponsored by Fireman’s Fund
Screening Committee Members
Adrian Belic
Nick Boglea
Micah Brenner
Chris Brown
Jeff Brown
Megan Cassidy
Tiffany Che
Amy Corbin
Molly Debower
Rama Dunayevich
Rico Estrada
Blake Facente
Michael Falter
Gary Flatow
Catherine Flaxman
Michael Fox
Rick Goldsmith
Stacey Goodman
Dianne Griffin
Jennifer Hammett
Caroline Hanni
Mitra Karimi
Nancy Kelly
Hossein Khosrowjah
Vivian Kleiman
Becky Mertens
Christine Metropoulos
Peter Moore
Elizabeth Morse
Mike Overbeck
Joanne Parsont
BZ Petroff
Francesca Prada
Tala Russell
Golareh Safarian
John Sanborn
Molli Amara Simon
Wendy Slick
Dale Sopheia
Melinda Stone
Stacey Wisnia
Doug Wolens
Kenji Yamamoto
valley of the docs
world cinema
Yella
Ge RMANy 2007 89 MINS
world cinema
Film Calendar
The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry 4:45PM PEOP06R 85 MINS
Story 7:00PM PIXA06R 87 MINS
In Search of a Midnight Kiss 9:45PM INSE06R 97 MINS
7:15PM JELL06R 78 MINS
9:15PM JUNC06R 106 MINS
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer 8:00PM ANIT06R 90 MINS
Tooned to Murder 10:00PM TOON06R 72 MINS
Irina Palm 8:45PM IRIN06S 103 MINS Rendition 6:00PM REND06S 123 MINS
Starting Out in the Evening 9:00PM STAR06S 105 MINS
Mr. Dial Has Something to Say 5:15PM MRD06T 79 MINS
Cinemasports 8:30PM CINE06T 120 MINS
rafael
rafael
rafael
Film Calendar
Chicago 10 1:00PM CHIC07R 103 MINS
Luna: Spirit of the Whale 10:45AM LUNA07R 91 MINS
Words and Music by Jerry Herman 1:00PM WORD07R 85 MINS
Revolutions! @ 24 Frames Per Second 12:30PM SEM07R The Price of Sugar 12:15PM PRIC07S 101 MINS
Strong Love/Body & Soul 11:00AM STRO07S 96 MINS
Daughters of Wisdom 11:00AM DAUG07T 82 MINS
Welcome to Nollywood 3:30PM WELC07R 72 MINS
1:30PM STAG07S 80 MINS Kiviuq 1:30PM KIV07T 72 MINS August Evening 3:30PM AUGU07R 129 MINS
HOWT07S
MINS
Four Sheets to the Wind 3:30PM FOUR07S 91 MINS
Iron Ladies of Liberia 3:45PM IRON07T 74 MINS
The Pixar Story 6:30PM PIXA07R 87 MINS
Rendition 8:45PM REND07R 123 MINS
Laviva 5:30PM LAV07R 105 MINS Warchild 9:15PM WARC07R 103 MINS
365 (nascor nasci natus): Parts 1 and 2 6:00PM NAS107R 140 MINS
Compound Eye 5:30PM COM07S 74 MINS
Blame It on Fidel 7:45PM BLAM07S 110 MINS I’m Not There 5:45PM IMNO07S 135 MINS Beaufort 9:00PM BEAU07S 120 MINS Butterfly 8:00PM BUTT07R 87 MINS
Dylan (Interpreted) 9:00PM MUSC07T
rafael
rafael
sequoia
sequoia
throck
Terry
Mr. Dial Has Something to Say 6:00PM MRD10R 79 MINS
5@5: I’m Your Man 5:00PM 5AT510R 82 MINS
5@5: There Is a War
5AT510S 84 MINS
Riding Solo to the Top of the World 8:15PM RID10R
The Price of Sugar 7:15PM PRIC10R 101 MINS
Possession 7:15PM POSS10S 94 MINS Michael Clayton 7:00PM MICH10S 120 MINS
Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution 7:00PM WOME10T 58 MINS
special venues
marin civic center
Battleship potemkin
October 7, 7:30PM and October 9, 7:30PM 66 MINS
See page 24 for more information.
san francisco art institute
Welcome to Nollywood
October 9, 7:30PM WELC09A 72 MINS
george lucas theater at Kerner optical filmmaking’s Next Dimension: an Insider’s look
October 13, 2:00PM SEM13G
See page 29 for more information.
outdoor art club
How to cook your life party
October 7, 5:00PM PARTY07
See page 93.
riding solo benefit
October 8, 9:00PM PARTY08
See page 104.
11 pm When Darkness Falls 9:30PM WHEN10S 134 MINS
The Trips Festival 9:30PM TRIP10T 60 MINS Kenny 9:45PM KENN10S 99 MINS Drained 9:45PM DRA10R 105 MINS
Centerpiece: Man in the Chair 6:30PM MAN11R 109 MINS
Outer and Inner Spaces 4:00PM OUTE11R 78 MINS
Blame It on Fidel 6:00PM BLAM11R 110 MINS
5@5: Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye 5:00PM 5AT511R 79 MINS
5@5: Take This Longing 5:00PM 5AT511S 84 MINS
Djanta 6:00PM DJAN11S 106 MINS Yella 8:30PM YELL11R 89 MINS
Kobra’s Decision 7:15PM KOBR11R 81 MINS
Starting Out in the Evening 7:00PM STAR11S 105 MINS
friday october 12
My Enemy’s Enemy 4:45PM MYEN12R 87 MINS
Outer and Inner Spaces 4:30PM OUTE12R 78 MINS
5@5: There Is a War 5:00PM 5AT512R 84 MINS
5@5: Waiting for the Miracle 5:00PM 5AT512S 88 MINS
Things We Lost in the Fire 7:00PM THIN12R 117 MINS
Rind 9:30PM RIND12R 105 MINS
Elvis and Anabelle 7:15PM ELV12R 105 MINS
Clouds Over Conakry 7:15PM CLOU12S 113 MINS Red Robin 4:30PM REDR12S 81 MINS
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten 6:30PM JOES12S 124 MINS
Pearl Harbour: Celebrating Joe Strummer 9:00PM MUSC12T The Orphanage 10:00PM ORPH12R 105 MINS
MINS
10:00PM HEAR12S 110 MINS
9:30PM CONT12S 121 MINS
The iGeneration Download 11:00AM IGEN13R 86 MINS
Luna: Spirit of the Whale
LUNA13R 91 MINS
Postcards from Tora Bora 1:30PM POST13R 85 MINS
Djanta 12:00PM DJAN13R 106 MINS
The Rind 12:30PM RIND13R 105 MINS
Kobra’s Decision 11:00AM KOBR13S 81 MINS
ICEB13S 95 MINS Dig-It-All! 12:00PM DIG13T 81 MINS
The Three Musketeers 10:00AM THRE14R 75 MINS
The Way I Spent the End of the World 11:30AM WAY14R 110 MINS
Strong Love/Body & Soul 11:45AM STRO14R 96 MINS
Frozen Life 11:30AM FROZ14S 106 MINS
Little Heroes 10:30AM LITT14S 76 MINS
Daughters of Wisdom 12:30PM DAUG14S 82 MINS
of Tibet: A Quiet
WOME13R 58 MINS Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana) 2:30PM QUEV13R 69 MINS Used 7:15PM USED13R 84 MINS
Four Sheets to the Wind 5:00PM FOUR13R 91 MINS
Mind the Gap 3:00PM MIND13S 102 MINS
Uranya 2:45PM URAN13S 95 MINS
PASS13T 74 MINS
7 Islands and a Metro 4:30PM 7ISL13T 100 MINS Spotlight on Jennifer Jason Leigh 6:30PM SPOT13R 133 MINS Autism: The Musical 4:30PM AUT13R 94 MINS
8:00PM JELL13S 78 MINS Diving Bell and the Butterfly 5:00PM DIV13S 112 MINS Rails & Ties 8:15PM RAIL13S 105 MINS Clouds Over Conakry 7:00PM CLOU13R 113 MINS
Heartbreak Hotel 5:30PM HEAR13S 110 MINS
to Brighton 9:45PM LOND13R 90 MINS Drained 6:45PM DRA13T 105 MINS My Brother Is an Only Child 9:45PM MYBR13S 100MINS
Postcards from Tora Bora 2:00PM POST14T 85 MINS 14 Women 12:00PM 14WO14R 79 MINS
The Paper Will Be Blue 2:00PM PAPE14R 95 MINS
Bunnies and Butterflies 2:15PM BUNN14R 74 MINS
365 (nascor nasci natus): Parts 3 and 4 4:00PM NAS214R 140 MINS
Things We Lost in the Fire 2:15PM THIN14R 117 MINS California Dreamin’ (Endless) 4:15PM CAL14R 155 MINS London to Brighton 7:15PM LOND14R 90 MINS
Diving Bell and the Butterfly 2:00PM DIV14S 112 MINS
Autism: The Musical 2:30PM AUT14S 94 MINS
The Kite Runner 5:00PM KITE14S 122 MINS
The Kite Runner 5:15PM KIT214S 122 MINS
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana) 4:00PM QUEV14T 69 MINS
Bee-ing Me 6:00PM BEE14T 97 MINS
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten 7:30PM JOES14R 124 MINS
rafael
rafael
It’s
not too late to volunteer!
The success of the Mill Valley Film Festival depends on the dedication and enthusiasm of its volunteers. Each year our volunteers help us produce an internationally acclaimed event and are part of one of Mill Valley’s most exciting annual celebrations. It’s a great way to get involved, make new friends and see great films!
important dates
saturday, septem B er 15
SIGN-UP SESSION #1 AND VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION 9:00–11:00 am Sign-up 11:00 am–12:00 pm Orientation FREE Festival film screened after orientation Smith Rafael Film Center
it’s easy to get involved!
in order to volunteer:
• Attend a sign-up session
• Commit to a minimum of 12 hours of volunteer work
• Attend volunteer meetings and trainings for your shifts
SIGN-UP SESSION #3 4:00–7:00 pm Smith Rafael Film Center
did you miss siG n-up or orientation? it’s sti LL not too Late! There are plenty of volunteer opportunities throughout the festival. Please contact Ryan Jones, volunteer coordinator, at 415.526.5869 or mvffvolunteers@cafilm.org.
mv FF t heat R i Cal tR aile R
director Ted Jenkins
Written by Dennis Scheyer
agency Scheyer/SF
agency Producer Katie Porter
Executive Producers Allison Amon, Lisa Mehling
associate Producers John LaChapelle, Gina Zapata
Producer Adam Guliner
Production Manager Jamie Anderson
Editorial Barbary Post
Editor Kristen Jenkins
Executive Producer Bob Spector
assistant Editors Jenni Nelson, Daniel Truog
Music Beacon Street Studios
composer Andrew Feltenstein
visual Effects Eightvfx vfx designer Baptiste Andrieux logo design MINE™
location Glendale Community College: Lawrence Serot, Vice President; Guido Girardi, Performing Arts Production, Manager; Marco Navarro, Technical Director
Creative Credits
camera Otto Nemenz
Electric Equipment Cinelease, Inc.
Grip Equipment Bullet Grip, Inc.
Production supplies Line 204
insurance Taylor & Taylor, Inc.
Props Hand Prop Room Omega/CP2
Trucks Galpin Motors Studio Rentals
Walkies Pro-V Communications film stock Kodak
s ound Mix Skywalker Sound
Re-recording Mixer Jürgen Scharpf
s ound opticals NT Audio film Processing/Prints Technicolor
Telecine Technicolor Creative Services Hollywood di Technicolor Digital Intermediates
“ mv FF t u R ning 30” Film and i nte RS titial S design and animation l.inc Design
creative director/ designer Lisa Berghout senior animator Ken Krueger
Executive Producer Anastacia Maggioncalda
Producer Rowena Cape
Mastering Radium
Music Talking House Productions, San Francisco
Project direction Cindy McSherry-Martinez
composer Paul Ruxton
Engineers Pete Krawiec, Willie Samuels agency Scheyer/SF
Producer/creative director Dennis Scheyer logo design MINE™
a dve R ti S ing/ pR int m ate R ial S agency Scheyer/SF creative direction/copy Dennis Scheyer design MINE™
designer Christopher Simmons digital artist Chris Dudley Web site design MINE™
p ubli C ity
agency Hamilton Ink
Principal Pam Hamilton Publicists Stephanie Clarke, Serene Moussa, Clara Franco, Samantha Barshop
Samantha Barshop, Timothy Buckwalter, Stephanie Clarke, Clara Franco, Serene Moussa, Chris Wiggum
Photography Coordinator
Patrik Argast
Videographer/youth Workshop Coordinator
John MacLeod
publi Cation S / d e S ign
Managing Editor
Joanne Parsont
Art Director
Michele Johnston
Copy Editor
Carrie Pickett
Proofreaders
Linda Moore
Christine Rickerby
Graphic Designers
Rose DeHeer
Michele Johnston
Production/Digital Prepress
Giraffex Inc.
Kenneth Lockerbie
Richard Repas
Print Ads
Winifred MacLeod
Database Designer
Sandy Gow
g ue St Se Rvi Ce S
Guest Services Manager
Joni Cooper
Hospitality Coordinators
Caitlin Sherman
Jill Spinelli
Transportation Coordinator
Molli Amara Simon
theate R /te Chni Cal
ope Ration S
Theater Operations Coordinator
Deanna Williams
Technical Director
Hal Rowland
Festival Theater Managers
Kate Aragon
Kate Carroll
James Hummel
Technical Advisor
Marty Brenneis
Technical Advisor/Editor
Marcus Pun
Box Office Management In Ticketing
Lead Projectionists
Ryan Hastie, Nathan Hoffman, Ben Lopata, Nayt Myers, Doug Nadeau, Max Savage, Jake Waddell
Projectionists
Zoe Cohen, Ben Hadden, David Krah, Cindy Norman
Theater Staff
Patrick Baxter, Abbey Byers, Carly Callaghan, Sue Campbell, James Chenney, Patricia Cogley, Griffen
Couillard, Alberto Diaz, Ren Dodge, Allana Ehlers, Julia Feldman, Fay
Ferency, Aidan Gavet, Nick
Gregg, Rory Harlib, Suzi Hynes, John Kemmeter, Christine King, Ana Mazarizgos, Jamie Mott, Natalie Schoch, Allen Snyder,
Cole Sutton, Ilya Tovbis, Sean Warner, Becky West, Chris Wren, Jake Zeisler
Ch R i Stophe R b. Smith
RaFael Film Cente R
Director of Programming
Richard Peterson
Manager
Dan Zastrow
Programming and Publicity
Associate
Maureen Dixon
Program Consultant
Jan Klingelhofer
Assistant Manager
Tim Fross
Shift Manager
Brandon Wisecarver
Interns
Programming Interns
Noelle Kessler, Cheryl Mak, Marissa Phillips, David Shane, Blake Thorman, Alicia Williams
Community Outreach Interns
Libby Rader, Shevaun Stapp
Special Events Intern
Julie Le
Education Interns
Brooke Callen, Danielle Graves, Katie Norby, Michael Wanger
Development Intern
Beverly Sterry
CFI Interns
Gary Flatow, Muriel Hammond, Murray Hammond, Ron Jennings, Gail Simmonds, Allen Snyder, Richard Vance
Sylvie Adair
Nicolette Aizenberg
Ioan Allen
Allison Amon
Ed Arentz
Steven Argula
Seema Arora
Brian Auger
BAFTA
Garbiz Baghdassarian
Krissy Bailey
Bill Banning
Richard Barker
Daria Bauer
Bay Area Video Coalition
Peter Belsito
Kim Bender
Sheila Benson
Jodi Berman
Mary Bitterman
Linda Blackaby
David Bonbright
Scott Bondlow
Mayor Al Boro
Janis Bosenko
Bruno Bossio
Larry Brackett
Bread & Roses
Ann Brebner
Marty Brenneis
Peter Broderick
Jill Brooke
Kristen Brown
Tom Bruchs
Desiree Buford
Patti Burke
Meghann Burns
Rita Cahill
California Newsreel
Brooke Callen
Campos-Emert Enterprises
Sarah Cathers
CFI Volunteers and Interns
Micheline Chau
James Chenney
Cima Media International
Stephanie Clarke
Jane Clemmons
Coastside Communications
Gail Cohon Stein
Anne Collins
Consulate General of India
Alice Corning
Cassandra Cosby
Peter Coyote
Dalila Cunha
Eric d’Arbeloff
Nancy Davis
Ninfa Dawson
Paul Dektor
Tara Dempsey
Aurora Dennis
Denver Film Festival
Dolby Laboratories
Rama & Bernard Dunayevich
Susan Dutton
Shiree Dyson
Flor A. Emert
Richard Emert
Moy Eng
Amir Esfandiari
Tareq Fakhouri
Emily Feingold
David Fenkel
Cathy Ferrari
Connie Field
Tom Filcich
Final Draft
Lindsay Fishkin
Lorrie Fishkin
Nancy Fishman
Gary Flatow
Jim Flavell
Focus Features
Raissa Fomina
Ben Fong-Torres
Julie Fontaine
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Neil Friedman
Sid Ganis
Mark Garwood
Felecia Gaston
Leslie Gavin
John Goddard
Dan Godfrey
John Godsey
Sandy Gow
Garrett P. Graham
Danielle Graves
Alice Gray
Robert Griswold
Linda and Jon Gruber
David Guastavino
Adam Guliner
Peggy Haas
Lynne Hale
Mary Hammond
Muriel and Murray Hammond
Amanda Hansen
Pearl Harbour
Hilary Hart
Liz and Tia Hart
JoAnn Hastings
Bob Hawk
Anna Heidinger
Ron Henderson
Mary Herr
Lynn Hershman-Leeson
Bob Hoffman
Karen Holmes
Christine Horstmann
Dot Howden
Melissa Howden
Marcus Hu
Suzi Hynes
Richard Idell
In Ticketing
Steve Indig
Terri Jaffe
Aliya Jaffe Whitney
Sheran James
Lange Jane
Ted Jenkins
Ron Jennings
Acknowledgments
Lisa Johnson
Juanita Jones
Miranda Jones
Jin Woo Joo
Bruce Katz
Deborah Kaufman
Deirdre Kennedy
Betsy Kenney
Suzie Kidder
Erin King
Jan Klingelhofer
Katie Korzun
Henri-Pierre Koubaka
Don Krim
KT Productions
Claudia Landsberger
Juliet Michele Lanfried
Larsen and Associates
K.C. Lauck
Graham Leggat
Allison Levenson
Sydney Levine
Michael Levinson
Sarah Lewin
Lee Lewis
Bill Longen
Mickey Luckoff
Lucy
Tom Luddy
Michael Lumpkin
Jay Lustgarten
Jennifer Coslett MacCready
Nancy Mackle
John MacLeod
Miss Madhi “Bless Her”
Anastacia Maggioncalda
Mark Mancuso
Nikki Marelich
Carol Marshall
Dan Martin
Doug Martin
Jean Mathieson
Charles McGlashan
Mary Jane, Paul and Phoebe
McKown
Peter McLaughlin
Marcus McWaters
Denise Meehan
Ann Marie Melanephy
Lucy Mercer
Gary Meyer
Meylan Construction
Dan Miller
Miramax Films
Tom and Susan Monahan
Anne Montgomery
Cheryl Moody
Cornelius Moore
Julie Morgan
Jakub Mosur
Sue Muzzin
Kjellaug Myhre
Roy Nee
Russell Nelson
New Wave City
New Line
Jane Ng
Norwegian Film Institute
Rudi O’Meara
Bernard and Babro Osher
Courtney Ott
Erin Owens
Pacific Film Archive
Paige Poulos Communications
Paramount Vantage
Jonathan and Deborah
Parker
Dominic and Paolo Patrove
Micha Peled
Alicia Perre-Dowd
Jeff Perry
Peter Peterson
Mark Phillips
Picturehouse
Mark Pitta
Sue Plotnick
Katie Porter
Sue Priolo
Elaine Proctor-Bonbright
Marcus Pun
Deanna Quinones
Oana Radu
Christopher Raker
Relocation Contracting Services
Roadside Attractions
Denise Robert
Henry S. Rosenthal
Hal Rowland
Malti Sahai
Alina Salcudeanu
San Francisco Art Institute
San Francisco Film Society
John Sanborn
Christine Sansom
Dennis Scheyer
Jennifer Schmidt
Jane Schoettle
Shiva Schultz
Kathy Severson
Ali Reza Shahroki
David Shane
Steve Shane
Trube Shock
Fred Silverman
Renee Simi
Gail Simmonds
Christopher Simmons
Prabat K. Singh
Christopher B. and Jeannie
Meg Smith
F. Joseph Smith
Fiske Smith
Smith Rafael Film Center Staff
Allen Snyder
Ben Soldinger
Shelley Spicer
Stanford Jazz Workshop
Becky Steere
Tom Steere
Peter Stein
Kyle Stephan
Judy Stone
Tim Stone
Matthew Storms
Strand Releasing
Isabelle Sugimoto
Swedish Film Institute
Jay Sweet
Jeanne Sweet
Marin Symphony
Reza Takkeshori
Anay Tarneka
Melanie Tebb
Terry Hines & Associates
THINKFilm
Andrew Thompson
Blake and Bev Thorman
Kyle Thorpe
Karsten Tietz
Henry Timnick
Evelyn Topper
Ilya Tovbis
Margaret Trich
C. Sade Turnipseed
Steve Ujlaki
Marc Urbaitel
Sean Uyehara
Richard Vance
Carol Vernal
Xavier Vilaubi
Maria Villani
Jan Wahl
Warner Bros. Films
Abby Wasserman
Clare Wasserman
Rob Wasserman
John C. Weaver III
Joanne Webster
The Weinstein Company
Steve Weisz
Trinity West
Jeff White
Skip Whitney
Chris Wiggum for Mayor
Rodney Williams
Kimberly Wilson
Stephanie Witt
Simon Young
Christine and Roberto Zecca
Zach Zeisler
Alvaro Zelaya
ASSOCIATE
Alex Aal, Theresa Abad, Becky Abel, Mimi Abers, Arthur and Deborah Ablin, Dr. Holly Abrams, Thomas Adams, Noma Adelman, Heidi Adler, Charles Agler, Gary and Maureen Aguilar, Merry Alberigi, Kathleen Alexander, Suzanne Alfandari, Dolores E. Ali, John Aliano, Allen Ellery, Kim Allen, Marlena Allison, Bunny Alsup, Bob Alto, Prince Altom, Karen Anderson, Robert E. Anderson, Loretta Anderson, Trent W. Anderson, Marliyn Anderson, Shelley A. Anderson, Carol Anderson, Thomas Anderson, David Andes, Julie M. Angel, Shahla AnsariJaberi, John Antonelli, Jenny Appleton, Mercedes Apraiz de Barrenechea, Laura Arago, Gregory Aranaga, Linda Arellano and Rene Mendez-Penate, Tom Areton and Lilka Areton, Christopher Armstrong, Steve Arnold, Jean Arnold, Margaret Arnold, Seema Arora, Sandra Ash, Susan Ashley, William B. Ashley, Beth M. Ashley, Joyce Asmussen, Carrie Assaf, Mary Axelrod, Manual Ayan, Alex Babakitis, Laura Bachman, Jasmine Bachtiger, Helen Bacon, Garbiz Baghdassarian, Krissy Bailey, Lynn Bailey, Diane Balmer-Martin, Ed Baquerizo, Philip and Valerie Baradat, Nancy J. Barash, Wendy A. Barbier, Jeremy D. Barcan, Carole Barlin, Mary L. Barone, Maritra Barrenechea, Trinina Barreto, Alice Bartholomew, Cynthia Hunter, Mai L. Bartling, Jim Barton, Melinda Bascone, Paul Basker, Deborah Bates, Anne Baxter, Diane Bazler, Suzanne Bean, Lyda Beardsley, Cathy Beaulieu, Georgetta Beck, John Becker, Kathy Beckerley, Patricia Bedrosian, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Beebe, Daniel and Sue Beittel, Kim Bender, C. Benet, David and Michele Benjamin, Dr. Robin Bentel and Mr. Bruce McAboy, William and Beverlee Bentley, Ralph Berets, JoAnn Berman, Bonnie Bernardini, Suzan Berns, Les and Irving Bernstein, Philip M. Bernstein, Jan Berry-Kadrie, Elvera Berson, Deborah Bertola, Vincent Betar, Mai Billaud, Christina Birch, Pam Bird, Jane Birenbaum, Steven Birnbaum, Beverly and Mark Birnbaum, Joan Bissell, Catherine Blackwell, Michele L. Blaisdell, Bruce Blakely, Lynn Blankfort & Steven Martin, La Vonne Blasche, J. David Blatchford, Earl Blauner and Linda Marks, Susan Block, Edward Bloomberg, Julia Bloomfield, Vinesa Blum, Joseph and Nancy Blum, Daniel G. Bobrow, Janet Bodie, Nick Bogle, Bonnie Bookspan, Bonnie Borenstein, Cory Born, Kathleen Bornstein, Carolyn Botts, Rebecca Brackman, Patricia Bradley, Bonita Bradley, Catherine Brady, Phyllis Bragdon, Bruce R. Bramlett, Burkhard Braun, Christine Brettinger, Suzanne Brice, Bridget Brink, Emily Brockman, Hannah Brodzinsky, Amy Brokering, Mary Lee Bronzo, Ann Brooks, Charles Brousse, Chris Brown, Devi Brown, Addie Brown, David Brown, Robert Brown, Becky Brudniak, Les Bruens, Barry Brukoff, Jay Brusseau, William Bry, Eva Brzeski, Susie Buck, Anna Buoncristiani Irvine, Peggy Burke, William Burmester, Judy Burns, Sally Burr, Carolyn Burt, Jan Burval and Leslie Katz, Tara Bushore, Libby Byers, Barbara Bylenga, Jeff Cady, Loreley Caetano, Jill Cagan, Patricia Cahill, Robert S. Cahn, Meridith Cahn, Rita Calumet, Ellisa Cameron, June Caminiti, Anthony Campanile, Charles A. Campbell, Carol Campbell, Alexis Canillo, Alexandra Cantin, David and Tessamarie Capitolo, Sally Mars Carey, Lauren Cargill, Joe and Sue Carlomagno, Thomas Carlson, Helga and Douglas Carlton, Maia Cybelle Carpenter, Marilyn Carreras, Valda H. Carter, Marietta Castell, Paula Cavagnaro, John Celani, Barbara Cerutti, Brian Chadbourne, Frank Chan, Stewart Chapman, Janet Chapralis, Leonard Charles and Lynn Milliman, Enid Chasaneff, Ms. Maxine Chernoff-Hoover and Mr. Paul Hoover, Natalie Cherry, Ella Chichester, John and Catherine Chiosso, Sondra Claire, Karen Clark, Connie Clark, Gillian Clark, Elizabeth Cleeve, Janet Clover, Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Gloria Clyman, Dave Cofran, Marci Cohen,
Sheri M. Cohen, Lisa Couns, Joan Cohen, Denise Cohn, Luce Cohuau, Teresa Concepcion, F. Conrad, Meli Cook, Ritchie F. Cook, Dominic Cooney, Steven Cooper, Jeff Coplin and Holly Coplin, Roger Corman, Lynda Cornejo, Sara Cornwell and Tim Cornwell, Teresa Corrigan, Sherry Costanza, Carolyn Sue Couls, Robert Couly, Brigitte Coutu and Kevin Klatt, Jack K. Covington, Frances Cowan, Ginger and Greg Cowan, James and Christine Cowdery, Carter Cox, Betty Cox, Laura Cox, Janice Coyne, Anne Coyne, Janet Craddock, Marney Craig, Mary Anne Crawford, Karen Crockett, Nina Croner, Robert and Jacqueline Crowder, Rita Cummings, Virginia Cunningham, Ed Cushman, Katia da Marchi, Jacqueline Dagg, Cindy S. Daly, Graziella Danieli, Linda G. Darby, Georgette Darcy, Jennifer Carrick, Janki Darity, Paul and Ursula Davidson, Nancy Davis, Catherine Davis, Nancy S. Davis, Dr. Stephen and Mrs. Grania Davis, Karen Davis, Jean Marie Day, Donald Day, Suzanne D’Coney, Charles De Ferrari, Pamela De Ferrari, Patricia De Luca, Pamela De Martini, Ana De Shore, Molly Debower, Gerald DeCamp, Diane Decicio, Suzanne Degen, Lori Deibel, Ingrid Deiwiks, Edmond Delmon, Frank De Luna, David Demarest, Faith Demeduc, Helene Denebeim, Susan Denny, Levon der Bedrossian, Renée Des Tombe, William and Sarah Devlin, Victoria DeWitt, Ms. Rhonda Diaz and Mr. Jeffrey Caldeney, Peggy Dickinson, Ms. Maryann Diluzio and Mr. Ron Foote, Harold and Ursula Dinter, Bill and Barbara Dittmann, Emily Doan, Stephanie Dodson, Maggie Donahue, Ann Donovan, Michael and Andrea Dougan, Angelo Douvos, Joe and Kendra Downey, Diane Dresser, William J. Driscoll, Ali N.H. Duerr, Brian Duggan, Carol Duke, Jane Sondeen, Robert Dunn, John Duvall, Robert Dvorak, Larry Dyer, Rolanda Ebert, Teresa Eckton, Cathy Edgett, Mari Edlin, Virginia Egan, David Eichel, Judith Einbinder, Evelyn Eisen, Eric Michael Eiserloh, Theresa Elaine, Lou Ellsworth-Yow, Bob Engel, Samuel Ennis, Karina Epperlein, Robert Epstein, Helga Epstein, Dr. and Mrs. Philip Erdberg, Anna Bella Erikson, Chris Erlin, Dr. Donald L. and Ms. Lois Errante, Deborah Erwin, Richard Estrada, Arlene Evans, Evan and Joan Evans, Nicole Evatz, Melanie Facen, Blake Facente, Barbara Lekisch, Tareq Fakhouri, Ruth B. Falk, Anette Falkner, Cathay Famanin Garry, Stella Farael, William Farley, Bill and Carol Farrer, Mary P. Featherstone, Robert Freist, Ms. Vickie Feldstein and Mr. Dennis Orwig, Marsha Felton, Laraine Ferguson, R.E. Fesler, Deborah Feuer, Roy Fidler, Francine Findley, Kent W. Fitzgerald and Lee B. Fitzgerald, Professor Flawless, Danita Fleck, Virginia Fleming, Judy and John Flether, Cassandra Flipper, Jessica Flynn, Chris Folger, Manoochehr Fonooni, Barbara J. Fopp, Alan Tenney Ford, Alex Forman, Marjorie Forman, Cheri Forrester, Mike Forter, Howard and Sharyn Foster, Michael Fox, Peter Fox, Scott France, Peter Franck, Michael and Donna Franzblau, Jean Fraschina, Mark Fredericks, Tom and Sally Freed, Joan R. Freidman, Denise Freinkel, Adele French, Scott Frerich, Debra Friday and David Vaupel, Robert Fried and Wendy Cheit, Michael and David Friedman, Thomas Friedman, Wendy Friefeld, Patricia Frush, Bill Fulton, Teddy, Linda Futrell, Kathleen Gaines, Anthony and Kimberly Galatolo, Jack Gallivan, Kathleen Gallivan, Barbara J. Galyen, Robert and Linda Garb, Rosalind Gardner, Tina Garfinkel, Ronald Marc Garry, Ellen Garwood, Barbara L. Gately, Jay Gayner, Michael Genhart, Marlene K. Gershik, Mr. and Mrs. David Weinberg, Maria Giessler, Leslie Gifford, Louise E. Gilbert, Matthew Gilbert, Julia Gilden, Joel Gingold, Jeffrey Ginsberg and Tony Beccaccio, Libby Ginsberg, Abby Ginzberg, Max Girin, Barbro Gistrand, Barbara Glinn, Bob Goff, Frank Gold, Floyd Goldberg, Susan Golden, Carol Golden, Joan Goldhamer, Mike A. Goldstein, Jennifer Golub, Kenith Goodman,
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fI lm fAn
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H. Winkler and Susan Kershner, Chris Wisniewski, April Wolcott, Charles and Lynne Worth, Jim Wright and Wright, Andy Zabko, Anne Zishka
gOld STAr
Pam Abendroth, Elaine and Paul Accampo, Viki Adam, Claire Adams and Steven Seifert, Carolyn Adducci Charyn and Ron Charyn, Chris Adessa and George McCluney, Toni Albert, Karen Albini, Ioan Allen, Juliette Ambatzidis, Sara J. Anderson, Erik Anderson, Richard I. Anderson, Janice Anderson-Gram, Elizabeth Arnold, Douglas Ascher, Stephen Atwater and Christine Des Jarlais, Richard Atwood and Kamila Kubasova, Fabio and Ann Aversa, Maria Aversa, Anne Baele Kouns and John Kouns, Doris Law Bagley, Ms. Georgia Bailey, Stanley and Sara Bailis, Diane Baker, Suzanne Baker, Richard and Violet Baker, Theodore H. and Amy Barnett, Cora Baron, Brannin Beal, Lisa and Brian Beaudoin, Robert and Ingrid Becker, Jean M. Bedecarrax, John Beebe, Bob and Alice Behray, Patricia Hale Belden, Entela Belishova, Sue Bennett and Donald Campbell, Marshall and Dorothy Bentley, Ernest and Starr Bergman, Barbara Berman, Linden and Carl Berry, Loraine and Bob Berry, Kathryn Beyers and Rich Rusdorf, Jillian Biggs, Adrienne Biggs, Arthur and Joanne Bjork, Franklin and Jan Blackford, Nancy Bloom, Jacqueline Bly, Joseph E. Bodovitz, Elizabeth Bolton, Erin and Steven Borden, Leilani Borenstein, Mayor Albert and Mrs. Patricia Boro, Gray Boyce, Robert Bradshaw, Daniel and Alanna Brady, Cheryl Brandon, Mimi Brasch, Bernadette Bray, Mara Brazer, Ann Brebner, Kurt Brellenthin, Anji Brenner, George Brewster, Lisa Brinkmann, Jill Brooke, Lisa G. Brow, Jane Brown and Steve Voss, Arlen Brownstein, Julie Bruly, Nanci Buck, Janet and Don Buder, Judy Burgio and Dale Biron, Machelle L. Burkstrand, Marilyn S. Burns, Robert and Elza Burton, Kathy Simon, Robert Butler, Cia Byrnes, William and Jeanne Cahill, Daniel and Karlene Caldwell, Carney and Kay Campion, Anne and John Caple, Joan and Robert Capurro, Cathleen Carter, Donna Casella, Robert Cassani, Dr. Padma Catell and Ms. Shelli Scher, Nancy Chandler, Sam Chapman, James Chenney, Jane Cheshire-Allen, Kirk Citron, William Clark, Marilyn Cleland, Barbara and Frank Clifford, Leslee Coady, Ann and Mac Coffey, Richard and Carolyn Cogan, Nina R. Cohen, Robert and Marilyn Cohen, Don Cohon, Michael Colacchio, Cayla and Jerry Coleman, lita Collins, Giselle T. Confehr, Ted and Melissa Congdon, Patti and Tom Cook, Wayne and Geri Cooper, Pali Cooper, Joel and Justine Coopersmith, Ron Cope, Jacqueline Cormier, Molly Coye, Sean Creane and Michelle Andre, Judith and Mel Croner, Richard Cunningham, Gatian Cunningham, Nancy Curley, Linda Curtis, Diane Curtis, Catherine Dahlstrom, Robert and Marcia Dalva, Violaine D’Amour, Gail Danchig, Nancy Daniels, Melinda Darlington-Bach, Leslie Davidson, Dr. Ninfa Dawson, Robert Dawson, Vickie J. Day, Gail De Martini, Suzette de Vogelaere, Kathy DeLeon and Nanci Turnbull, Janine DeMartini, Sandra DeMond, Anne Desmond, Le Roy and Victoria Diotte, Janeanne Doar, Julie Dolan, Caroline Dombey, Hillary and Joan Don, Gayle Donsky and Morton Stein, Emily Douglas, Cheryl Douglas/dkla, Ruth Downing, Daniel Drasin, Rebecca Dugan, Rama and Bernard Dunayevich, Susan Duncan, Ms. Tedi Dunn and Mr. William Svabek, Fred and Barbara Dupuis, Marc Duro, Ms. Sheila Dutton and C.H. Fotch, Marla Lee and Robert Eaton, Mary Edwards, Larry Eilenberg, Richard and Diane Einstein, Herb and Renee Eisenburch, Dinna and Frederick Eisenhart, Carolyn Eitel, Carol Ekelund, Ms. Nancy Ellenbogen and Mr. Joel Lurie, Lisa Ellis, Suzanne Engelberg, Steven Englander and Fougere Robertson, Robert Engman and Claudia Trinklein-Engman,
Monique Epstein, Judith D. Ets-Hokin, Anna Everest, Joseph A. Faimali and Donita Decker, B.F. and Mary Falk, David Fankushen and Nancy Hawthorne, Tawna Farmer, Richard and Abigal Farrell, Richard Favaro, Mr. and Mrs. F. Conger Fawcett, Sonia Feder, Saul and Gloria Feldman, James L. Feller, Josh and Stefanie Felser, Alan and Carol Feren, George Fernbacher, Teresa A. Ferrari, Joanne Ferro, Lynda Fiesel, Virginia L. Fifield, Sherry Fink and Robert Fink, Laurey and Alan Finneran, Dennis and Pam Fisco, Sally J. Fish, Robert Fithian and Lenore Fithian, Gary Flatow, Phillip Fleishman, Carl Flemming and Catherine M. McCormick, Margritha Fliegauf, Beth Flye, Jean-Louis and Judith Forcina, Arlene Ford, Jan Foster, Rebecca Foust and Brian Pilcher, Sharon A. Fox, Abbi and Robert Fox, Deborah Fox, Ms. Lynne Frame and Mr. Richard Hoskins, Sandra Francour, Bruce and Caroline Frantzis, Gerald and Gloria Fraser, Jessica Frederick, Jeffrey Freedman, Richard Fregulia and Lynn G.Fregulia, Myra and Sheldon Freisinger, Mark Friedlander, Alexandra S. Friedman, SF Weekly, Lindsey and Theresa Fross, Candice Fuhrman, Katie Gaier, Peter Gamez, Frank and Maureen Gamma, Meredith Gandy, Liza Garfield, Sanford and Nancie Garfinkel, Mark Garwood, Peter and Leslie Gavin, Diana Gay-Catania, David Geisinger, Lawrence Gelb, Fred and Annette Gellert, Rita Gershengorn, Jacqueline Gerson, Ms. Linda Gibbs and Mr. David Levick, Lewis and Helene Gibbs, Dennis and Susan Gilardi, Jeff and Jeane Gilliam, Janet Goldberg, James Goldberg, Barbara Golden, Paul and Constance C. Goldsmith, Sylvia Goodman, Diane Gorczyca, Richard and Theresa Gordon, Lenore J. Gordon, Linda Gore, Ned Gorman, Catherine T. Goshay, Lori Grace, Mark Graham, Linda Graham, Steve Grant and Lindy Bianchi, Alice gray, George M. Green and Karen Goldberg, Zane Gresham and Carole J. Robinson, James Griffiths, Linda and Pat Groah, Maureen Groper, Wynne Grossman, Daniel L. Grossman, Diane Grubb, Anita Haagens, Stuart Hagmann, Kathleen Hahn, Mary Hall, Fran Halperin and Eric Christ, Marvin Halpern, Cynthia Halvorson and Marion Higgins, Mary Hammond, Rev. Murray and Mrs. Muriel Hammond, William J. Hanna, Karen Hardesty, Kevin Haroff, Lauri Harper, Elizabeth Harrington, Steven Harris, Mimi Hartford, Ms. Gayle Hartsook, Fern Hassin, Patricia Jean Hassman, Reilly Hayes and Sharon Gottfried, Helen Hebert, Wayne H. Heldt, Charles Hendricks, Tom Herington and gary Cooper, David Hess, John Hess and Gail Sullivan, Jane Hills, Nancy K. Hills, Elizabeth Hockinson, Bob Hoffman, James and Mary D. Holden, Russell and Susan Holdstein, Deborah Holley and Scott Enblidge, Karen and Douglas Holmes, Eliot and Margot Holtzman, Derek Hooper, Bruce and Linda Hopper, Dr. Philip and Mrs. Leona Hordiner, Gloria Horton, Jo Howard, Jim and Christine Howey, Marin Airporter, Dr. Trevor Hughes and Ms. Judy Derstine, Patrick C. Hunt and Suzanne Chock-Hunt, Chris and Ken Hurwitz, Suzi Hynes, Shahram Ijanbijan, Rex Ishibashi, Mark and Nancy Jacobs, Susan Jacobs, Dennis and Paula Jaffe, Helene Jaffe, Nick and Sandy Javaras, Roberta Jeffrey, Janet Jennings, Buz and Jan Johanson, Sheila-Merle Johnson, Jill C. Johnson, K. Mary Jones, Laura Jorgenson, Alison Juestel, Jeanette and Jack Kadesh, Laurie Kahn, Ray Kaliski and Carla Daro, Gail and Kelly Kane, Raymonde Kaplan, Dan Kasman, Peggy Katcher, Lisa and John Katovich, Lawrence Katz, Suzanne Kavert, Barry and Barbara Kay, Alan and Jean Kay, Gillian Keirle, Gregg Kellogg, Claudia Kelly, Todd Kendall and Susan Nelson Kendall, Joan Kermath and David Eddy, Tom and Mari Kernan, Charles Keyes, Suzie Kidder, Russ and Marilyn Kiernan, Jean Killacky, Kathleen King and Gerald Cahill, Mary Kirincic, Gail Kirst, Christina Kitze, Joyce Klein, William and Marion Kleinecke, Michelle Klurstein, Claire Koffel, Craig Kolb, Howard Kopit and Dorothy McQuown, Bruce
Koren, Kathleen Korth and Laura Fenamore, Josephine Kreider, Jeff and Tina Kroot, K.H. William and Andrea Krueger, Bob Kustel, Ellen and Louise Kutten, Dan Lagomarsino, David and Christine LaHorgue, Suellen and Mario Lamorte, Renee Lande, Jeffrey Lapic and Geraldine Caldarola, Ellen Larner, Karen Larsen, Lawrence Lasky and Melissa Lasky, Michael and Marsha Lasky, Amy Laughlin, Larry Lautzker, Judith Layne, Kathryn Lazzaretti, Ms. Sharon Leach and Mr. Harry Oppenheimer, Eileen Leatherman and Mike Watt, Stephen and Annemarie Lechner, Katy Leese, Marni Leis, Barry and Patti Lemieux, Dr. Peter and Mrs. Natalie Lenn, Bonnie Leonard, Myla Lerner and Larry Kramer, Leslie and Jacques Leslie, David Lesnini, Susan B. Levine, David and Sheila Levine, Warren and Barbara Levinson, Lynn Lewis, Jason and Lori Lewis, Andrea and Marvin Lewis, Joan Lillevand, Janet Linde, Valerie Lindsay, Erica LindstromDake, Mark Litwin, Ruth Livingston, Cynthia Lohr, James and Susan Long, Ellen Loring, William Lowe, Catalina Lozano, Jennifer Lucas, Mr. Michael Luckoff, Thomas Lumsden, Cheryl S. Lyons, DigiQuest, Nicholas Maczkov, Charles and Rose Maher, Dr. Jan Maisel and Mr. Doug Currens, Michael and Linda Malone, Gordon and Carol Manashil, Ms. Lisa Mannheimer, Richard Mannheimer, Michele Manos, Theresa Mar-Elia, Jeanette and Alan H. Margolin, Judith and Melvyn Mark, Van and Lydia Maroevich, Maroevich, O’Shea & Coghlan, Diane Martin, Roberta and Matt Masson, Susan MatsonKrings, Dianne Maxon, John R. McCabe, Ms. Trish McCall and Mr. Gary Friedman, John and Cindy McCauley, Alice McCulloh, Carla McDonald, Judith McKelvey and Robert F. Shaw, Cameron McKinley, C. McKown, Marcia McLean, Stephen and Patricia McMahon, Steve and Kay McNamara, Wallace McOuat, Nancy Meden, Paige Medina and Matt Marron, Barbara Meislin, Ann Marie Melanephy, Jill MelchioneSpinelli, Bob and Ink Mendelsohn, Anita Mendoza, Janet Mercer Cohen and Charles Cohen, Nikki Meredith, Miriam Meshel, Lauren Metzroth, Merle and Carole Meyers, Jan Mickelson, Kathleen Mikkelson, Rosalyn and Kevin Miller, Mimi Mindel, Madhav Misra, Stephen and Mary Mizroch, Kathleen Moore, Sheila Moore, Jann Moorhead, Katrina and Dan Morgan, Julie Morgan, Richard H. Mogensen, Mark Morris and Tracy Tandy, Barbara Morrison and Dennis O’Brien, Claudia Mosias, Darlene Mosier, David Mount, Rick Mount, Julie Mullin, Katie Mullowney, Russell Munsell, Walter Murch and Muriel Murch, Dennis and Zara Muren, Jeffrey L. Myer, Al H. Nathe, Louise Nave, Richard and Dolly Nave, Linda Nero, Robert Newcomer and Susanne Light, Bea Newhall, Abby Margolis Newman, Ms. Marianne Nishifue and Mr. Jonathan Ellis, Katherine Norby, Mark Northcross, Thomas and Marianne O’Connell, Richard W. Odgers, Rudi O’Meara, Paul Orbuch, Susan Orma, Marilyn Oronzi, Steve Oroza, David Ortez and Joli Wilson, Georgette Osserman, Cindy Ostroff, Philip Ouyang, David Owen, Karen and Michael Page, Michael and Susan Painter, Shiva Pakdel, John Palmer, David Parisi, Sandy Park, Gerald and Nancy Parsons, Bob Patterson, Edmund and Elizabeth Payne, Marilla Pearsall, Susan and Jon Peck, Jon Peddie and Kathleen Maher, Dr. Robert and Mrs. Audrey Pedrin, Bob and Sue Peisert, Kari Pell, Melanie Pena, Glenn and Donna Perelson, Kelli Petersen, Neil Peterson, Paul Peterzell and Sophia Reinders, Linda Petri, Patricia Pignan, Janne and Kalvin Platt, Dennis Poggenburg and Kristina Warcholski, Ms. Marie Porti and Ms. Fran Koenig, Jeanne H. Price, Judy Pritchard, Susan Proctor, Sarah Pruden, Paul and Christine Prusiner, Christa Quinn, Dan Raab, Sue Ellen Raby, John Rader, John Rader, Beth Rader and Martin Lozano, Mary Lou Ragghianti, Katherine Randolph, Barbara Raymond, Margaret Redfield, Amy Reisch, Frank and Sharon Rettenberg, Alice Rich, Peter and Jane Richmond, Richard and Marilyn Riede, Steve
Riffkin, Ms. Ranny Riley and Mr. Lou Lenzen, Helen Ritchie, Jeanne Rizzo and Pali Cooper, Susan RoAne, Ken and Valerie Robin, Peter Rodgers, Katherine Rosekrans, Louis Rosenbaum, Joel Rosenberg, Karen Rosenbluth, Beth Rosener, Michael Rosenthal and Marleen Roggow, Stewart Ross, Robyn Ross Watson and William Watson, Morton Rothman, Richard and Ruth Rozen, Fred and Dolores Rudow, Andrea Ruotsi, Leslie Russo, Susanna Russo, Carole Rutherford, Helen Rutledge, Donna Saberman, Mark and Judi Sachs, Benny and Wendy Sadeh, Gretchen Saeger, Tom and Jill Sampson, Mark Sanders, Patricia Sarris, Deborah Sarvis McNeil, Naomi Saunders, Maggi Saunders, Iga and Chuck Schaffer, Mark S. Schatz, Lois Scheinberg, Rudi and Sonja Schmid, Kurt Schmidt, Elizabeth A. Schmitt, David Schnapf, Roseann Schneider, Jeffrey Schneider and Martha Crawford, Roger and Susan Schow, Nathalie Schreier, Donald J. Schuerholz Jr., Jane Scott and Janice Legow, Bruce Scott, Jeff and Helena Sears, Keven A. Seaver and Lynn Forsey, Karen Serlin, Carol Shagoury-Harper, Peg Shalen, Smita Shanbhag, Ann Shaw and Michael Grotjahn, Lynda Sheehan, Shannon Sheppard, Carrie Sherriff and Steve Rosenberg, Diana Shore, Kathleen Shore, Eileen Siedman, Dan Siegel, Michael and Marsha Silberstein, Harold and Harriet Silen, Bibi Sillem, Ivan Silverberg, Jon Sinclaire, Jane Sircus, Harriet Sirota, Matthew Slepin, Judy Smith, Noelle Smith, Lee and Perry Smith, Caroline Smith, Martin and Emily Smith, Dina Smith, Antoinette Snyder, Allen Snyder, Vivian and Harry Snyder, Ben Soldinger, Dylis Sommer, Judith Sommer, Marcia and David Sperling, Leonard M. and Rita Sperry, Bonnie and Louis Spiesberger, Michele Spitz, Bettina Sporkenbach, Joanne Spotswood, Steve Starkey, Dr. Joan Steidinger and Mr. John Poulson, Alan Steier and Bonnie Sudler, Gail Cohon Stein, Richard and Susie Stern, Beverly Sterry, Saor Stetler, Joe Stewart, Alan Stier and Bonnie Sudler, Bruce Stone, Norman and Runa Stone, Rex and Debra Stratton, Terry Strauss, Steve and Carolyn Stromberg, Mr. Chuck Stuckey and Ms. Donna Eng, Marilyn Sugarman, Charles and Sherri Sugarman, John Sumser, Jackie Suzuki, Sandy Sverdloff, Sanford and Carol Svetcov, Marjorie Swig, Toby Symington, Joel Symmes, Julia Sze, Peter and Irene Tabet, Cheryl D. Tallman, Carole Talmage, Janet Taylor, Ms. Sari Taylor and Mr. Roger Pierce, Donna and Joseph Terdimon, John and Joyce Thomas, Will and Leslie Thompson, Tom Thorner, Peter A. Tolger/Tam Systems, Inc., Farley Tolpen, Lily Toney, Richard Torney, Rick Trautner, Lee Trucker and Henrietta Cohen, Peggy and Ed Tuescher, Mel and Lois Tukman, Gene Turtle, Janna Ullrey, Alan and Ruby Unger, Kevin Uriu, Kirk Usher, Chris Valentino, Nancy Van Gelder, Richard Vance, Andrea Visconte, Richard Voss, Linda Waddington, John Wallace, Martha R. Walters, Jessica Wasserman, Betsy Waud, Michelle and William Wayland, Barbara Webb, Linda C. Weill, Penny and Bob Weiss, Milton and Joan Weiss, Jim and Sally Wetherby, Mary Jane Wets and Carmen Brown, Lawrence White, Ann D. Williams, September Williams, Fran Wilson, Chris Wilson and Shelley Wilson, Jody Wilson and Barbara Searles, Brian and Candy Wilson, Ms. Tiana Wimmer and Mr. Warren Leiden, Monique Winkler, Barbara Winkler, Marty and Barbara Winter, David Winton, Stephanie Witt, Najean Witt, Margaret Woodring, Kirke Wrench, Deborah Wright and Adele Anthony, Christine and Bruce Wright, Erick Wujcik, Richard Wynkoop and Catherine Main, Annella Wynyard, Kenji Yamamoto and Nancy Kelly, Joan You, Sylvia Young, Jerry and Sharon Young, Kate Zawistowski
dI r ECTOr’S CI rClE Elliott Baim, Joanna Beard, Mark E. Bettini, Mary Ellen Braly, Gina Brewer, Dr. Michael and Mrs. Vivien Bronshvag, William and Jill Burkart,
Franklin and Linda Carter, Tom and Kristi Cohen, Craig Compiano, Will Csaklos, Jeff and Carleen Cullen, Bridget Cunningham, T.L. Davis and M.N. Plant, Warren and Edie DeGraff, George DiRuscio, Laurie G. Dubin, Julian Eggebrecht, Kim Facas, Ms. Mary Farmer and Mr. Michael Dowling, Diane Fiddyment, Jeffrey and Bonnie Freiberg, Warren George, Leonard Gordon, Melissa Green, Frank and Barbro Greene, Charlotte Gurin, Lynne Hale, Joan and Doug Hansen, Richard and Julie Harris, Allan Herzog, Erica Hess, Marcelo and Nora Hirschler, Holly S. Hollenbeck, Bettina Hughes, Kimberly Hughes, Allan E. Jackman, Dave and Teresa Korol, Jean Larette, Huey Lewis and Sidney Conroy, Jan Link, Karen Lopes, Beryl Lusen, Frank Malifrano, Natalie Mariano, Christina McArthur, Tim McCarthy, Bill and Sharon McKeon, Peter Mclaughlin, Bill Meyer, Melinda Moore, Kristi Moya, Sue Muzzin, David Nasaw and Carla Roth, Linda Nelson, Jacklyn E. Stroud, Melanie and Paul Nichols, Robin Parer, Joy Phoenix, Jan Pinkava, Dianne Provenzano, Bruce and Theresa Raabe, Wini Ragus, Dr. Marty and Mrs. Naomi Rayman, James and Kyle Redford, Gary and Joyce Rifkind, Rosemary Roach, Kevin Rohan, Thomas and Patricia Rosbrow, Nancee Rubinstein, Edwin P. Sabrack Jr., Dorene and Robert Schiro, Barbara and Irving Schwartz, Marcus Siu, Carol Solomon, Georgia A. Stapleton, Barbara Stewart, Mary Lee Strebl, Ray and Jean Taylor, Blake and Bev Thorman, Kathryn Thyret, Evelyn Topper, Laura Wais, Diane and Michael Wakelin, Amanda Weitman, Judy Wesch, Eileen West, Anthony and Dafne White, Richard and Kathy Wimmer, Bruce and Marya Wintroub, Penny Mulligan, Martin and Margaret Zankel, Roberto and Christine Zecca, Premier Patron, Yvonne Angelo, Eric Bookbinder, Mr. Stewart and Hon. Barbara Boxer, Virginia Brenner, Steve and Sharon Edelman, David and Erin Elliott, Mr. George Gund, Leslie Hansen, Lynn Holton and Bradley Rothbach, Tony Hooker, Elisabeth Jaffe, Michael and Chris Kasman, Douglas and Cessna Kaye, Carol Marshall and Thomas Price, Patricia C. McDowell, Catherine Newman, Gilman and Barbara Parsons, Barbara and Phil Richardson, Paul and Carol Slocum, Peter and Peggy Trethewey
CI n E mA bE n E fACTOr
Nancy H. Angelo and Nancy McCauley, PhD., David and Riva Berelson, John and Sanda Blockey, Richard Bousson and Cristalle Boone, Marty Brenneis, Ken and Jackie Broad, Edwin Caldwell, Russ Columbo, Peter and Stefanie Coyote, Judy Doherty, Carole Dolton, Gordon and Joanne Dunn, Paul M. Elliot, Carla Emil and Rich Silverstein, Melissa Fairgrieve, Joseph Fink, Mark and Lorrie Fishkin, Yolanda and Jack Gibson, Paul and Marcia Ginsburg, Ms. Michelle Griffin and Mr. Tom Parker, Nanette Griswold, Robert Griswold, Richard and Susan Idell, Tina Jennings, Kathryn E. Johnson and John Pierce Culver, Mrs. Bari Williams, Anne La Follette and Thomas Koegel, Lisa Layne, Ms. Victoria Love and Mr. R. Max Yusim, Ed and Susan Lowe, Deborah Matthies, James Mochizuki, Ellen and Peter Obstler, Harold and Gertrud Parker, Dwight R. Peterson, James and Eleanore Plessas, Art Rothstein and Julia Erickson, Steve Shane and Sheryle Bolton, Bradley and Diane Shore, Angel Spinola, Francoise Stone, Zachary and Marlies Zeisler, Jin Zidell
The California Film Institute makes every effort to properly acknowledge our members and supporters. If we inadvertantly left your name off the list, or you joined or renewed your membership after August 1, 2007, please excuse the omission. Thank you.
5 Cents a Peek Vanessa Woods 415.606.1027 vcw47@hotmail.com
7 Islands and a Metro Majlis +91 22 65017723 Majlis@vsnl.com
14 Women Vertical Films 323.646.7415 (fax) 202.547.1015 nicboxer@mac.com
27,000 Days
University of Southern California Naveen Singh 310.391.5335 jerimas@hotmail.com
365 (nascor nasci natus) John Sanborn 510.917.0203 sanborn707@aol.com
All the Way Home 101 Films 415.722.1006 101films@gmail.com
Anatomy 101 Visual Concepts Entertainment 415.308.5889 clark_joe@hotmail.com
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer Elan Entertainment 310.663.9307 (fax) 310.663.9307 melissadavis@gmail.com
Anthem AP Productions 510.459.5728 alex_potts@hotmail.com
Aquarium
Rob Meyer Films 718.578.8425 robpaulmeyer@gmail.com
The * symbol following a film title indicates either that the film takes place in a country other than the one it’s listed under, or that another country is the film’s primary subject of interest.
AFGHANISTAN
The Kite Runner *
Postcards from Tora Bora
AUSTRALIA
Kenny Tatterson
Words and Music by Jerry Herman *
AUSTRIA
The End of the Neubacher Project
Miss Universe 1929
B ELGIUM
Gilles
Irina Palm
Tanghi Argentini
B RAZIL
Drained
Maré Capoeira
My Enemy’s Enemy
BURKINA FASO
Djanta
CANADA
Black and White: Ladies Shoes
Black and White: Movie Magic
Cold Rust Days of Darkness
Glitch
A Great Big Robot Stole
My Homework
Kiviuq
Luna: Spirit of the Whale Magic Cellar: Where Stories Come From Shipwrecked
Words and Music by Jerry Herman *
CHINA
Daughters of Wisdom *
Lust, Caution
Riding Solo to the Top of the World *
Tuya’s Marriage
CROATIA
The Rose
We’ve All Fallen from Mars
DENMARK
The Three Musketeers
The Ugly Duckling and Me
DOMINICAN R EPUBLIC
The Price of Sugar *
ESTONIA
Carrot!
FRANCE
Blame It on Fidel
Caramel
Crossing the Dust
Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Irina Palm
Jellyfish
My Brother Is an Only Child
My Enemy’s Enemy
The Secrets
G ERMANY
The Colors of Memory
The End of the Neubacher
Project *
How to Cook Your Life
Irina Palm
Miss Universe 1929 *
Moonman
My Enemy’s Enemy * Warchild
Yella
G REECE
House of the Olive Trees
Uranya
G UINEA
Clouds Over Conakry
H UNGARY
A Guest of Life
Miss Universe 1929
ICELAND
Misty Mountain
I NDIA
7 Islands and a Metro
27,000 Days
The Darjeeling Limited * Monsoon *
Possession
Riding Solo to the Top of the World
Salim Baba
Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution *
I RAN
The Colors of Memory
Kobra’s Decision
Red Robin
I RAQ
Crossing the Dust Left in Baghdad *
I RELAND
The Boy Who Had No Story
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
ISRAEL
Beaufort
Jellyfish
Little Heroes
The Secrets
ITALY
My Brother Is An Only Child
JAPAN
Eternally Yours
Frozen Life
KENYA
Primate Cinema
KOREA Deface *
KURDISTAN
Crossing the Dust
LATVIA
The Three Musketeers
LEBANON
Caramel
LIBERIA
Iron Ladies of Liberia
Laviva *
LIBYA
Common Enemies *
LUXEMBOURG
Irina Palm
M EXICO
August Evening *
Catastrophe in the Hotel
del Gallo
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana)
MONGOLIA
Tuya’s Marriage *
N EPAL
A Guest of Life *
N ETHERLANDS
The End of the Neubacher
Project
Gilles *
Hard-Boiled Chicken
Miss Universe 1929
Puss and the Moon Stages
N EW Z EALAND
Dead Letters
Hawaikii
The King Boys
N IGERIA
Laviva
Welcome to Nollywood *
NORWAY
Svein and His Rat
ROMANIA
California Dreamin’ (Endless)
The Paper Will Be Blue
The Way I Spent the End of the World
R USSIA
Battleship Potemkin
SCOTLAND Fetch
SLOVENIA Warchild
SOUTH AFRICA
Jungle Beat: Born to Be Wild
Magic Cellar: Where Stories Come From Rendition
SOUTH KOREA
Ice Bar
SPAIN
Before and After Kissing
Maria
Butterfly
DVD
The Orphanage
Films by Country
SWEDEN
The Blue Shoe
Fore Checking Grandpa
The Headman and I
Heartbreak Hotel
Love and War Mind the Gap
Peace Talk
When Darkness Falls
When Elvis Came to Visit
THAILAND
The Headman and I *
TIBET
A Guest of Life *
Riding Solo to the Top of the World *
Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution *
UK
Cassandra’s Dream
Charlie and Lola: But That Is My Book Control
Fetch *
Irina Palm
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
London to Brighton
My Enemy’s Enemy Things We Lost in the Fire
The Three Musketeers
Wednesday
Words and Music by Jerry Herman *
U RUGUAY
The Rind
US
5 Cents a Peek
14 Women
365 (nascor nasci natus)
27,000 Days
All the Way Home
Anatomy 101
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer
Anthem
Aquarium
August Evening
Autism: The Musical
Balloon Animals
Berkeley
Betty Boop for President Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy
Bottle Half Empty
Bounce
Bullet Proof Vest
Cassandra’s Dream Cheating the Dream
Chicago 10
Chinese Dumplings Come Blow Your Kazoo!
Common Enemies
Compound Eye
The Crazy Quilt
Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide
The Darjeeling Limited Daughters of Wisdom
Dear Lemon Lima, The Death Strip
Deface
Delirium
Dessert
Doubletime
Elvis and Anabelle
The End of the Neubacher Project *
Flutterby
Four Sheets to the Wind
Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot
Garlic Boy
A Gentlemen’s Duel Go Together
Gone Baby Gone
Grace Is Gone
The Guarantee
Help Is Coming
The Homecoming
House of the Olive Trees
I’m Not There
iGeneration
In Search of a Midnight Kiss
In Superheroes We Trust
The Instrumentalist Into the Wild
Jabberwocky
The Job
Juncture
The Jungle
The Kite Runner
Knee Deep
Learning to Curse
Learning to Fly: A First Year of BASE Jumping
Left in Baghdad
The Life Effect
Los ABCs ¡Qué Vivan los Muertos!
Lust, Caution
M
Man in the Chair
Margot at the Wedding
Meany
Michael Clayton
Misty Mountain
Monsoon
Mr. Dial Has Something to Say
My Adventure Operation: Fish Park(ing) Day
Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm
The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry
Phantom Canyon
The Pig
The Pixar Story
The Planning Lady
Pollen Nation
Pop Foul
Portable Living Room
Postcards from Tora Bora
Presque Isle
The Price of Sugar
Primate Cinema
Pump
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana)
The Quiet World
Rails & Ties
The Rapture of the Athlete
Assumed into Heaven
Rendezvous
Rendition
Reservation Road
Runa’s Spell
Salim Baba
Sarah & Dee
The Savages
Shadow Ball
Shuteye Hotel
Slum Noir
Soldiers of Conscience Stars
Starting Out in the Evening
The Stop Strong Love Things We Lost in the Fire To Paint the Portrait of a Bird
The Trips Festival Turn Back South Used
Validation
Violet
Welcome to Nollywood
What Makes You Different from Everybody Else? When I Grow Up
Wild Boys of the Road Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution
Words and Music by Jerry Herman
WALES
The Boy Who Had No Story
Fetch *
Z IMBABWE
Jungle Beat: Born to Be Wild *
Filmmaker Index
Affleck, Ben Gone Baby Gone 92
Agnew, Singeli Pollen Nation 85
Allen, Woody Cassandra’s Dream 87
Alos, Ramon Before and After Kissing Maria 82
Altabas, Ciro DVD 82
Ameglio, Carlos The Rind 104
Anderson, Wes The Darjeeling Limited 89
Andrews, Mark Violet 82
Arcand, Denys Days of Darkness 89
Arlotto, John Deface 83
Averbach-Katz, Noah The Quiet World 94
Axelsson, Oskar Thor Misty Mountain 82
Babakitis, Alex The Pig 94
Balsé, Shyam Monsoon 83
Baumbach, Noah Margot at the Wedding 57, 99
Bayona, Juan Antonio The Orphanage 100
Bergström, Helena Mind the Gap 99
Beroldo, Antonio The Bottle Half Empty ...... 94
Bhave, Sumitra Possession 102
Bier, Susanne Things We Lost in the Fire 106
Blake, Sarah Rendezvous 94
Bogart, Keith The Rapture of the Athlete Assumed into Heaven 82
Böhm, Fritz Moonman 86
Bolton, Devon Shipwrecked 100
Borovac, Igor Turn Back South 102
Browning, Jonathan The Job 82
Buchen, Charlotte All the Way Home 85
Buder, Emily iGeneration 94
Burt, Bonnie Strong Love 106
Caine, Julie All the Way Home 85
Camara, Cheick Fantamady Clouds Over Conakry 87
Carey, Celia Mr. Dial Has Something to Say 100
Carney, Marcus J. The End of the Neubacher Project 91
Carpenter, Karen Dee Sarah & Dee 82
Cavolina, Robbie Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer 84
Cedar, Joseph Beaufort 85
Chai, David Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot 100
Chandler, Michael Knee Deep 97
Christensen, Eric The Trips Festival 107
Cimermanis, Janis The Three Musketeers 30, 106
Clark, Christopher The King Boys 82
Corbijn, Anton Control .................. 88
Crawford, David Cheating the Dream 94
Cressman, KK In Superheroes We Trust 94
Danby, Michaela Tatterson 83
Dawes, Brent Jungle Beat: Born to Be Wild 87
Dawson, Anton Anatomy 101 107
Dawson, Ashley In Superheroes We Trust 94
De Aztlan, Tonantzin Common Enemies 101
de Jong, Mijke Stages 105
Dhalia, Heitor Drained 91
Dilworth, John R. Garlic Boy 86
Dilworth, John R. Come Blow Your Kazoo! 86
Doesken-Polos, Tiffany M 90
Dolak, Kelly Postcards from Tora Bora 102
Dorian, Dana Fetch ................... 107
Dörrie, Doris How to Cook Your Life 93
Dosios, Thouly House of the Olive Trees 82
Dutta, Madhusree 7 Islands and a Metro 83
Eastwood, Alison Rails & Ties 103
Edwards, Amber Words and Music by Jerry Herman 110
Eisenstein, Sergei M. Battleship Potemkin 24, 85
Elliott, Alice Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy 106
Else, Lincoln Learning to Fly: A First Year of BASE Jumping 103
Emilson, Fredrik Love and War 83
Emrich, Kelly Cheating the Dream 94
Engel, Mackenzie Cheating the Dream 94
Eremiasova, Michaela Runa’s Spell 90
Epstein, Jesse Erica The Guarantee 85
Eska, Chris August Evening 84
Fisher, Joshua Pollen Nation 85
Fleischer, Dave Betty Boop for President 109
Flynn, Katie The Life Effect 94
Forgács, Péter Miss Universe 1929 99
Forster, Marc The Kite Runner 23, 96
Fredriksson, Magnus The Blue Shoe 107
Gallagher, Ryan In Superheroes We Trust 94
Garbarski, Sam Irina Palm 95
García, Pablo Butterfly 86
Gavras, Julie Blame It on Fidel 86
Geffen, Shira Jellyfish .................. 95
Geiger, Will Elvis and Anabelle 91
George, Terry Reservation Road 51, 104
Gilroy, Tony Michael Clayton 99
Grijalva, Ruben Shadow Ball 82
Guroff, Nick Common Enemies 101
Haeusser, Nicole The Death Strip 83
Hanefjord, Per Fore Checking Grandpa 82
Haney, Bill The Price of Sugar 102
Harjo, Sterlin Four Sheets to the Wind 91
Hassanpour, Sirous Kobra’s Decision 97
Haynes, Todd I’m Not There 94
Hegner, Michael The Ugly Duckling and Me 30, 107
Hickey, Aidan The Boy Who Had No Story 100
Holdridge, Alex In Search of a Midnight Kiss 94
Holmquist, Peå The Headman and I 89
Hood, Gavin Rendition 103
Houston, John Kiviuq 96
Hung, Michelle Chinese Dumplings 82
Huntsman, Galen The Pig 94
Ingwang Yeo Ice Bar 94
Iwerks, Leslie The Pixar Story 101
Izen, Jon Black and White: Ladies Shoes 100
Izen, Jon Black and White: Movie Magic 100
Jacobson, Clayton Kenny 96
Jani, Gaurav Riding Solo to the Top of the World 104
Jenkins, Tamara The Savages 21, 104
Johnes, Stephanie Doubletime 90
Jonathan, Mike Hawaikii 82
Jordan, Peter Left in Baghdad 85
Junge, Daniel Iron Ladies of Liberia 95
Kane, John Left in Baghdad 85
Kapakas, Costas Uranya 108
Karbelnikoff, Michael Balloon Animals 82
Karnow, Jean What Makes You Different from Everybody Else? 94
Keret, Etgar Jellyfish .................. 95
Kerven, Bret Learning to Curse 94
Kharas, Firdaus Magic Cellar: Where Stories Come From 100
Kiilerich, Karsten The Ugly Duckling and Me 30, 107
Kitade, Shinya Frozen Life 92
Klein, Sarah Meany 86
Korki, Shawkat Amin Crossing the Dust 89
Korty, John The Crazy Quilt 88
Kuenne, Kurt Validation 82
Kukik, Sinisa Pump 90
Labaki, Nadine Caramel 87
Lambert, Mary 14 Women 83
Leaños, John Jota Los ABCs ¡Qué Vivan los Muertos! 107
Leblanc, Paola Barrero Maré Capoeira 100
Lee, Ang Lust, Caution 21, 98
Lev, Itai Little Heroes 97
Lewis, Jason Eli Stars 83
Luchetti, Daniele My Brother Is an Only Child 110
Macdonald, Kevin My Enemy’s Enemy 100
Macho, Jimmy In Superheroes We Trust 94
Malmqvist, Jenifer Peace Talk 83
Martens, Magnus Svein and His Rat 106
Maxwell, Stephanie Runa’s Spell 90
Mayeri, Rachel Primate Cinema: Baboons as Friends 90
McBrearty, Don Luna: Spirit of the Whale 98
McCrudden, Ian
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer 84
McNally, Seamus
To Paint the Portrait of a Bird 83
Meeker, Michelle When I Grow Up 107
Meltzer, Jamie Welcome to Nollywood 109
Meyer, Rob Aquarium 82
Mis, Fernando My Adventure 94
Mitulescu, Catalin The Way I Spent the End of the World 108
Molson, Moon Pop Foul 82
Mor, Ben Help Is Coming 90
Morgan, Brett Chicago 10 87
Morgan, Troy The Instrumentalist 107
Muntean, Radu The Paper Will Be Blue 101
Narat, Toby The Stop 94
Nash, Sean Los ABCs ¡Qué Vivan los Muertos! 107
Nemescu, Cristian California Dreamin’ (Endless) 86
Nesher, Avi The Secrets 105
Nienow, Sasha The Pig 94
Nilsson, Anders When Darkness Falls 109
Nilsson, Rob Go Together 92 Presque Isle 102 Used 108
Noble, Brendan The Pig 94
Nutley, Colin Heartbreak Hotel 93
Ogata, Atsushi Eternally Yours 82
Ojukwu, Izu Laviva 97
Omori, Emiko Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm 101
Osman, Wazhmah Postcards from Tora Bora 102
Ouédraogo, Tahirou Tasséré Djanta 90
Passmore, Matthew Park(ing) Day 85
Pearlman, Bari Daughters of Wisdom 89
Penberthy, Mollie Berkeley 94
Penn, Sean Into the Wild 19
Pepper, Cynthia Flutterby 86
Filmmaker Index
Perri, Ashlyn Dessert 94
Petzold, Christian Yella 110
Plympton, Bill Shuteye Hotel 107
Polk, Ramona The Jungle 94
Potts, Alex Anthem 90
Raney, Bitty iGeneration 94
Rawcliffe, Rosemary Women of Tibet: A Quiet Revolution 109
Razavian, Amir Shahab The Colors of Memory 88
Regan, Tricia Autism: The Musical 85
Ricq, Peter Glitch 107
Riggs, Ransom Portable Living Room 100
Riley, Jeff Operation: Fish 107
Rivest, Chris iGeneration 94
Rollins, Jahmad Slum Noir 107
Romero, Luisa Berkeley 94
Rotondo, Paolo Dead Letters 82
Ruiz, Francisco A Gentlemen’s Duel 107
Ryan, Catherine Soldiers of Conscience .... 105
SAF Cakovech Workshop We’ve All Fallen from Mars 86
Sanborn, John 365 (nascor nasci natus) 84
Schnabel, Julian Diving Bell and the Butterfly 90
Schroeder, Michael Man in the Chair 22, 98
Schwartz, Taylor Cheating the Dream 94
Seale, James Juncture 96
Shea, Marty The Planning Lady 82
Sheikhtadi, Parviz Red Robin 103
shin Frozen Life 92
Shira, Mark A Great Big Robot Stole My Homework 100
Shoupe, Marina Bounce 90
Singh, Naveen 27,000 Days 90
Slick, Wendy Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm 101
Sokoloff, Max Delirium 94
soon, yahn Compound Eye 88
Sorrenti, Rob Wednesday 83
Stapp, Blaire Jabberwocky 94
Steers, Stacey Phantom Canyon 90
Sternberg, Tim Salim Baba 109
Stratton, Catherine The Pig 94
Strebel, Max Dessert 94 The Homecoming 94
Strouse, James C. Grace Is Gone 93
Sukthannkar, Sunil Possession 102
Szemzo, Tibor A Guest of Life 93
Taddeo, Tamara Cold Rust 90
Tall, Pärtel Carrot! 86
Taylor, Kitty Charlie and Lola: But That Is My Book 100
Temple, Julien Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten 95
Thys, Guido Tanghi Argentini 83
Tibblin, Andreas When Elvis Came to Visit 82
Tuyman, Suzanne Puss and the Moon 86
Vara, Alex iGeneration 94
Vargas Celis, Enrique Catastrophe in the Hotel del Gallo 94
Vazquez, Gustavo Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana) 103
Vera, Will In Superheroes We Trust 94
Verheyen, Jan Gilles 92
Wagner, Andrew Starting Out in the Evening ............... 105
Wagner, Christian Warchild 108
Wang Quan’an Tuya’s Marriage 107
Weimberg, Gary Soldiers of Conscience 105
Wellman, William Wild Boys of the Road 109
Williams, Paul Andrew London to Brighton 98
Wilschut, Arjan Hard-Boiled Chicken 86
Woods, Vanessa 5 Cents a Peek 90
Wu, Ben Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide 100
Yedalian, Hrag The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry 101
Yong, May Lin Au Bullet Proof Vest 85
Yoonessi, Suzi Dear Lemon Lima, 82
Zerjav, Marko The Rose 94
A dvert IS er I ndex
h i j k l m n p o q r s t u v w y
5
Cents a Peek 90
5@5: Hey That’s No Way to Say Goodbye 82
5@5: I’m Your Man 82
5@5: Take This Longing ....... 82
5@5: The Future 82
5@5: There Is a War 83
5@5: Waiting for the Miracle 83
7 Islands and a Metro 83
14 Women 83
365 (nascor nasci natus) 84
27,000 Days .................90
All the Way Home 85
Anatomy 101 107
Anita O’Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer 84
Anthem 90
Aquarium 82
August Evening 84
Autism: The Musical 85
Balloon Animals .............. 82
Battleship Potemkin 24, 85 Beaufort 85
Bee-ing Me 85
Before and After Kissing
Maria 82
Berkeley 94
Betty Boop for President 109
Black and White: Ladies Shoes 100
Black and White: Movie Magic .................. 100
Blame It on Fidel 86
Blow Your Kazoo! 86
The Blue Shoe 107
Body & Soul: Diana & Kathy 106
The Bottle Half Empty 94
Bounce 90
The Boy Who Had No Story 100
Bullet Proof Vest 85
Bunnies and Butterflies 86
Butterfly 86
California Dreamin’ (Endless) 86
Caramel 87
Carrot! 86
Cassandra’s Dream 87
Catastrophe in the Hotel del Gallo 94
Charlie and Lola: But That Is My Book 100
Cheating the Dream 94
Chicago 10 87
Chinese Dumplings ........... 82
Clouds Over Conakry 87
Cold Rust 90
The Colors of Memory 88
Come Blow Your Kazoo! 86 Common Enemies 101
Compound Eye 88 Control 88 The Crazy Quilt 88
Cross Your Eyes Keep Them Wide 100 Crossing the Dust ............89 The Darjeeling Limited
b c d f g h i j k l m o p q r t u v w s y
Runner 23, 96
Kiviuq 96
Knee Deep .................. 97
Kobra’s Decision 97
Laviva 97
Learning to Curse 94
Learning to Fly: A First Year of BASE Jumping 103 Left in Baghdad .............. 85 The Life Effect 94 Little Heroes 97
London to Brighton 98 Los ABCs ¡Qué Vivan los Muertos! 107 Love and War 83
Luna: Spirit of the Whale 98 Lust, Caution 21, 98
M 90
Magic Cellar: Where Stories Come From 100 Man in the Chair 22, 98
Maré Capoeira 100
Margot at the Wedding 57, 99
Meany 86
Michael Clayton 99
Mind the Gap 99
Miss Universe 1929 99
Misty Mountain 82 Monsoon 83
Moonman ...................86
Mr. Dial Has Something to Say 100 My Adventure 94
My Brother Is an Only Child 110
My Enemy’s Enemy 100
Operation: Fish 107
The Orphanage 100
Outer and Inner Spaces 100
The Paper Will Be Blue 101
Park(ing) Day ................ 85
Passion and Power: The Technology of Orgasm 101
Peace Talk 83
The People’s Advocate: The Life & Times of Charles R. Garry 101
Phantom Canyon 90 The Pig 94
The Pixar Story 101
The Planning Lady 82
Pollen Nation ................ 85 Pop Foul 82
Portable Living Room 100
Possession 102
Postcards from Tora Bora 102 Presque Isle 102
The Price of Sugar 102
Primate Cinema: Baboons as Friends 90 Pump 90
Puss and the Moon 86
Que Viva la Lucha (Wrestling in Tijuana) 103
The Quiet World 94
Tooned to Murder: Daring Duels and Dastardly Deeds
