The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) announced its line-up for 2011, offering films representing 49 countries. The Festival begins Thursday, January 27 and continues through Sunday, February 6, 2011.
“We’ve taken a queue from Christopher Nolan’s INCEPTION – “You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger,” and so we have decisively and dynamically made our 26th festival grander in every way,” proclaims SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling.
OPENING & CLOSING NIGHT GALAS
SBIFF 2011 will kick off with the U.S. Premiere of “Sarah’s Key” directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner and starring Kristin Scott Thomas. Based on the international bestselling novel by Tatiana de Rosnay, the film beautifully interweaves two seemingly different stories, illustrating a remarkable connection between the past and present. The first story is that of Sarah, a ten year old Jewish girl living in Paris during World War II. The second story follows Julia (Kristin Scott Thomas), an American journalist living in modern day Paris with her French husband assigned to write a story on the Vel’d’Hiv roundup of 1942, and upon investigation discovers she has a personal connection. The film takes an emotional look into a historical event long hidden, but now sure to never be forgotten. Kristin Scott Thomas and Gilles Paquet-Brenner will be in attendance.
On Closing Night, SBIFF will feature the Premiere of Georges Bizet’s popular opera “Carmen in 3D,” a dazzling film directed by Julian Napier filled with some of the best-loved music ever written, performed by some of the world’s greatest singers and marking the first time ever that an opera has been filmed and shown in state-of-the-art digital 3D. A co-production of 3D movie pioneer RealD and London’s internationally renowned Royal Opera House, “Carmen in 3D” gives the viewers the best seat in the house, taking them on a magic carpet ride onto the stage, behind the scenes and into the heart of the emotional production, immersing them as never before into this timeless story of love, jealousy and betrayal.
CENTERPIECE GALA
The Centerpiece Gala will feature the World Premiere of “That’s What I Am,” starring Ed Harris, Chase Ellison, Molly Parker, Daniel Roebuck, Randy Orton, Daniel Yelsky, Alexander Walters, Mia Rose Frampton and Amy Madigan. Written and directed by Mike Pavone and marking his feature film directorial debut, this coming-of-age story follows 12-year-old Andy Nichol (Chase Ellison), a bright student who, like most kids his age, will do anything to avoid conflict for fear of suffering overwhelming ridicule and punishment from his junior high school peers. Everyone’s favorite teacher, Mr. Simon (Ed Harris), pairs Andy with the school’s biggest outcast and social pariah, Stanley, aka “Big G” (Alexander Walters) on a critical term project. Sporting thick orange hair, a head too big for his body and ears too big for his head, “Big G” has been the object of ridicule since grade school. Before long, Andy will learn that there was truly a method behind Mr. Simon’s madness as to why he teamed these two up. As the story unfolds, Mr. Simon finds himself the target of a malicious rumor after Principal Kelner (Amy Madigan) suspends a school bully for brutally beating up a female classmate who he thinks has “cooties.” When Andy watches “Big G” fearlessly confront the school bully, a series of events are triggered, which change the lives of both young men – and their teacher – forever. Mike Pavone and cast members are scheduled to attend.
2011 VIRTUOSOS AWARD
SBIFF continues its tradition of honoring the year’s standout performances by presenting the 2011 Virtuosos Award to Lesley Manville (Another Year), SAG nominee John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), Golden Globe nominee Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) and SAG nominee Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit).
The Virtuosos Award was created to recognize a select group of actors who have distinguished themselves through performances in film this past year. Last year’s recipients included Carey Mulligan, Saoirse Ronan, Gabourey Sidibe, Emily Blunt and Michael Stuhlbarg.
The actors who were selected to be recognized for their exceptional performances are John Hawkes, best known for his talents on the HBO series Deadwood, confronts the big screen with a startling intensity in the role of ‘Teardrop’ in Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone; Lesley Manville, who commands the screen as a lonely, needy woman who hides her desperate unhappiness in too much talk and too much drink in Mike Leigh’s Another Year; Hailee Steinfeld, who brings a strong and brave girl to life in the role of Matty in her theatrical debut in the Coen Brothers’ True Grit; and Jackie Weaver, whose chilling performance in David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom as the matriarch of a crime family in Australia certainly goes beyond ‘Mommie Dearest’.
THE TRIBUTES
Annette Bening – The American Riviera Award
ames Franco – Outstanding Performance of the Year Award
Christopher Nolan – Modern Master Award
Geoffrey Rush – Montecito Award
2011 Virtuosos Awards – Lesley Manville (Another Year), John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone), Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) and Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) in recognition of the year’s emerging film artists.
Nicole Kidman – The Cinema Vanguard Award in recognition of an artist who has forged their own path by taking artistic risks.
Below is the list of World and US Premiere films. For the complete list of films, along with their descriptions and a preliminary screening schedule, click on www.sbiff.org. Please note that this is subject to change.
WORLD PREMIERES
1778 Stories of Me and My Wife, Japan, Directed by Mamoru Hoshi
Cast: Yuko Takeuchi, Ren Ohsugi, Michiko Kichise, Shôsuke Tanihara
His beloved wife has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, with only a year to live. When a doctor informs the husband that laughter can raise a patient’s resistance to disease, he resolves to write a short story for his wife every single day. Based on a heart-rending true story of a famous science fiction writer, Taku Mayumura, and his devotion to his wife, Setsuko.
A Deeper Shade of Blue, Australia, Directed by Jack McCoy
Hawaiian Surf Culture conquered the World. Master surf filmmaker Jack McCoy ventures into a new realm with his latest feature.
Bringing to China, China/India/USA, Directed by Kevin McKiernan
This film is a father’s ‘love letter’ to his adult daughter, a young Santa Barbara woman struggling to bring Martin Luther King’s dream of non-violence to China.
Carmen in 3D, UK – CLOSING NIGHT, Directed by Julian Napier
Cast: Christine Rice, Bryan Hymel, Aris Argiris, Maija Kovalevska, Dawid Kimberg, Nicolas Courjal, Elena Xanthoudakis, Paula Murrih
Confessions of an Eco-Terrorist, USA, Directed by Peter Jay Brown
Featuring: Paul Watson, Bob Hunter, Peter Brown
This is not your normal eco-film!
Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Canada/USA, Directed by Johanna Demetrakas
Crazy Wisdom is the long-awaited feature documentary to explore the life, teachings, and “crazy wisdom” of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, a pivotal figure in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to the West.
Destination Orcas, USA, Directed by Erik Hatch
Cast: Tony Tieu, Pablo Favela, Erik Hatch, Mike Pugh
A 16 day skateboard adventure from Santa Barbara CA to Orcas Island, WA. Four of the most infamous skateboarders in Santa Barbara hop in a rental van and explore the US West Coast.
Darwin, Switzerland, Directed by Nick Brandestini
A documentary film about an isolated community at the end of a weathered road in Death Valley, California.
Downhill: The Bill Johnson Story, USA, Directed by Zeke Piestrup
Cast: Bill Johnson, Phil Mahre, Lindsey Vonn
The story of the impossible rise and tragic fall of an Olympic champion.
Doyald Young, Logotype Designer, USA, Directed by Scott Erickson
Cast: Doyald Young, Stefan Bucher
From humble beginnings in a small Texas town eight decades ago comes legendary typographer, logotype designer, author, and teacher Doyald Young.
Face to Face, Australia, Directed by Michael Rymer
Cast: Luke Ford, Laura Gordon, Alicia Attwood, Ra Chapman, Lauren Clair, Vince Colosimo
A group of Australians from diverse backgrounds gather to decide the fate of a violent young man. An Australian ’12 Angry Men’, only there’s 10, including 4 women.
Finding Kind, USA, Directed by Lauren Parsekian
Cast: Lauren Parsekian, Molly Stroud
Two girls packed their bags and traveled across America to interview hundreds of females about the mean girl phenomenon.
Good For Nothing, New Zealand, Directed by Mike Wallis
Cast: Inge Rademeyer, Cohen Holloway, Jon Pheloung, Richard Thompson, Toa Waaka, Tony Wyeth, Steve Cronin, Mark Norrie
A unique Western about an odd romance between a savage outlaw and a strong-willed English lady.
Last Man In Paradise, USA, Directed by Michael James Love, Tina Love
An eccentric champion of the history of humble things faces bulldozers as he fights for his unique cabin.
Love, USA, Directed by William Eubank
Cast: Gunner Wright, Bradley Horn, Troy Mittleider, Roger Fanter, Jessee Hotchkiss, Tony Cohen
An astronaut on the International Space Station, loses contact with earth, and becomes stranded for 7 years.
Make A Movie Like Spike, USA/Mexico, Directed by J. Smith
Cast: Jamil Walker Smith, Malcolm Goodwin, Michael Trotter, Christine Dunford
Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.
Pablo’s Hippos, UK/Colombia, Directed by Antonio Von Hildebrand, Lawrence Elman
Pablo’s Hippos recounts the absurd and paradoxical history of Colombia’s thirty-year struggle with international drug trafficking, at once a farce and a tragedy, as seen through the eyes of the extravagant pet of the most powerful drug baron in history: a hippopotamus named Pablo.
Patisserie (Coin de rue), Japan, Directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa
Cast: Yosuke Eguchi, Yu Aoi, Noriko Eguchi, Hiroyuki Onoue, Urara Awata
Fate draws together a brilliant patissier who made a sudden exit from the world of pastry and the daughter of a small-town cake shop who ventures to the big city in search of her sweetheart, into a pastry shop brimming over with delectable cakes and life stories — A bittersweet gem of a story that will warm your heart with just one, joyful bite.
Phunny Business: A Black Comedy, USA, Directed by John Davies
Featuring: Steve Harvey, Cedric The Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac, Jamie Foxx, Dave Chappelle, Craig Robinson, JB Smoove
Comedy, politics and race collide in this story of Chicago’s first black comedy club, All Jokes Aside.
Remain With Me (Reste avec moi), Canada, Directed by Robert Ménard
Cast: Danielle Proulx, Gérard Poirier, Vincent Bilodeau, Louis Morissette, Maxim Roy
In the genre of ensemble films, Reste avec moi tells the stories of individuals whose harmonious lives are shaken by a betrayal.
Richard Koci Hernandez, Multimedia Journalist, USA, Directed by Scott Erickson
Richard Koci Hernandez is at the forefront of the next generation of journalism. At 12 years old, Koci began his obsession with photography and his love of visual storytelling with a trip to the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite.
Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul, Germany/USA, Directed by Kai Sehr
Featuring: Louisa Menke, Shams Razi, Sharna Nolan, Oliver Percovich, Kenny Reed
Inspired by Skateistan, Afghanistan’s first skateboarding school, this emotional feature-length documentary is a journey deep into the lives of Afghanistan’s urban youth.
Someplace With A Mountain, USA, Directed by Steve Goodall
A one-hour documentary about a very special group of people: The Lapita Navigators, the proud forefathers of many cultures in the tropical Pacific. They are losing their homes and crops because of sea level rise. Their livelihood and culture are dramatically threatened as the islands they live on are flooding day by day. The outcome and conclusion of this story will be told in the context of an event celebrating their living culture, a culture at a cross roads of great importance for all of us. For some of them, it will be the beginning of an Epic Journey to a new land.
Stoked & Broke, USA, Directed by Cyrus Sutton
Featuring: Ryan Burch, Cyrus Sutton, Richard Kenvin
A Staycation Surfari Epic on Zero Dollars…
That Side of a Shadow, USA, Directed by Ricky Fosheim
Cast: Jeffery A. Baker, Kristin Erickson, Dillon Tucker, Virginia Cassavetes
Two best friends must rob the gas station they work at in order to pay off a bad debt.
That’s What I Am, USA – CENTERPIECE GALA, Directed by Mike Pavone
Cast: Ed Harris, Chase Ellison, Molly Parker, Daniel Roebuck, Randy Orton, Daniel Yelsky,
Alexander Walters, Mia Rose Frampton and Amy Madigan I’m a teacher. I’m a singer. I’m a writer. That’s what I am.
Still Point, France, Directed by Taki Bibelas
Featuring: Miklos Dora, Tom Morey, Mark Cunningham, Mike Doyle, George Downing, Skip Frye, Ricky Grigg, Joey Cabell, Brian Keaulana
A T.S. Eliot poem inspires a film about water and the ocean that is told by world’s legendary pioneer surfers.
Way of the Ocean, Australia, Directed by Matt Kleiner
Featuring: Asher Pacey, Adam Robertson, Josh Kerr, Kelly Slater
Way of the Ocean is an intimate portrait of Australia’s picturesque coastlines and the world class waves they provide.
We Still Live Here (As Nutayunean), USA, Directed by Anne Makepeace
As Nutayunean tells the amazing story of the return of the Wampanoag language, the first time a language with no Native speakers has been revived in this country.
U.S. PREMIERES
180 (180º), Mexico, Directed by Fernando Kalife
Cast: Manuel García Rulfo, Elizabeth Valdez, Eduardo Blanco, Iliana Fox, Rodrigo Cachero, Daniel Martínez
Life could always turn around. 180º is the story of Salvador, a man who had everything in life, except himself, and a life.
A Life Begins (Une vie qui commence), Canada, Directed by Michel Monty
Cast: Charles Antoine Perreault, Julie LeBreton, Mathis Brisson, Yves Sauvé
A twelve year old loses his doctor father to an overdose.
Asleep in the Sun (dormer al sol), Argentina, Directed by Alejandro Chomski
Cast: Norma Argentina, Carlos Belloso
The Life of a gentle neighborhood man changes abruptly when his wife is confined and he finds out that they are part of an operation of souls and bodies traffic.
Belvedere, Bosnia/Herzegovina (Festival Premiere), Directed by Ahmed Imamovic
Cast: Sadžida Šetic, Nermin Tulic, Minka (Emina) Muftic, Armin Rizavnovic, Adis Omerovic
Fifteen years after the ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims during the Balkan conflict, a determined widow searching for the remains of her husband and son quietly attempts to rebuild her life by caring for her troubled extended family.
Blind Spot, Canada, Directed by Fabrice Barrilliet, Nicolas Bolduc, Julien Knafo, Marie Hélène Panisset
Cast: Daniel Parent, Hélène Florent, Mario Saint-Amand, Erik Duhamel, Maxim Roy, Judith Baribeau, Sylvain Bissonnette
Four thirtysomethings undergo various degrees of drama, each at maximum intensity.
By Day and By Night (De dia y de noche), Mexico, Directed by Alejandro Molina
Cast: Sandra Echeverría, Manuel Balbi, Gala Montes, Fernando Becerril, Juan Carlos Colombo, Ari Brickman, Andrea Damián.
Dance Marathon, Poland, Directed by Magdalena Holland-Lazarkiewicz
Cast: Krzysztof Skonieczny, Agnieszka Podsiadlik, Lukasz Simlat, Dariusz Toczek, Olga Frycz, Joanna Kulig, Bartlomiej Topa
A comedy from Poland about a crowd that has gathered for a dance competition in the provincial town of Dabie.
Gigola, France, Directed by Laure Charpentier
Cast: Lou Doillon, Marie Kremer, Thierry Lhermitte, Virginie Pradal, Marisa Paredes
In Paris 60’s nightlife, George, a charismatic and adventurous young woman, becomes Gigola, a kind of gigolo for women only.
Heart of Auschwitz (Le Coeur d’Auschwitz), Canada, Directed by Carl Leblanc
The inspiring story of a small heart-shaped booklet , a birthday gift handmade by Auschwitz inmates for their friend Fania Landau, on December 12th, 1944.
Just Between Us, Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia, Directed by Rajko Grlic
Cast: Miki Manojlovic, Bojan Navojec, Ksenija Marinkovic, Daria Lorenci
A wicked, indiscreet contemporary story set in Zagreb about the whirling erotic passions that percolate beneath the dull, composed surface of everyday bourgeois life and manners.
Land, Canada,Directed by Julian Pinder
Featuring: Chris Berry, Daniel Campesino, Jimmy Carter, Fred Goldfarb, Keith Griffith
Welcome to the modern-day Wild West. Grab your guns.
Light in Darkness (Luz nas trevas),Brazil, Directed by Helena Ignez, Icaro Martins
Cast: Ney Matogrosso, André Guerreiro Lopes, Djin Sganzerla, Bruna Lombardi, Sandra Corveloni and Maria Luisa Mendonça
The story of the legendary bandit Red Light and his son All or Nothing, the cut-rate outlaw worshiped by woman.
Limbo, Norway, Directed by Maria Sødahl
Cast: Lena Endre, Bryan Brown, Cecilie A. Mosli, Line Verndal, Catherine Emmanuel
A movie about love, betrayal and desperation in a “coming of-age” story for adults.
Miss Mouche, Belgium, Directed by Bernard Halut
Cast: Mona Jabé, Bernard Cogniaux, Valérie Bauchau, Chantal Pirotte, Thierry de Coster
With her cell phone, Nina, 12, films everything that happens in her family…
Mourning for Anna (Trois temps après la mort d’Anna), Canada, Directed by Catherine Martin
Cast: Guylaine Tremblay, François Papineau, Sheila Jaffé, Denise Gagnon
After the tragic death of her daughter, a woman must choose between living and dying.
No Doubt, South Korea, Directed by Park Soo-young
In a peaceful town, a tragic death leads to two men’s desperate crime race. Nostalgia for the Light
(Nostalgia de la luz), Chile/France/Germany, Directed by Patricio Guzmán
A breath-taking exploration of the cosmos, the desert, and the disappeared.
Piché : Entre ciel et terre, Canada, Directed by Sylvain Archambault
Cast: Michel Cote, Maxime Leflaguais, Sophie Pregent, Normand d’Amour
Drawing on his instincts and his tumultuous past, Robert Piché finds the strength and composure necessary to land his plane after it runs out of gas, saving the lives of 306 passengers in the process.
Red Light Revolution, China/Australia, Directed by Sam Voutas
Cast: Zhao Jun, Vivid Wang, Jiang Xiduo, Masanobu Otsuka, Tess Liu, Bo Bing, Tian Huimin
China’s first sex shop comedy follows a Beijinger who opens an adult store, sparking a sexual revolution in his neighborhood.
Sarah’s Key, France – OPENING NIGHT, Directed by Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas, Mélusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup, Aidan Quinn
While researching an article on the Vel’d’Hiv Roundup in 1942 France, Julia, an American journalist stumbles across the story of Sarah, a ten year old Jewish girl who desperately tried to save her younger brother from the police by locking him in a cupboard. Through her research, Julia comes across a trail of secrets that link her to Sarah and change the way she sees the world.
Soul of Sand (Pairon Talle), India, Directed by Sidharth Srinivasan
Cast: Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Saba Joshi, Avtar Sahni, Geeta Bisht
A watchman at an abandoned mine is drawn into a bizarre triangle after a wealthy landlord’s daughter and her lower-caste lover seek refuge with him from a masked killer wreaking havoc across the Indian countryside.
The Abandoned (Ostavljeni), Bosnia and Herzegovina / France / Serbia / Croatia, Directed by Adis Bakrach
Cast: Mira Furlan, Mirsad Tuka, Tony Grga, Zijah Sokolovic, Mirela Lambic, Meto Jovanovski, Dragan Marinkovic…
A look at the Bosnian war through the eyes of a boy named Alen, who was born not as the fruit of love, but of hatred, and is part of a whole new people, nameless and unwanted, whose mothers were raped.
The Boy Mir: Ten Years in Afghanistan, UK, Directed by Phil Grabsky
Following the international hit The Boy who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan, The Boy Mir will cover not one year but ten. It will track the cheeky, enthusiastic Mir from a childish eight to a fully grown eighteen-year-old. Over those ten years, it will be a journey into early adulthood in one of the toughest places on earth; a journey that mirrors the current and vitally important story of Afghanistan.
The Colors of the Mountain (Los colores de la Montaña), Panama/Colombia, Directed by Carlos Cesar Arbelaez
Cast: Genaro Aristizabal, Natalia Cueller, Hernan Mendez
A modern-day portrayal of daily life in a remote part of the mountainous Colombian countryside, set around the friendship between Manuel and Julián.
The First Stone, Iran, Directed by Ebrahim Forouzesh
Cast: Mohsen Tanabandeh, Andishe Fouladvand
HassanAli is the first person in the village who buys himself a gravestone. All villagers are surprised by HassanAli, making fun of him.
The Great Vazquez, Spain, Directed by Oscar Aibar
Cast: Santiago Segura, Alex Angulo, Manolo Solo
Is it possible to live aside of the system, thinking only about the present and oneself? A feature film about Manuel Vázquez, the best comic book author in Barcelona during the sixties, but, mainly, a man with a very particular way of living his life.
The Knot (Musubime), Japan, Directed by Yuichi Onuma
Cast: Muck Akazawa, Junichi Kawamoto, So Hirosawa
You can never wash away the past.
The Tenants (Os Inquilinos), Brazil, Directed by Sérgio Bianchi
Cast: Marat Descartes, Ana Carbatti, Umberto Magnani
After three mysterious men move into a smoky Sao Paulo suburb, a neighboring couple becomes obsessed with the men’s clandestine activities and the ozone of violence that descends upon their once-tranquil neighborhood.
Tilt, Germany/Bulgaria, Directed by Viktor Chouchkov Jr.
Cast: Yavor Baharov, Radina Kardjilova, Ovanes Torosian, Alexander Sano, Georgi Staykov
Political changes, corruption, social suppression – can a young love survive those times of turmoil and chaos?
Togetherness Supreme, Kenya, Directed by Nathan Collett
Cast: Wilson Maina, Martha Kisaka, Geoffrey Jefferson Ong’ong’o, Chrispine Onyango, Bill Oloo, Teddy Onyango
An artist struggles for change in the midst of tribal and tension
To Hell With The Ugly, Spain, Directed by Nacho G. Velilla
Cast: Pere Arquillué, Javier Cámara, Silvia Casanova, Juan Diego, Julián López
What happens when the woman of your life is married to your brother?
Women in Temptation (Zeny v pokuseni), Czech Republic, Directed by Jirí Vejdelek
Cast: Eliska Balzerová, Vojtech Dyk, Michal Gulyás, Jirí Helekal
When a marriage counselor is abandoned by her husband for a younger woman, she sets out for new companionship.
You Are Here, Canada, Directed by Daniel Cockburn
Cast: Tracy Wright, R.D. Reid, Anand Rajaram, Nadia Litz
A meta-detective story.
COMPETITION CATEGORIES
INDEPENDENT FEATURES
Competition
Benavides Born, USA, Directed by Amy Wendel
Face to Face, Australia – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Michael Rymer
Good For Nothing, New Zealand – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Mike Wallis
Angels & Airwaves presents Love, USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by William Eubank
Make A Movie Like Spike, USA/Mexico – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by J. Smith
Small Town Murder Songs, Canada, Directed by Ed Gass-Donnelly
That’s What I Am, USA – WORLD PREMIERE (Centerpiece Gala), Directed by Mike Povone
You Are Here, Canada – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Daniel Cockburn
INTERNATIONAL FEATURES
Competition
Gigola, France – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Laure Charpentier
Just Between Us, Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Rajko Grlic
King’s Road, Iceland, Directed by Valdís Óskarsdóttir
Limbo, Norway – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Maria Sødahl
Miss Mouche, Belgium – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Bernard Halut
Simple Simon (I rymden finns inga känslor), Sweden, Directed by Andreas Öhman
Soul of Sand (Pairon Talle), India – U.S. (Festival) PREMIERE, Directed by Sidharth Srinivasan
The First Stone, Iran – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Ebrahim Forouzesh
Women in Temptation (Zeny v pokuseni), Czech Republic – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Jirí Vejdelek
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
Competition
Crazy Wisdom: The Life & Times of Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, Canada/USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Johanna Demetrakas
Dancing Chaplin (Dansingu Chapurin), Japan, Directed by Masayuki Suo
Darwin, Switzerland – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Nick Brandestini
Land, Canada – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Julian Pinder
Nostalgia for the Light (Nostalgia de la luz), Chile/France/Germany – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Patricio Guzmán
Pablo’s Hippos, UK/Colombia – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Antonio Von Hildebrand, Lawrence Elman
Phunny Business: A Black Comedy, USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by John Davies
Skateistan: Four Wheels and a Board in Kabul, Germany/USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Kai Sehr
Someplace with a Mountain, USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Steve Goodall
The Boy Mir: Ten Years in Afghanistan, UK – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Phil Grabsky
Troubadors, USA, Directed by Morgan Neville
We Still Live Here (As Nutayunean), USA – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Anne Makepeace
SPANISH/LATIN AMERICA CINEMA
Competition
180 (180º), Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Fernando Kalife
5 x Favela, Now by Ourselves (5x Favela, Agora por Nós Mesmos), Brazil, Directed by Cacau Amaral, Cadu Barcelos, Luciana Bezerra, Manaira Carneiro, Rodrigo Felha, Wagner Novais, Luciano Vidigal
Anything You Want (Todo lo que tú quieras), Spain, Directed by Achero Mañas
Asleep in the Sun (Dormir al sol), Argentina – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Alejandro Chomski
By Day and By Night (De día y de noche), Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Alejandro Molina’
Light in the Darkness (Luz nas trevas), Brazil – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Helena Ignez, Icaro Martins
Nostalgia for the Light (Nostalgia de la luz), Chile/France/Germany – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Patricio Guzmán
The Colors of the Mountain (Los colores de la montaña), Panama/Colombia – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Carlos Cesar Arbelaez
The Great Vazquez, Spain – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Oscar Aibar
The Tenants (Os Inquilinos), Brazil – U.S. (Festival) PREMIERE, Directed by Sérgio Bianchi
To Hell With The Ugly, Spain – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Nacho G. Velilla
EASTERN BLOC
Competition
Belvedere, Bosniz/Herzegovina – U.S. (Festival) PREMIERE, Directed by Ahmed Imamovic
Dance Marathon, Poland – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Magdalena Holland-Lazarkiewicz
If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle (Eu cand vreau sa fluier, fluier), Romania/Sweden, Directed by Florin Serban
Just Between Us, Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia – U.S. PREMIERE,Directed by Rajko Grlic
The Abandoned (Ostavljeni), Bosnia/Herzegovina – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Adis Bakrach
The Light Thief ((Svet-Ake), Kyrgyzstan/France/Germany/Netherlands, Directed by Aktan Arym Kubat
Tilt, Germany/Bulgaria – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Viktor Chouchkov, Jr.
Women in Temptation (Zeny v pokuseni), Czech Republic – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Jirí Vejdelek
EAST X WEST
Competition
1778 Stories of Me and My Wife, Japan – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Mamoru Hoshi
A Barefoot Dream (Maen-bal-eui Ggoom), South Korea, Directed by Kim Tae-kyun
Fire of Conscience, Hong Kong, Directed by Dante Lam
No Doubt, South Korea – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Park Soo-Young
Patisserie (Coin de rue), Japan – WORLD PREMIERE, Directed by Yoshihiro Fukagawa
Red Light Revolution, China/Australia – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Sam Voutas
The Knot (Musubime), Japan – U.S. PREMIERE, Directed by Yuichi Onuma
SHORT FILMS
Competition
A Letter from Home, USA, Directed by Mark Kirkland
A Parachute Falling in Siberia, Australia, Directed by Ian Meadows
Are You Leaving? (¿Te Vas?), Spain, Directed by Crestina Molino
Awaiting Her, Honduras, Directed by James Joint
Berik, Russia, Directed by Daniel Joseph
Dearly Departed, USA, Directed by Ilo Orleans
Grave Dawn, USA, Directed by D.J. Turner
Last Resort (Último Recurso), Peru, Directed by Barney Elliott
Little Flowers (Les fleurs de l’âge), Canada, Directed by Vincent Biron
North Atlantic, Portugal, Directed by Bernardo Nascimento
Steve, UK, Directed by Rupert Friend
Stones, USA, Directed by Giulio Musi Wennergren
The Escape, USA, Directed by James Connelly
The Great Race (La gran carrera), Spain, Directed by Kote Camacho
The Lost Explorer, UK, Directed by Tim Walker
The Usual (La Routine), France, Directed by Philippe Bénard
United We Stand, Finland, Directed by Alejandro Pedregal
West of the Moon, USA, Directed by Brent Bonacorso
ANIMATED SHORTS
Competition
Alex and the Ghosts (Alex et les fantômes), Canada, Directed by Eric Warin
Amar, Spain, Directed by Isabel Herguera
Amazonia, USA, Directed by Sam Chen
Blind Date, UK, Directed by Nigel Davies
Daisy Cutter, Spain, Directed by Jorge Sanchez, Ruben Salazar
New Digs, South Africa, Directed by Martin Sen
On The Water, Netherlands, Directed by Yi Zhao
Ormie, Canada, Directed by Rob Silvestri
The Circus (Le cirque), France/Canada, Directed by Nicolas Brault
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, USA, Directed by William Joyce
The Gruffalo, UK, Directed by Jakob Schuh, Max Lang
The Lost Thing, Australia, Directed by Andrew Ruhemann, Shaun Tan
The Trembling Veil of Bones, Ireland/Canada, Directed by Matthew Talbot-Kelly
The Trenches (La Tranchée), Canada, Directed by Claude Cloutier
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