Jeannette the Childhood of Joan of Arc (Jeannette l’enfance de Jeanne d’Arc) (2017)

Film Society of Lincoln Center Announces Lineup for 23rd Rendez-Vous with French Cinema

[caption id="attachment_27057" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Barbara[/caption] Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, the celebrated annual series showcasing the variety and vitality of contemporary French filmmaking, returns to the Film Society of Lincoln Center for the 23rd edition, from March 8 to 18, 2018, with 24 diverse films on display. The Opening Night selection is the U.S. premiere of Mathieu Amalric’s transfixing, meta-cinematic Barbara, starring Jeanne Balibar as the iconic French chanteuse. The film was nominated for nine César Awards, including Best Film, Actor, and Actress. Amalric, who also co-wrote and co-stars, will appear in person along with Balibar at the festival. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCGe9E0kv7U Highlights from the lineup include Montparnasse Bienvenüe, Serraille’s complex portrait of a newly single woman rebuilding her life, which won the Camera d’Or (best first film) at Cannes; the North American premiere of Jean-Paul Civeyrac’s black-and-white ode to cinema and young adulthood, A Paris Education;Tomorrow and Thereafter, an enchanting mother-daughter tale from acclaimed actress-director Noémie Lvovsky; Xavier Legrand’s harrowing domestic drama Custody, winner of the Silver Lion at Venice; the U.S. premiere of The Guardians, an affecting World War I drama from Xavier Beauvois (Of Gods and Men); the North American premiere of Nobuhiro Suwa’s ghost story The Lion Sleeps Tonight, starring Jean-Pierre Léaud; a special Film Comment presentation of the North American premiere of Eugène Green’s uniquely 21st-century metaphysical odyssey Waiting for the Barbarians; and additional premieres from Rendez-Vous favorites including Bruno Dumont (Jeannette, The Childhood of Joan of Arc), Emmanuel Finkiel (A Memoir of War), and more. Selections in the 2018 edition of Rendez-Vous with French Cinema garnered an impressive 49 combined nominations for this year’s César Awards. In addition to Barbara, Albert Dupontel’s See You Up There, a comic caper set in Jazz Age Paris, topped the nominations with 13 total, including Best Film; Hubert Charuel’s Petit Paysan, about a farmer’s desperate attempt to shield his cows from an epidemic, received eight nominations; and wedding comedy C’est la vie!, by the directors of Rendez-Vous 2012 opener The Intouchables, Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache, was nominated for 10 awards. The acting categories also included nominations for the brilliant Emmanuelle Devos as an ambitious businesswoman in feminist drama Number One, Marina Foïs as a Parisian novelist in Laurent Cantet’s The Workshop, and Laure Calamy as a single mother whose daughter is going blind in Léa Mysius’s breathtakingly bold Ava. This year’s festival will also feature two special panels—one focusing on female empowerment and the place of women in the French film and corporate industries, and the other about first-time feature films—headlined by guests from the lineup. Filmmakers and talent who will be in attendance at this year’s festival include, in alphabetical order: Mathieu Amalric, Jeanne Balibar, Richard Bausch, Xavier Beauvois, Gilles Bourdos, Laurent Cantet, Jean-Paul Civeyrac, Raymond Depardon, Bruno Dumont, Emmanuel Finkiel, Marine Francen, Eugène Green, Rachid Hami, Xavier Legrand, Vincent Macaigne, Tonie Marshall, Claudine Nougaret, Julie Roué, and Léonor Serraille. The 2018 festival will also place a spotlight on young people by hosting a “Salut les Jeunes” day on Monday, March 12, featuring four handpicked screenings of films from the lineup that focus on the experiences of young people today, with special perks for attendees under 30. In conjunction, the festival is holding a contest for people in this age group: interested writers can submit a review of a Rendez-Vous film of their choice, and the best critique will win a round-trip flight to Paris and a year’s subscription to TV5 Monde. Co-presented with UniFrance, Rendez-Vous with French Cinema demonstrates annually that the landscape of French cinema is as fertile, inspiring, and distinct as ever. All films are screened digitally at the Walter Reade Theater.
FILMS & DESCRIPTIONS

MAIN SLATE
Opening Night Barbara Mathieu Amalric, France, 2017, 98m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere The legendary chanteuse known only as Barbara, gifted with a tremulously expressive voice and striking stage presence, is an enduring icon of French culture. In this tantalizing tribute from actor-director Mathieu Amalric, a transfixing, chameleon-like Jeanne Balibar stars as Brigitte, a film actress cast in a biopic about the singer. This conceit yields, à la Cassavetes’ Opening Night, a mesmerizing meta-cinematic high-wire act about the slippery nature of performance and identity as Balibar’s Barbara merges with footage of the real-life diva until the two become virtually indistinguishable. The result is both a captivating experiment and a love letter to a singular artist. Nominated for nine César Awards, including Best Film, Director, Actress, Cinematography, and Original Screenplay. 12 Days / 12 jours Raymond Depardon, France, 2017, 87m French with English subtitles New York Premiere Continuing a 30-year collaboration with sound recordist and producer Claudine Nougaret, renowned photographer and documentarian Raymond Depardon has made a startling, face-to-face look at mental illness and the French legal system. According to the law, anyone admitted to a psychiatric hospital against their will must be evaluated by a judge within twelve days to determine whether they are fit to be released or must continue treatment. With disarming, fly-on-the-wall immediacy, Depardon brings the viewer into the room for these charged encounters, which are by turns heartrending, unnerving, and deeply humanizing. Crucially, Depardon and his impassive, vérité camera refuse to pass judgment, letting the subjects—among society’s most vulnerable and marginalized—speak for themselves. Nominated for a Best Documentary César Award. A Distrib Films release. Ava Léa Mysius, France, 2017, 105m French and Spanish with English subtitles New York Premiere The bold, bracingly original debut feature from Léa Mysius is a coming-of-age tale unlike any other. While on summer vacation on the crystal blue coast, tempestuous 13-year-old Ava (Noée Abita) learns she is quickly going blind. It’s a revelation that leads to a breathtaking turn of events, as the newly emboldened Ava turns her back on her single mother (Laure Calamy, nominated for a Best Supporting Actress César Award) in favor of the outlaw teen Juan (Juan Cano) and the wild freedom of the road. Dazzling 35mm cinematography—with sun-splashed beach images by day and rich, inky blacks by night—evokes the increasingly dark world of a girl taking in as much of life as she can, while she can. Before Summer Ends / Avant la fin de l’été Maryam Goormaghtigh, France/Switzerland, 2017, 80m French and Persian with English subtitles New York Premiere Thirty-something Iranian friends Arash, Hossein, and Ashkan embark on a late summer road trip through the sunny South before Arash heads back to Iran. The three camp under the stars as they guzzle beers, join up with a rock ‘n’ roll girl duo, and reflect on the cultural differences between their home and adopted countries. With a wry, improvisatory sense of humor and spare but striking compositions, director Maryam Goormaghtigh crafts an endearing and perceptive semi-documentary travelogue that speaks to both the challenges and freedoms that come with being an outsider in a foreign country. Bonus: a hilarious language lesson on the various Iranian terms for farts. C’est la vie! / Le sens de la fête Olivier Nakache & Éric Toledano, France/Canada/Belgium, 2017, 117m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere Nominated for 10 Césars, including Best Film, this deliciously deadpan comic soufflé from the directors of The Intouchables concerns the behind-the-scenes planning of an elaborate wedding. Max (Jean-Pierre Bacri) is a veteran event coordinator who thinks he’s seen it all—until he must pull off a spectacular wedding at an 18th-century chateau (complete with waitstaff in powdered wigs). Between an epic catering mishap, an egomaniac groomsman, and a photographer who’s more interested in his Tinder matches than in taking pictures, it’s sure to be a night to remember… Like Altman with a featherlight, Gallic touch, C’est la vie! expertly juggles a sparkling ensemble cast including Vincent Macaigne, Gilles Lellouche, and Suzanne Clement. Comfort and Consolation in France / Pour le réconfort Vincent Macaigne, France, 2017, 91m English and French with English subtitles North American Premiere After squandering their inheritance while living la vie de bohème abroad, siblings Pascal (Pascal Rénéric) and Pauline (Pauline Lorillard)—scions of an old money, aristocratic family—return to their ancestral estate and their childhood friends in the Loire Valley. Awaiting them is a tidal wave of pent-up resentment as their presence unleashes the ire of all those in their orbit, in particular a bitter, virulently anti-bourgeois nursing home manager who will stop at nothing to see the pair humiliated. One of France’s most distinctive rising talents, Macaigne pulls no punches in this daringly iconoclastic tale of the clash between the haves and have-nots and the struggle for the soul of Europe. Custody / Jusqu’à la garde Xavier Legrand, France, 2017, 93m French with English subtitles New York Premiere Winner of the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival, this riveting domestic drama is a harrowing study of a family coming undone. When his parents separate, a bitter custody battle results in 11-year-old Julien (a heartrendingly naturalistic Thomas Gioria) being shuttled between his fearful mother (Léa Drucker) and abusive father (Denis Ménochet), who uses the boy as a pawn to manipulate his ex-wife—a volatile situation that pushes everyone to the breaking point. Expanding on his Oscar-nominated short Just Before Losing Everything, director Xavier Legrand displays a distinctive touch that imbues each frame with quivering tension. A Kino Lorber release. Endangered Species / Espèces menacées Gilles Bourdos, France/Belgium, 2017, 105m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere Drawing from Richard Bausch’s short stories, Renoir director Gilles Bourdos delivers an explosive emotional epic about the tangled relationships among parents, children, husbands, wives, and lovers. At the heart of this multi-strand ensemble piece is Josephine (Alice Isaaz), a young newlywed fearfully taking first steps to escape from her abusive, possessive husband (Vincent Rottiers). Swirling about her are a host of turbulent lives in various stages of free-fall, from a lonely student (Damien Chapelle) caring for his mentally ill mother (Brigitte Catillon) to a middle-aged father (Eric Elmosnino) starting over after a divorce. Masterful crosscutting creates a charged sense of anticipation, while virtuoso cinematographer (and regular Hou Hsiao-hsien collaborator) Mark Lee Ping-bing contributes stunningly dynamic, color-saturated compositions. The Guardians / Les gardiennes Xavier Beauvois, Switzerland/France, 2017, 138m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere A quietly affecting human drama of love, loss, and resilience unfolds against the backdrop of World War I in the new film from Of Gods and Men director Xavier Beauvois. France, 1916: due to a shortage of men, teenage orphan Francine (Iris Bry) is hired to work on the farm of the hardened Hortense (Nathalie Baye) and her loitering daughter Solange (Laura Smet). When a romance forms between Francine and Hortense’s son Georges (Cyril Descours), a soldier on leave from the frontlines, their love is tested not only by the war but also by the complex social fabric of the community. Composed in painterly images bathed in natural light, in moments reminiscent of Maurice Pialat’s Van Gogh, this intimate epic traces the journey of a young woman weathering turbulent times—and refusing to be defeated. A Music Box Films release. Jeannette, The Childhood of Joan of Arc / Jeannette, l’enfance de Jeanne d’Arc Bruno Dumont, France, 2017, 105m French with English subtitles New York Premiere The ever-unpredictable Bruno Dumont (Slack Bay) takes another thrilling hairpin turn with this audacious, 15th century-set heavy metal musical composed by Igorrr (aka Gautier Serre). It’s 1425, and 8-year-old shepherdess Jeannette—the future Joan of Arc—already has the weight of the French nation on her shoulders as she grapples with matters of the soul, the ongoing Hundred Years’ War, and the feeling that she is meant for something great. Along the way there are head-banging nuns, surreal angelic visions, and a cavalcade of hard-stomping electro-rock song and dance numbers recorded live on location. The result is an ecstatically unique and transportive experience that is, at heart, the story of a young heroine realizing her destiny. A KimStim release. July Tales / Contes de juillet Guillaume Brac, France, 2017, 68m French with English subtitles North American Premiere Two languorous summer days, two thorny tales of romantic misunderstanding: in part one, two girlfriends (Milena Csergo and Lucie Grunstein) head to the Cergy leisure park for a day of swimming and equally vigorous flirtation; in the second, a Norwegian exchange student (Hanne Mathisen Haga) finds herself the target of unwanted attention from two would-be suitors. Channeling the spirits of Éric Rohmer and Jacques Rozier in its sunny summer setting and concern with the erotic entanglements of the young and idle, this deceptively breezy diptych is, on the surface, a charming diversion. Look a bit closer and you’ll find an incisive study of the ever-complicated relationships between men and women. Just to Be Sure / Ôtez-moi d’un doute Carine Tardieu, France/Belgium, 2017, 100m French with English subtitles New York Premiere Family ties don’t get much more complicated than the ones in this witty, winning seriocomic charmer. Erwan (François Damiens) is a middle-aged bomb disposal expert who finds himself facing a different kind of explosive situation when he learns that the man who raised him is not, in fact, his biological father—and that the woman (Cécile de France) he is seeing may in fact be his half-sister. What sounds like the makings of a Greek tragedy plays out with sparkling élan thanks to the clever script and sharply drawn characters—flawed, flesh-and-blood people fumbling their way through extraordinary circumstances. The Lion Sleeps Tonight / Le lion est mort ce soir Nobuhiro Suwa, France/Japan, 2017, 103m French with English subtitles North American Premiere Living legend Jean-Pierre Léaud stars in this playfully self-reflexive ghost story, which functions as a consideration of cinema, mortality, and the actor’s own status as an emblem of film history. He plays Jean, an aging movie actor who, as he prepares to shoot a death scene, finds himself visited by the spirit of a dead, long-ago lover (Pauline Etienne). Meanwhile, he has visitors of another kind: a band of children who cast him in the DIY haunted house movie they are making. Director Nobuhiro Suwa channels the spirit of Rivette as he spins a wonderfully loose-limbed tale that delights in the infinite possibilities of filmmaking. Plus: the gratifying sight of Léaud chucking apples at a gaggle of pesky youngsters. A Memoir of War / La douleur Emmanuel Finkiel, France, 2017, 127m French with English subtitles North American Premiere Marguerite Duras’s autobiographical memoir—a heartrending reflection on wartime grief—receives a haunting and hypnotic adaptation. Mélanie Thierry, her face a transfixing canvas of emotion, plays the writer, a member of the Resistance living in Nazi-occupied Paris. Desperate for news of her husband, who has been arrested by the Germans, she enters into a high-risk game of psychological cat and mouse with a Nazi collaborator (Benoît Magimel). But as the months wear on without word of the man she loves, Marguerite must begin the process of confronting the unimaginable. Through subtly expressionistic images and voiceover passages of Duras’s writing, director Emmanuel Finkiel evokes the inner world of one of the 20th century’s most revolutionary writers. A Music Box Films release. Montparnasse Bienvenüe / Jeune femme Léonor Serraille, France, 2017, 97m French with English subtitles New York Premiere When the toxic 10-year relationship that has defined her adult life implodes, 31-year-old Paula (rising star Laetitia Dosch, nominated for a Best Newcomer César Award) finds herself adrift on Paris’ Left Bank. With no money, no job, and no idea what’s next, the turbulent Paula resorts to a series of desperate lies in order to keep a roof over her head. But this young woman is more resilient than even she initially realizes. Made by an almost entirely female crew, Léonor Serraille’s debut feature—winner of the Camera d’Or at Cannes for best first film—is a refreshingly complex portrait of an all-too-human heroine veering between instability and strength as she makes a place for herself in the world. Number One / Numéro une Tonie Marshall, France, 2017, 110m English and French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere An ambitious woman treads a dangerous path as she attempts to crash the corporate boys’ club in this timely feminist drama. Emmanuelle (César nominee Emmanuelle Devos) is a successful energy company executive tapped by a feminist lobbying group to step into the soon-to-be-open CEO position at France’s national water company—a move that would make her the first woman to lead a major French corporation. But first, Emmanuelle must navigate a treacherous minefield of sexism, blackmail, and a smear campaign designed to squash her. Director Tonie Marshall (Venus Beauty Institute) blends twisty boardroom intrigue with an impassioned message about the need for female solidarity in the workplace. Orchestra Class / La mélodie Rachid Hami, France, 2017, 102m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere This inspiring ode to the transformative power of music unfolds with a refreshingly low-key naturalism. Simon (Kad Merad) is a classical violinist who finds himself way out of his element when he signs on to teach music to a class of unruly and generally apathetic middle-school students on the multicultural outskirts of Paris. One exception: Arnold (Renely Alfred), the sensitive son of a single mother from Côte d’Ivoire, whose passion for the violin gradually energizes both his classmates and the disillusioned Simon. Empathetic without being maudlin, Orchestra Class is distinguished by the way it roots its uplifting teacher-student saga in the socioeconomic realities of immigrant life. A Paris Education / Mes provinciales Jean-Paul Civeyrac, France, 2018, 137m French with English subtitles North American Premiere Etienne (Andranic Manet), a serious and impressionable shaggy-haired young cinephile, leaves behind his steady girlfriend (Diane Rouxel) in Lyon to study film in Paris. Settling into a dingy flat with a rotating cast of roommates, he immerses himself in a bohemian world of artists, intellectuals, and fellow film geeks who excitedly share their passion for Bresson, Ford, and obscure Russian directors. It’s a seemingly idyllic life of the mind—until more complicated matters of the flesh, as well as jealous creativity, intrude. Shooting in timeless black and white and interweaving references to philosophy, music, and cinema—from Pascal to Mahler to Parajanov—unsung auteur Jean-Paul Civeyrac conjures a bittersweet ode to the heady days of student life. Petit Paysan Hubert Charuel, France, 2017, 90m French with English subtitles New York Premiere A farmer’s desperate attempts to save his cows from a deadly epidemic yields a surprisingly tense exercise in low-key suspense, which has been nominated for eight César Awards, including Best Film, Director, and Actor. Pierre (Swann Arlaud) is a dedicated dairy producer whose worst fears are realized when one of his cows contracts a Mad Cow-like disease. If reported, there will be one outcome: the slaughter of the entire herd. Rather than lose his livelihood, Pierre makes the risky decision to take matters into his own hands—and soon finds himself behaving with the panicked recklessness of a killer covering up his crime. Director Hubert Charuel draws on his own experiences growing up on a dairy farm to craft a vividly realistic thriller rooted in everyday life. See You Up There / Au revoir là-haut Albert Dupontel, France/Canada, 2017, 117m French with English subtitles New York Premiere Nominated for a whopping 13 César Awards, including Best Film, this stylish comic caper is a breathless, whimsical wild ride through Jazz Age Paris. After an accident in the trenches leaves him disfigured, ex–World War I infantryman and artist Edouard (BPM star Nahuel Perez Biscayart) takes to opium and creating outrageously stylized masks to hide his scarred face. Along with a fellow former soldier (director Albert Dupontel), he hatches an audacious get-rich-quick scheme: designing and collecting on war monuments, then absconding with the money before building them. What ensues is a dizzying adventure bursting with elaborately staged set-pieces and spectacularly surreal costume design. The Sower / Le semeur Marine Francen, France/Belgium, 2017, 98m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere In the midst of Napoleon’s 1851 coup d’état, a remote French village is depleted of all its men, leaving only the women to tend to the fields while wondering what became of their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers. Into this matriarchal society wanders a stranger (Alban Lenoir), his presence stirring up both political suspicion and carnal desire among the young women, who view him as their last chance to repopulate the community. Through bucolic, golden-hued images that recall the paintings of Jean-François Millet, director Marine Francen weaves a quietly provocative, fable-like tale that rewrites its historical moment from a female perspective. Tomorrow and Thereafter / Demain et tous les autres jours Noémie Lvovsky, France, 2017, 91m French with English subtitles U.S. Premiere It’s rare to see a mother-daughter portrait as idiosyncratic and personal as the one at the heart of the new film from acclaimed actress-director Noémie Lvovsky. She stars as an erratic Parisian mother steadily losing her grip on reality as her young daughter (impressive newcomer Luce Rodriguez) escapes into a fantastical world of her imagination: holding conversations with her pet owl, giving a biology class skeleton a proper burial, and even creating her own Christmas when her mom no shows. Dedicated to Lvovsky’s own mother, Tomorrow and Thereafter is alternately enchanting and cathartic as it explores how the spirit of childhood bumps up against the often-bitter realities of adulthood. With Mathieu Amalric.
Film Comment Presents:
Waiting for the Barbarians / En attendant les barbares Eugène Green, France, 2017, 76m French with English subtitles North American Premiere Six strangers—fleeing hordes of much-feared, but never-glimpsed barbarians—seek refuge in the ancient home of a sorcerer and sorceress. After being promptly asked to surrender their smartphones, the guests are treated to an alternately deadpan and philosophical odyssey involving magic, ghosts, painting, and an extended reenactment of an Arthurian romance as they confront their uniquely 21st-century insecurities and anxieties. Part playful performance art piece, part metaphysical consciousness-bender, Eugène Green’s entrancing, oddly life-affirming fable is a thought-provoking and slyly humorous exploration of the filmmaker’s ongoing concerns with Baroque traditions and the search for meaning in the age of social media. Produced as part of the Les Chantiers Nomades Spring 2017 “Waiting for the Barbarians” workshop. The Workshop / L’atelier Laurent Cantet, France, 2017, 113m French with English subtitles New York Premiere The Class director Laurent Cantet returns with another unique, provocative exploration of French society as seen through the eyes of the next generation. In the sunny coastal town of La Ciotat, a diverse group of teenagers assembles for a summer writer’s workshop led by Parisian novelist Olivia (César Best Actress nominee Marina Foïs). As the group talks through the novel they are co-writing—a murder mystery set in their town—the ethnic and political fault lines between them are gradually exposed, provoked by the brooding Antoine (Matthieu Lucci), whose fascination with far-right extremism grows increasingly worrying. What plays out is a tense, gripping, up-to-the-minute dispatch on the state of contemporary France. A Strand Releasing release.
Free Talks
Women, Work, and the Will to Lead Though French cinema is a world leader in making female directors central to the industry, there is still a strong male chauvinism throughout society, pervasive in both art and in the workplace. Director Tonie Marshall—whose latest film, Number One, depicts how women still have to struggle to climb the social ladder—will join special guests for a special talk about issues around female empowerment and the place of women in the French film and corporate industries. First Films What does it take to make a first feature? And how is it different to do so in France, as opposed to the U.S.? First-time filmmakers Marine Francen (The Sower), Xavier Legrand (Custody), Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men, winner of the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature at Sundance), and Jeremiah Zagar (We the Animals), alongside producers Amy Lo (Mental Pictures) and Jean-Louis Livi (Ava), will discuss strategies and challenges in producing and directing a successful debut film. Presented in partnership with French in Motion & IFP.
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2018 SXSW Festival to Close with Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” + Midnighters, Shorts, VR Lineup

[caption id="attachment_25762" align="aligncenter" width="1329"] Isle of Dogs[/caption] The North American premiere of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs will close the 2018 South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals. The film tells the story of Atari Kobayashi, 12-year-old ward to corrupt Mayor Kobayashi. When, by executive decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage dump, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies to Trash Island in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots. There, with the assistance of a pack of newly-found mongrel friends, he begins an epic journey that will decide the fate and future of the entire Prefecture. The film features an all star cast including Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Akira Takayama, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Mari Natsuki, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Liev Schreiber, and Courtney B. Vance. The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals also announced the remainder of its Film Festival program, including the Midnighters, Shorts, Virtual Cinema, Music Video, Title Sequence and new Independent Episodic lineup, plus late-addition Features for the 25th edition of the Festival, running March 9-18, 2018 in Austin, Texas.
FEATURES

MIDNIGHTERS
Scary, funny, sexy, controversial – ten provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious. Ajin: Demi-Human Director: Katsuyuki Motohiro, Screenwriter: Kouji Seko Endless battle between human being and immortal demi-human “Ajin”. A stunning, strikingly original action masterpiece! Cast: Takeru Satoh, Go Ayano, Tetsuji Tamayama, Yu Shirota, Yudai Chiba, Rina Kawaei, Minami Hamabe (North American Premiere) Blood Fest Director/Screenwriter: Owen Egerton In Blood Fest, fans flock to a festival celebrating the most iconic horror movies, only to discover that the charismatic showman behind the event has a diabolical agenda. Cast: Robbie Kay, Jacob Batalon, Seychelle Gabriel, Tate Donovan, Barbara Dunkelman, Nick Rutherford, Zachary Levi (World Premiere) Untitled Blumhouse-Bazelevs Film Director/Screenwriter: Stephen Susco A 20-something finds a cache of hidden files on his new laptop and is thrust into the deep waters of the dark web. From the makers of Unfriended, this thriller unravels in real-time, entirely on a computer screen. A warning for the digital age. Cast: Colin Woodell, Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Andrew Lees, Conor del Rio, Stephanie Nogueras, Savira Windyani (World Premiere) Field Guide to Evil (Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Poland, Turkey, U.S.) Directors: Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, Peter Strickland, Agnieszka Smoczynska, Katrin Gebbe, Can Evrenol, Calvin Reeder, Ashim Ahluwalia, Yannis Veslemes They are known as dark folklore. Created to give logic to mankind’s darkest fears, these stories and others laid the foundation for what we now call the horror genre. (World Premiere) Ghost Stories (United Kingdom) Directors/Screenwriters: Jeremy Dyson, Andy Nyman An arch skeptic debunker of the supernatural embarks upon a terror filled quest when he stumbles across a long lost file containing details of three cases of inexplicable ‘hauntings’. Adapted from the Olivier Award Winning hit stage play. Cast: Martin Freeman, Alex Lawther, Jill Halfpenny, Andy Nyman, Paul Whitehouse(North American Premiere) Hereditary Director/Screenwriter: Ari Aster When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry. Cast: Toni Collette, Gabriel Byrne, Ann Dowd, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro A Prayer Before Dawn (United States, France) Director: Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, Screenwriters: Jonathan Hirschbein, Nick Saltrese Based on the international best-seller, A Prayer Before Dawn is the true story of Billy Moore, a troubled young British boxer sent to one of Thailand’s most notorious jails. Cast: Joe Cole, Vithaya Pansringar, Panya Yimmumphai, Nicolas Shake (North American Premiere) The Ranger Director: Jenn Wexler, Screenwriters: Jenn Wexler, Giaco Furino Teen punks, on the run from the cops and hiding out in the woods, come up against the local authority—an unhinged park ranger with an axe to grind. Cast: Chloë Levine, Granit Lahu, Jeremy Pope, Bubba Weiler, Amanda Grace Benitez, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden (World Premiere) Upgrade Director/Screenwriter: Leigh Whannell In a utopian near-future when technology controls everything, a technophobe avenges his wife’s murder and his own paralysis-causing injury with the help of an experimental computer chip implant – STEM – that turns out to have a mind of its own. Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Benedict Hardie (World Premiere) What Keeps You Alive (Canada) Director: Colin Minihan, Screenwriters: Colin Minihan, Brittany Allen Majestic mountains, a still lake and venomous betrayals engulf a female married couple attempting to celebrate their one-year anniversary. Cast: Hannah Emily Anderson, Brittany Allen, Martha Macisaac, Joey Klein, Charlotte Lindsay Marron(World Premiere)
HEADLINERS
Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema. Isle of Dogs (United States, United Kingdom) Director/Screenwriter: Wes Anderson Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy’s odyssey in search of his dog. Cast: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Bob Balaban, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Kunichi Nomura, Akira Takayama, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Akira Ito, Scarlett Johansson, Harvey Keitel, F. Murray Abraham, Yoko Ono, Tilda Swinton, Ken Watanabe, Mari Natsuki, Fisher Stevens, Nijiro Murakami, Liev Schreiber, Courtney B. Vance (North American Premiere)
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW. Brother’s Nest (Australia) Director: Clayton Jacobson, Screenwriter: Jaime Browne With their Mother dying of cancer, intent on changing her will to benefit her “new” husband before she dies, two brothers go to extreme and deadly lengths to protect their inheritance from being signed away before it’s too late. Cast: Shane Jacobson, Clayton Jacobson, Lynette Curran, Kim Gyngell, Sarah Snook (World Premiere) Galveston Director/Screenwriter: Melanie Laurent After surviving a setup by his criminal boss, a hitman rescues a young prostitute and flees with her to Galveston, Texas, where the two find strength in each other as dangerous pursuers and the shadows of their pasts follow close behind. Cast: Ben Foster, Elle Fanning, Beau Bridges, Adepero Aduye, Robert Aramayo, Lili Reinhart, Maria Valverde (World Premiere) Most Likely To Murder Director: Dan Gregor, Screenwriters: Dan Gregor, Doug Mand Billy, the coolest kid in high school, comes back to his hometown 15 years later to find he’s no longer cool and the girl he still has feelings for now dates the former town outcast. Billy becomes obsessed with proving the outcast is a murderer. Cast: Adam Pally, Rachel Bloom, Vincent Kartheiser, John Reynolds, Didi Conn, Ethan Phillips, Doug Mand, Hasan Minhaj, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Julia Goldani Telles(World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT
Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW. They Live Here, Now Director/Screenwriter: Jason Outenreath Austin based refugee house, Casa Marianella, is one of the most prominent refugee houses in the United States, providing life saving services for thousands of immigrants each year. Meet the people who live here now. (World Premiere)
EPISODIC
Episodic tunes in to the explosion of exciting material on non-theatrical platforms, including serialized TV and beyond.
24 BEATS PER SECOND
Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary. Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story (United Kingdom) Director/Screenwriter: Steve Sullivan The hilarious and bizarre story of Frank Sidebottom, the cult British comedian in a papier mâché head, and the secretive life of Chris Sievey, the artist trapped inside. (World Premiere) Hearts Beat Loud Director: Brett Haley, Screenwriters: Brett Haley, Marc Basch A father and daughter become an unlikely song writing duo before she leaves for college. Cast: Nick Offerman, Kiersey Clemons, Ted Danson, Toni Collette, Blythe Danner, Sasha Lane
GLOBAL
A diverse selection of international filmmaking talent, featuring innovative narratives, artful documentaries, premieres, festival favorites and more. Jeannette, The Childhood of Joan of Arc (France) Director/Screenwriter: Bruno Dumont France, 1425. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, the young Jeannette, at the still tender age of 8, looks after her sheep in the small village of Domremy. Cast: Lise Leplat Prudhomme, Jeanne Voisin, Lucile Gauthier, Victoria Lefebvre, Aline Charles
FESTIVAL FAVORITES
Acclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world. Blindspotting Director: Carlos Lopez Estrada, Screenwriters: Rafael Casal, Daveed Diggs Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about the intersection of race and class set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland. Cast: Daveed Diggs, Rafael Casa, Janina Gavankar, Jasmine Cephas Jones Science Fair Directors: Cristina Costantini, Darren Foster, Screenwriters: Jeffrey Plunkett, Darren Foster, Cristina Costantini Nine high school students from around the globe navigate rivalries, setbacks, and of course, hormones, on their journey to compete at the international science fair. Facing off against 1,700 of the smartest, quirkiest teens from 78 different countries, only one will be named Best in Fair. Sorry To Bother You Director/Screenwriter: Boots Riley In an alternate present-day version of Oakland, telemarketer Cassius Green discovers a magical key to professional success, propelling him into a macabre universe. Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Armie Hammer, Terry Crews, Steven Yeun, Omari Hardwick, Jermaine Fowler, and Danny Glover
SPECIAL EVENTS
Live soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique one-off film events. Cartoon Network Screening at SXSW For the third year in a row, Cartoon Network presents a fun-filled family event open to all fans. Be among the first to watch upcoming adventure series, Craig of the Creek plus catch brand new episodes of favorite shows Ben 10 and Unikitty! And fans are in for a special treat with a never-before-seen look at Teen Titans Go! to the Movies, coming to theaters this summer. Doug Benson Master Pancake and Doug Loves Movies Podcast Doug Benson returns in the continuing tradition of our annual St. Patrick’s Day screening of the Leprechaun series. On March 17 we present Leprechaun 5: In The Hood, directed by Rob Spera. 20th CENTURY FOX PRESENTS ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL SXSW OPENING NIGHT PARTY For the first time ever, 20th Century Fox welcomes SXSW Platinum and Film badge holders to Iron City, the movie set where Alita: Battle Angel was filmed. SXSW Platinum and Film badge holders are invited to join the cast and filmmakers at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios for the 2018 SXSW Opening Night Party in celebration of the upcoming Alita: Battle Angel. Attendees will be picked up at the 5th Street side entrance of the Hilton Hotel in Downtown Austin by Alita: Battle Angelbranded shuttles and will be transported to the futuristic Iron City movie set. From 9:30 pm to 12:30 am on Friday March 9, guests will enjoy cocktails, bites from local food trucks and great music, all within an immersive film set, featuring props from the film.
SHORTS PROGRAM

NARRATIVE SHORTS
A selection of original, well-crafted films that take advantage of the short form and exemplify distinctive and genuine storytelling. Allen Anders – Live at the Comedy Castle (circa 1987) Director: Laura Moss, Screenwriter: Tony Grayson Footage of Allen Anders famed 1987 performance at the Comedy Castle. (World Premiere) Are We Good Parents? Director: Bola Ogun, Screenwriters: Hailey Chavez, Bola Ogun When Lauren and Bill’s 14-year-old daughter says she’s going to her first dance with her classmate Ryan, they question their preconceived notions of her sexuality and their openness as parents. (World Premiere) The Big Day (United Kingdom) Director: Dawn Shadforth, Screenwriter: Kellie Smith Jess is super excited to attend her step-sister’s wedding and truly become part of the family, but after only recently finding out about her existence, her stepfamily are less than delighted about her presence on the big day. (World Premiere) Brian and Charles (United Kingdom) Director: Jim Archer, Screenwriters: David Earl, Chris Hayward A comedy about two friends who share a cottage in the English countryside. Brian is a poorly groomed, gravelly voiced farmer who struggles with depression and loneliness. Charles is a robot. Caroline Directors/Screenwriters: Logan George, Celine Held When plans fall through, a six-year-old is faced with a big responsibility on a hot Texas day. (World Premiere) Carro (Brazil, United States) Director/Screenwriter: Gustavo Rosa An undocumented Brazilian immigrant living in the Boston area decides to buy a car in an effort to better his life before returning home. (World Premiere) Emergency Director: Carey Williams, Screenwriter: K.D. Dávila Faced with an emergency, a group of young Black and Latino friends weigh the pros and cons of calling the police. Guilt (Mexico) Director/Screenwriter: Moisés Aisemberg Guilt is a direct window into the undeniable violence experienced by children today and the involuntary repression that they must undergo within a society that tolerates abuse. (World Premiere) Haven (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall When a little girl finds solace in between her mother’s legs, biggest fears become reality. (North American Premiere) Intercourse (Sweden) Director/Screenwriter: Jonatan Etzler “I’ll give you 100 bucks” he suggests, and jokingly she agrees, and neither of them see the gravity of the situation. When a sexual boundary is crossed and the balance of power is shifted – what will happen to their peaceful and normal relationship? (North American Premiere) Jay-Z – ‘Moonlight’ Director/Screenwriter: Alan Yang The One Where No One’s Ready Kimchi Director/Screenwriter: Jackson Kiyoshi Segars As his family argues about his end-of-life care, an elderly Korean man reflects on his life with a stranger. (World Premiere) Kira Burning Director/Screenwriter: Laurel Akira Parmet Teenage Kira attempts to take revenge after a heartbreaking betrayal by her ex-best friend. (World Premiere) Krista Director: Danny Madden, Screenwriters: Danny Madden, Will Madden In a high school theater class, Krista uses her scene study as catharsis. (World Premiere) Men Don’t Whisper Director: Jordan Firstman, Screenwriters: Charles Rogers, Jordan FIrstman After being emasculated at a sales conference, gay couple Reese and Peyton set out to do the most masculine thing they can think of – sleep with some women. Pink Trailer Director: Mary Neely, Screenwriters: Macey Isaacs, Jenny Leiferman Best friends Lucy and Julie are spending their summer hiding from a terrorizing neighbor until Lucy runs out of her antidepressant, and they’re forced to fight for their lives. (North American Premiere) Shiva Baby (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Emma Seligman At a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a college student runs into her sugar daddy. (World Premiere) Tangles and Knots (Australia) Director/Screenwriter: Renée Marie Petropoulos An intimate, unique bond between mother and daughter becomes threatened when the mother helps her teenage daughter throw a party to impress new, more popular friends. The Things You Think I’m Thinking (Canada) Director: Sherren Lee, Screenwriter: Jesse LaVercombe A black male burn-survivor and amputee goes on a date with a regularly-abled man. Tooth and Nail Director: Sara Shaw, Screenwriters: Sara Shaw, Amanda Verwey A sister makes a bargain with her terminally ill brother. He agrees to let her use his sperm for future use with a partner if she comes out to her family that night. (World Premiere) We Forgot to Break Up (Canada) Director: Chandler Levack, Screenwriters: Steven McCarthy, Chandler Levack After a few years absence, Evan unexpectedly returns one night to face his now-famous former bandmates. The surprise reunion is bittersweet, in this intimate depiction of the knotty complexities of relating to old friends after everything has changed. (U.S. Premiere) We Win Director: Michael Stahl-David, Screenwriters: Ana Nogueira, Michael Stahl-David A happy couple’s relationship unravels during a game of “Mafia.” (World Premiere) Wren Boys (United Kingdom) Director: Harry Lighton, Screenwriters: Harry Lighton, John Fitzpatrick On the day after Christmas, a Catholic priest from Cork drives his nephew to prison.
DOCUMENTARY SHORTS
Slices of life from across the documentary spectrum. The Earth is Humming Director: Garrett Bradley In Japan, earthquake preparedness is a way of life—and a full-blown industry. (World Premiere) The Coffin Club (New Zealand) Director: Briar March, Screenwriter: Kim Harrop, Nick Ward, Briar March A group of rebellious, creative Kiwi seniors give death the finger, one crazy coffin at a time. (North American Premiere) Dead. Tissue. Love. (United Kingdom) Director: Natasha Austin-Green Dead. Tissue. Love. is an intimate experimental documentary exploring the character of a female necrophile, as she recounts her life experiences and sexual awakening. (U.S. Premiere) Death Metal Grandma Director: Leah Galant, Screenwriters: Sean Weiner, Leah Galant Death Metal Grandma follows 97-year-old Holocaust survivor, Inge Ginsberg, who has decided to break out as a singer of Death Metal music. (World Premiere) Lonesome Willcox Directors: Ryan Maxey, Zack Wright Willcox, Arizona is a country music town that isn’t what it used to be. The town’s only radio station has but one employee – a local pariah who lives in the studio, and has a complicated and difficult relationship with the music he plays every day. (World Premiere) My Dead Dad’s Porno Tapes (Canada) Director: Charlie Tyrell, Screenwriters: Josef Beeby, Charlie Tyrell Filmmaker Charlie Tyrell seeks to better understand his emotionally distant late-father through the random objects he left behind, including a stack of tacky, 1980s VHS pornography. A Night at The Garden Director: Marshall Curry Months before the start of World War II, 22,000 Americans gathered in New York’s Madison Square Garden to rally in support of Nazism. On My Way Out: The Secret Life of Nani and Popi (Canada) Directors: Brandon Gross, Skyler Gross Ruth (Nani) and Roman (Popi) are Holocaust survivors married for 65 years. After six decades of marriage, a painful truth tests their enduring union. Brandon and Skyler Gross’ moving portrait of their grandparents raises more questions than it answers. (U.S. Premiere) Roadside Attraction Directors: Patrick Bresnan, Ivete Lucas Palm Beach International Airport’s newest snowbird has become one of the fastest growing roadside attractions in the United States. Santa Ana Director: César Pesquera, Screenwriters: Kako Mendez, Christian Lopez, César Pesquera Part art-film, part documentary, Santa Ana aims to elucidate the link between evil and the famed Santa Ana winds, extremely dry down-slope winds in Southern California supposedly responsible for a tense, uneasy, wrathful mood among the people. Sister Hearts Director: Mohammad Gorjestani Maryam Uloho spent thirteen years in prison in Louisiana. After her release in 2013, she was homeless and lived as a squatter for over 2 years. This experience led her to discover her lifelong mission: To help incarcerated women re-enter society. (World Premiere) The Terrorist Hunter (Canada, United States) Director/Screenwriter: Ann Shin The Terrorist Hunter follows controversial spy Rita Katz, lauded by some for her work fighting terrorism, and criticized by others who say she creates terrorist plots where none exist. The film explores how fear and terror play out in our society. (World Premiere) Xavier Corbero: Portrait of an Artist in Winter (Spain, United Kingdom) Director: Nathalie Biancheri The first and last glimpse into the universe of iconic Spanish sculptor Xavier Corberó. A kaleidoscopic life and career that traversed a turbulent moment of Spanish history. (World Premiere)
ANIMATED SHORTS COMPETITION
An assortment of stories told using traditional animation, computer-generated effects, stop-motion, and everything in-between. Abnie Oberfork: A Tale of Self-Preservation Director/Screenwriter: Shannon Fleming A 12-year-old girl pickles herself to escape the malaise of childhood. (World Premiere) Agua Viva Director/Screenwriter: Alexa Lim Haas A Chinese manicurist attempts to describe feelings she doesn’t have the words for in a language she does not speak. (World Premiere) Intimity (Switzerland) Director/Screenwriter: Elodie Dermange As she is showering, dressing, putting on her make-up, a woman bares her soul. She speaks of her fears, her complexes, and the process of accepting – even loving – herself. Jeom Director: Kangmin Kim A father and a son both have the same big birthmark on their butt. Believing that the two birthmarks are connected, the son scrubs his father’s birthmark to remove it – but he just can’t get rid of it. Manivald (Estonia) Director: Chintis Lundgren, Screenwriters: Chintis Lundgren, Draško Ivezić Tinged with typically absurdist Estonian humour, Manivald mixes the surreal and the heartfelt in its timely tale of an emotionally unnourished generation that continue to live with their parents well into their adult lives. Octane Director: Jeron Braxton A street race that reflects America’s genocidal history and the parallels between slavery and the private prison system. (World Premiere) People of Color Director: Raghav Arumugam An animated documentary about race and perception in America. (World Premiere) The Shivering Truth Directors: Vernon Chatman, Cat Solen, Screenwriter: Vernon Chatman An omnibus of painfully riotous daymares dripping with dream logic; a slate of emotional parables from the deepest caverns of your unconscious, lovingly animated in stop-motion. In other words, it is the Truth. Sog (Germany) Director: Jonatan Schwenk, Screenwriters: Jonatan Schwenk, Merlin Flügel The dystopic drama Sog is about the cruel efforts of a people of humanlike creatures to lash out viciously against a shoal of fish that had unintentionally entered their desolate land. Solar Walk (Denmark, Hungary) Director/Screenwriter: Réka Bucsi Solar Walk shows the a cosmic journey of individuals and their passion for creation, through the unique and playful texture of the animation craft itself. (U.S. Premiere) Undiscovered Director: Sara Litzenberger Sasquatch has always remained elusive in photos–but not for the reasons we think. (World Premiere) MIDNIGHT SHORTS Bite-sized bits for all of your sex, gore, and hilarity cravings. Asian Girls (Australia) Director/Screenwriter: Hyun Lee Chan is a Chinese factory worker who lives alone. Every night, she suffers from horrific nightmares involving the woman in the apartment next door, a Japanese office lady. (World Premiere) Brendan Maclean – ‘House of Air’ (United Kingdom) Directors: Brian Fairbairn and Karl Eccleston An exploration of hanky codes and visual signifiers in 1970s San Francisco. Inspired by Hal Fischer’s Gay Semiotics, House of Air humorously investigates a clash between coded and explicit representations of gay sex. Crying Bitch (Japan) Director/Screenwriter: Reiki Tsuno Crying Bitch is a dark tale about a woman’s grudge, mixed with comedy, horror, and a homage to 80s cinema. A dark tale about a man who discovers his wife’s dark side after having an affair with a young girl. (U.S. Premiere) Hair Wolf Director/Screenwriter: Mariama Diallo In a black hair salon in gentrifying Brooklyn, the local residents fend off a strange new monster: white women intent on sucking the lifeblood from black culture. (World Premiere) Lil Dicky – ‘Pillow Talking’ Director: Tony Yacenda, Screenwriters: Lil Dicky, Dave Burd A story about a man, a woman, and a brain. Long Distance Relationship (Brazil) Director/Screenwriter: Carolina Markowicz A brief story about a gentleman who’s obsessed about having sex with ETs. (U.S. Premiere) The Mangina Exit Director: Byron Brown, Screenwriters: Byron Brown, David James Ward Two people. Zero broken hearts. One harmless little mangina. (World Premiere) Milk (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Santiago Menghini On a late night, a young teen goes into the kitchen for a glass of milk. Upon encountering his sleepless mother, he quickly realizes things are not as they seem. (World Premiere) Neverlanding. A Bad Thriller. (Belgium) Director/Screenwriter: Wim Reygaert A reclusive Michael Jackson impersonator dedicates his whole life to the perfection of his act. (North American Premiere) Perfect Town (Switzerland) Director/Screenwriter: Anais Voirol In search of perfection a city obeys to selection. A constant struggle. Trying and trying again. Where is the difference between endurance and madness? Who’s the daddy (Hong Kong) Director/Screenwriter: Wong Ping A journey finding my root of shame. (U.S. Premiere)
TEXAS SHORTS
An offshoot of our regular narrative shorts program, composed of work shot in, about, or somehow relating to the Lone Star state. An Uncertain Future Directors: Iliana Sosa, Chelsea Hernandez In Austin, Texas, two expectant mothers—one undocumented and one US citizen—must contend with increased ICE raids and mounting hostility towards immigrants under President Trump. Come & Take It Directors: Ellen Spiro, PJ Raval Come & Take It captures Jessica Jin’s transformation into one of America’s most inspired anti-gun violence leaders creating what some people are calling The Great Texas Dildo Revolt. (World Premiere) Don’t Be a Hero Director/Screenwriter: Pete Lee Lizzy Jo still lives with mom at 45 and battles her loneliness and boredom by robbing banks in the guise of a cowboy on her lunch break. After the adrenaline rush wears off, she still has to deal with her deeply unhappy life. Based on a true story. Ghosted Featuring Kamille – ‘Get Some’ Director/Screenwriter: Fidel Ruiz-Healy A story about youthful animalistic lust and how it presents itself under the glow of the full moon light. The answer is it’s messy and there is lots of biting. Heavy Chemistry Director/Screenwriter: Blair Rowan Feelings get complicated and oddly mutual amongst a trio of friends in Heavy Chemistry, a short comedy about love, friendship, attraction, hunger, lust, and other complex chemical reactions. (World Premiere) Maude Director/Screenwriter: Anna Margaret Hollyman Teeny thought it was just another routine babysitting job—until she’s shocked to meet the client. As the day goes on, Teeny decides to become the woman she had no idea she always wanted to be … until she gets caught. Nice Ass Director: Carlyn Hudson, Screenwriter: Jeff Whitaker After a failed date, Jake maintains a friendly connection with a part of Brooke no one saw coming. (World Premiere)
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL SHORTS
A preview of the next filmmaking generation, as Texas High Schoolers present shorts of 5 minutes or less. #RefugeesWelcome Director/Screenwriter: Ramiro Cantu In order to survive, a young Syrian woman leaves her home, family and country behind to seek refuge in the United States. The Art of War Director/Screenwriter: Cal Etcheverry There are only two realms in which rules are broken – art and war. This film explores the deontological ethics of war through the deep contrast of the utopian life of a painter and the chaotic life of a battle-bruised soldier. CCISD Strong Director: Sofia Rasmussen These are the stories of people who stepped up in the tough times after Hurricane Harvey and brought hope to the people who needed the support of their community in and around Clear Creek Independent School District. Confined Directors: The Zavitsanos Brothers When Myles is held at gunpoint in crime-ridden Baltimore, his life is forever changed… Contact Director/Screenwriter: Lindsay Wolf Contact follows two awkward teenagers on a movie date, struggling with whether or not to show their true feelings for each other through subtle physical contact. Escape Directors/Screenwriters: Jada Harbin, Karina Harchandani A 19-year-old drunk is triggered to drink when her boyfriend fails to keep his promise. A friend cleans her up and is her shoulder to cry on, maybe even more. Is it too good to be true? How You See Us Director/Screenwriter: Susannah Joffe How You See Us is my way of giving a voice to all the women who are done with being disrespected, and I hope it encourages men to rethink the over-sexualization of women in society. Hunned Effort Directors: Nicholas Luna, Alan Lawson High School Music Video for Alan Lawson’s Hunned Effort. Shot and edited by Nicholas Luna. Kopecke Director: C. Fears Koepcke is an experimental animation about the experience of a 17-year-old girl in 1971. Loveless Director/Screenwriter: Weston Bering A couple who meets at a masquerade ball is interrupted by another couple’s plan to heist them. Molly and Me Directors: Colton Vanlandingham, Collin Grant, Screenwriters: Sydney Sexton, Mary Patrello, Gaby Fernandez Party animal Bryce and sweet Molly meet each other at a party and decide to get to know each other better. They start to find out that neither one of them are who they seem. The Night I Lost My Favorite Jacket Director/Screenwriter: Jenna Krumerman A girl tells her friend about her Saturday night. She loses her favorite jacket and a little of herself while meeting new characters and trying to get by. Pursuit of a Dream Director/Screenwriter: Scott Larson A man working a dead end nine to five has to let go of his past in order to pursue his future. Pursuit: 21XX Director: Ben Phillips, Screenwriters: Ben Phillips, Billy Nguyen, Edward Nuno A cybernetically enhanced man must track down the criminal who stole his wallet by chasing the masked thief through a futuristic city, and will have to make the ultimate decision between what is right and wrong. Puzzle Pieces: Living Life on The Spectrum Director/Screenwriter: Georgia Puzzle Pieces: Living Life on The Spectrum explores children and teens that have autism spectrum disorder. Return Policy Directors: Demar Gunter, Victoria Hartson, Screenwriter: Demar Gunter In a dystopian future, where life holds monetary value, a family must make a tough decision. The Risk For Freedom (Vietnam) Director: Alex Le This documentary follows the early life of a Vietnamese immigrant, the director’s grandmother and her struggle to get to America. Roommate Director/Screenwriter: Jinho Rhee Everyone has roommate problems at one point; However, none is like the one Nayeon has to face. Silent Fist Directors: Jose Martinez, Nana Achempong, Screenwriters: Jose Martinez, Nana Achempon, and Brandon Mai A silent Buddhist prays for peace when a loud, angry boxer next door challenges him to enter the ring. What It Takes Director: Kourtney Williams This documentary was created to help express the point of view of a male gymnast. There’s a lot that goes into the sport of gymnastics and what it takes to be successful. The story takes you through 3 different perspectives to show their passion.
INDEPENDENT EPISODICS
Innovative and new independent web series, pilots and docs aimed squarely at the small screen. Beast Director/Screenwriter: Ben Strang When his father mysteriously goes missing at sea, a teenager rallies the help of his small fishing-island town to find him and figure out once and for all why people keep disappearing on Smith Island. (World Premiere) Cleansed Directors/Screenwriters: Flora Birnbaum, Sarah Scarlett Downing A jaded Los Angeles thirty-something goes on a magical juice cleanse to fix her life. (World Premiere) Everything is Okay: Robot Director: Adam Sacks, Screenwriter: Cirocco Dunlap A better you is just a click away. First World Problems Director/Screenwriter: X. Dean Lim Harold, an Asian-American, comes to realizes his family are apathetic douchebags. But when a mysterious crisis starts a ticking clock, he alienates them all to prove they’re more than Amazon, Audi and Autopay. The question is: can he be wrong? (World Premiere) Hold To Your Best Self Director/Screenwriter: Emily Hagins Over the course of a prom night, young adults tackle big questions concerning identity, relationships, self-esteem, and the future – their adolescent ideas and expectations are fundamentally challenged by high school coming to an end. (World Premiere) My Dead Ex Directors: Joe Lynch, Zoe Cassavetes, Screenwriter: Drew Hancock A little thing like death can’t stop these two teens from falling in love. Or maybe it can. (World Premiere) Night Owl (Canada) Directors: R. Miskin, Gillian Muller, Screenwriter: R. Miskin One Girl’s quest to face her fears, step outside her comfort zone and make some real friends!… in the middle of the night at a 24-hour grocery store. Well?… What do you do when you can’t sleep? (World Premiere) One Eye Small Director/Screenwriter: Jane Stiles Two female strangers become affectionate friends over the course of a frenetic evening in NYC. (World Premiere) Otis Director/Screenwriter: Alexander Etseyatse A young calm, mentally unstable man attempts to convince his new buddy that they don’t belong at a Psych ward by inciting an uprising while trying to win back the affection of his ex-fiancée and daughter. (World Premiere) Polar (Denmark, Greenland) Directors: Natalia Anna Ciepiel, Alexander Ohrt, Screenwriter: Morten Mortensen Terrorized by an unbearable sound a group of teenagers commit suicide in the habour of Nuuk. After being declared dead, Ivik, awakes again. As the phenomenon returns to haunt the young population of Nuuk, Ivik sets out to find the nature of the sound. (World Premiere) She’s the Ticket Director: Nadia Hallgren Five different women from around the country see Donald Trump get elected to the presidency on November 8th, 2016 and decide to do something about it. Run for office. Unspeakable Director: Milena Govich, Screenwriter: David Cornue A young woman in a desperate situation averts authorities by claiming to be a girl who disappeared years ago as a child. But when the missing girl’s family welcomes the impostor home, she’s forced to keep the deception alive or face the consequences. (World Premiere)
MUSIC VIDEOS
A range of classic, innovative, and stylish work showcasing the scope of music video culture. Aisha Badru – ‘Mind on Fire’ / Director/Screenwriter: Thoranna “Tota” Sigurdardottir Amanda Palmer & Edward Ka-Spel – ‘The Clock At The Back Of The Cage’(Australia) / Directors: Chris Bennett, Christy Flaws, Luke O’Connor The Blaze – ‘Territory’ / Director: The Blaze Capital Cities – ‘Vowels’ / Director/Screenwriter: Remy Cayuela CATHEDRALS – ‘Try To Fight’ / Director/Screenwriter: Jesse Fleece Chris Lake – ‘I Want You’ / Director/Screenwriter: NORTON COM TRUISE – ‘Propagation’ / Directors/Screenweriters: Karrie Crouse, Will Joines Cray – ‘Lotus’ / Director: Ariel Fisher, Screenwriters: Ariel Fisher and Cray Every Time I Die – ‘Map Change’ / Director: Kyle Thrash JAY-Z – ‘Smile’ / Director/Screenwriter: Miles Jay JIL – ‘All Your Words’ / Director: Anton Tammi Moses Sumney – ‘Doomed’ / Director: Allie Avital Oly. – ‘Growing Young’ (Poland) / Director: Katarzyna Sawicka Oren Lavie – ‘Second Hand Lovers’ (Israel) / Director/Screenwriter: Oren Lavie Peejay – ‘NA B YA’ (Republic of Korea) / Directors: Jinwoo Lee, Jungsu Lee POLO & PAN – ‘Coeur Croisé’ (France) / Director: PABLO MAESTRES salute – ‘Storm’ (United Kingdom) / Director: Raine Allen Miller The Shins – ‘Half A Million’ / Director: LAMAR+NIK siyyu – ‘stop us’ (United Kingdom) / Director: This is Felo Sue the Night – ‘Mind Dear’ (Netherlands) / Director: Thessa Meijer
VIRTUAL CINEMA
The immersive arts are finding new ways to enhance our ability to perceive the world that surrounds us, and in many instances they are redefining how we experience the world. The 27 projects presented in our new Virtual Cinema emphasize storytelling, ingenuity and also showcase how other industries are embracing this new medium. Aeronaut Discover an ever-changing virtual landscape created by Viacom NEXT and Isobar (with Tilt Brush art by Danny Bittman), where a volumetric 3D model of two-time Grammy award winning artist Billy Corgan sings and plays the piano to his single Aeronaut. (World Premiere) The Atrium Director: Brian Solomon, Screenwriters: Brian Solomon, James Longmire The Atrium, Meow Wolf’s first mixed reality installation, builds on the story of the acclaimed immersive exhibition, House of Eternal Return. Voyage through the surreal lullaby of the multiverse — and unravel a mystery spanning multiple dimensions. (World Premiere) Awake: Episode One (Australia, United States) Director: Martin Taylor, Screenwriters: Martin Taylor, Mike Jones, Christian Cantamessa Harry is a prisoner in his own house, obsessed with discovering the truth behind a recurring dream and a cryptic message within it. The arrival of a new presence promises to save Harry from his darkness and unlock the potential of humanity’s future. (World Premiere) Beethoven’s Fifth (United Kingdom, United States) Director: Jessica Brillhart, Screenwriters: Jessica Brillhart, Esa-Pekka Salonen Journey into interstellar space with a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth by the Philharmonia Orchestra, London – conducted by Principal Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen. The film was inspired by content on Voyager’s Golden Record, launched by NASA in 1977. (U.S. Premiere) Chorus Director: Tyler Hurd Transform into fantastical female warriors in this social virtual reality experience. Six people can band together to battle evil in this epic journey of empowerment, all orchestrated to the song “Chorus” by Justice. (World Premiere) Dinner Party Director: Angel Manuel Soto, Screenwriters: Charlotte Stoudt, Laura Wexler Dinner Party, the pilot episode for a true-life supernatural anthology series The Incident, is a 3D virtual reality experience based on the true story of Betty and Barney Hill, an interracial couple who in 1961 reported the first known UFO abduction. Everything Flows (China, United States) Director: Yumeng Du Everything Flows is a VR film experience that presents time and space in an artistic way. It invites you to a journey of Director’s hometown, Wuhan, China. It is a mixture of painting, video capture, sounds, dreaming, memory, and reality. (World Premiere) The Evolution of Testicles (United States, Ireland, United Kingdom) Director: Ryan Hartsell A testicular romp through the evolution of man told via CGI, a giant testicle-shaped hot air balloon, and narrator Chris O’Dowd—all in the name of bringing awareness to male cancer prevention. (World Premiere) The Four Worlds (United States, Australia) Directors: Jonathan Zawada, Mark Pitchard The Four Worlds consists of four installations comprised of looping VR experiences augmented with extra sensory stimulation IRL. Each scene is a microcosm of a different environment, accompanied by an exquisite soundtrack by Mark Pritchard. (World Premiere) GFE Director: Michael Jacobs An immersive 360 experimental film that offers a first-person experience of going on a date with a sex worker. (World Premiere) Greenland Melting Directors: Catherine Upin, Nonny de la Peña, Screenwriters: Catherine Upin, Nonny de la Peña, Julia Cort, Caitlin Saks, Carla Borras NASA scientists are studying a troubling cause, Greenland is melting faster and faster. Using cutting edge VR technology, people can experience standing in front of a glacier, traveling underwater, and flying over some of the world’s stunning scenery. (North American Premiere) Hold The World (United Kingdom) Director: Dan Smith Hold the World (“HTW”) is a world-first interactive VR entertainment experience hosted by Sir David Attenborough at the London’s Natural History Museum. (North American Premiere) The Journey (United States, Chad, Ethiopia, South Sudan, United Kingdom) Director: Charlotte Mikkelborg The Journey through childhood in three of the toughest environments on Earth. Our three children will take you on a sensory journey into their worlds – where not only sight and sound but taste, smell and touch immerse you in their past present and future. (World Premiere) Living With Jaguars (Canada) Directors: Patrick McGuire, Jeff Orlowski, Screenwriter: Kate Lunau Living With Jaguars is an interactive virtual reality film documenting wild jaguars in Brazil. Users explore the complex and interconnected perspectives of four key stakeholders: jaguars, ranchers, conservation researchers, and ecotourism operators. (World Premiere) MONO – Blackwater Director: Ben Wolstenholme, Screenwriters: Ben Wolstenholme, Felipe Marino, Anthony Brock MONO, the former assassin to the queen and legendary ape-man, returns from exile to save his daughter, and reluctantly, Mankind. (World Premiere) One Eighty (United States, India) Director: Eren Aksu One Eighty is the story of an Indian mother, Vijai Kumari, who spent 20 years behind bars, and her son, Kanhaiya Kumari, who was born in prison…and their quest to clear their names and live in freedom. (World Premiere) Parragirls Past, Present – unlocking institutional memories of ‘care’ (Australia) Directors: Media artists and Parragirls, Parragirls/Parramatta Female Factory Precinct Memory Project, Screenwriters: Bonney Djuric, Lily Hibberd, Jenny McNally Parragirls Past, Present is a deeply moving immersive experience presenting former residents’ contemporary visions of Parramatta Girls Home to unlock memories of institutional ‘care’ within the punitive Australian child welfare system. (North American Premiere) RONE (Australia) Director: Lester Francois A distinctive portrait in VR of street artist Rone, whose stunning large-scale portraits are often seen in forgotten spaces. A mix of 360′ video and a virtual art gallery to explore, RONE will draw you into the world of street art like never before. (North American Premiere) Sanctuaries of Silence Directors: Adam Loften, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee Sanctuaries of Silence is an immersive listening journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America. Space x Girl (Republic of Korea) Director: Minhyuk Che A story about a girl and her space. The girl has a special sense of feeling the heart of the space. One day the space of the girl begins a conversation. It is about her memories that she was not aware of. (World Premiere) Spheres: Songs of Spacetime Director/Screenwriter: Eliza McNitt Dive into the heart of a black hole and uncover the hidden songs of the cosmos. In this VR experience, the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves transforms how we see the Universe. Fall into the darkness, and you will find the light. Summation of Force (Australia) Directors: Trent Parke, Narelle Autio, Matthew Bate, Screenwriters: Trent Parke, Narelle Autio In a moonlit suburban backyard, two brothers battle one another in an otherworldly game of cricket in this stunning black and white live-action study of the motion, physics, and psychology of sport. Created by photographers Trent Parke and Narelle Autio, in collaboration with filmmaker Matthew Bate, this VR artwork offers a cosmic, darkly beautiful, and dreamlike metaphor for life. Sun Ladies VR Directors: Celine Tricart, Christian Stephen In 2014, ISIS invaded Iraq and targeted the Yazidi community. The men were killed, and the women taken as sex slaves. Some of the ones who escaped decided to join the Kurdistan army and started a female-only fighting unit called the Sun Ladies. Tiniest Tremor Directors: Nicholas Manting Brewer, Megan Simon An emotionally immersive and visually poetic journey into the issue of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome through the story of a woman who suffered from substance abuse disorder to Opioids and her child. (World Premiere) Together Director: Terrence Malick Together is a VR experience about the power of human connection. The piece fuses dance and technology, putting the viewer in the middle of an emotional narrative about breaking down barriers and bringing people closer. (World Premiere) We’re Still Here Director: Jesse Ayala Aiden Short Cloud, a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggles to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time. (World Premiere) Wonderful You VR (United Kingdom) Director: John Durrant Wonderful You VR, a Virtual Reality experience narrated by Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton, is a journey through the strange world of your developing senses: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. (North American Premiere)
EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN
Inspired by an essential part of the theatrical experience, these are works of art in their own right. The 21 sequences selected represent the very best and most original of the past year. Big Mouth / Company: Titmouse Inc. / Designer: Mike Roush Book of Henry / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Alan Williams Britannia / Company: Me & the Bootmaker / Designer: Manija Emran Comtes de Barcelona (Counts of Barcelona) / Company: Freelance / Designer: J. A. Duran Counterpart / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Karin Fong Dark / Company: Self employed / Designer: Lutz Lemke Divide / Company: Ringling College of Art and Design / Designer: Ioana Oprescu Exhalación / Company: Mordisco Films / Designer: Alberto Díaz López Godless / Company: Method Studios / Designer: John Likens Narcos Season 3 / Company: Digital Kitchen / Designer: Harshit Desai National Geographic Breakthrough / Company: Imaginary Forces / Creative Director: Karin Fong OFFF CDMX Opening titles / Company: Diecinueve36 / Designer: Maribel Martínez OFFF Barcelona 2017 / Company: Sailor Productions / Designer: Vallee Duhamel Orient City: Ronin & The Princess / Company: Spoke Lane Entertainment / Designer: Zsombor Huszka Paa Joe & The Lion / Company: Bottletop / Designer: Mark Pyper Semi Permanent Festival / Company: Framestore / Designer: Akira Thompson SOLO / Company: Plexus Post / Designer: Vijesh Rajan Taboo / Company: Method Studios / Designer: John Likens TEDx Sydney / Company: Substance / Designer: Scott Geersen ZARAH / Company: Bakery Films / Designers: Florian Meimberg, Izzy Acar Also, a special viewing of SXSW Gaming Awards Open 2017 / Company: Imaginary Forces / Designer: Jeremy Cox
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2018 Portland International Film Festival Reveals First Wave of Films + Trailers, to Open with THE DEATH OF STALIN

[caption id="attachment_23440" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] The Death of Stalin[/caption] The Portland International Film Festival revealed the first wave of film titles for the upcoming 41st edition which begins on Thursday, February 15th and will run through Thursday, March 1, 2018. The Opening Night selection is writer/director Armando Iannucci’s (In the Loop, Veep) new comedy The Death of Stalin, starring Steve Buscemi, Olga Kurylenko, Jason Isaacs, and Michael Palin. The film, which premiered to rave reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival, is an adaptation of the audacious, historical graphic novel by Fabien Nury.
FIRST WAVE TITLES include:
PIFF 41 Opening Night selection: The Death of Stalin Dir. Armando Iannucci United Kingdom, 2017 The one-liners fly as fast as political fortunes fall in this uproarious, wickedly irreverent satire from Armando Iannucci. Moscow, 1953: when tyrannical dictator Joseph Stalin drops dead, his parasitic cronies square off in a frantic power struggle to be the next Soviet leader. Among the contenders are the dweeby Georgy Malenkov (Jeffrey Tambor), the wily Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi), and the sadistic secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale). But as they bumble, brawl, and backstab their way to the top, just who is running the government? Combining palace intrigue with rapid-fire farce, this is a bitingly funny takedown of bureaucratic dysfunction performed to the hilt by a sparkling ensemble cast. https://youtu.be/ukJ5dMYx2no Let the Sunshine In Dir. Claire Denis France/Belgium, 2017 Living alone in Paris, Isabelle (Juliette Binoche), a divorced artist in her 50s, is optimistic that romantic hope springs eternal – or maybe she does. But as she auditions, not unpleasantly, but with increasing exasperation, a steady succession of prospective men, she ponders just what she’s seeking, and whether sex and companionship are really the keys to fulfillment. Featuring an ensemble cast of stellar French actors including Gerard Depardieu, Denis offers a complex, feminist take on love and the quest to find Mr. Right while not being trapped by need, convention, or expectation. “An elegant, eccentric relationship comedy of ideas, highly rarified and possessed of an almost inscrutable sophistication.” – The Guardian https://youtu.be/h-haop2Ini0 Zama Dir. Lucrecia Martel Argentina/Spain/France, 2017 “Martel ventures into the realm of historical fiction and makes the genre entirely her own in this adaptation of Antonio di Bendetto’s classic of Argentinean literature. In the late 18th century, in a far-flung corner of what seems to be Paraguay, an officer of the Spanish crown, born in the Americas, waits in vain for a transfer to a more prestigious location. Martel renders Zama’s world – his daily regimen of small humiliations and petty politicking – as both absurd and mysterious, and as he increasingly succumbs to lust and paranoia, subject to a creeping disorientation. Precise yet dreamlike, and thick with atmosphere, Zama is a singular and intoxicating experience from one of cinema’s truly brilliant minds.” – New York Film Festival. https://youtu.be/K8dW6YHINAA 24 Frames Dir. Abbas Kiarostami Iran/France, 2017 Three years in the making and Kiarostami’s final film before his death in 2016, each segment in 24 Frames offers a view of a photograph or painting and what he imagined might have occurred before and after the image was frozen in time. Employing multiple cinematic devices while shifting between fiction and documentary, he wistfully attempts to decipher the essence of cinema and its ability to capture reality. “Repetition-with-variations and a sly wit are hallmarks of many Kiarostami works, and these 24 mini-films abound with his visual acuity and dry authorial humor, all of it in accessible and pleasurable form.” – Film Comment. Won’t You Be My Neighbor Dir. Morgan Neville United States, 2017 “With his gentle voice and heartfelt words of wisdom, Fred Rogers served as a compassionate surrogate father for generations of American children who tuned in to public television. He believed in love as the essential ingredient in life and was able to assist kids through difficult situations armed merely with handmade puppets suggesting tolerance and acceptance. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Mr. Rogers made speaking directly and openly to children his life’s work, both on and off his long-running show. Animated sequences are peppered between archival footage of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and interviews with Fred Rogers’s family friends, and colleagues, offering a deliberate and beautiful tribute to an authentic human being and providing a much-needed salve for these often-fraught times.” – Sundance Film Festival. https://youtu.be/ocElSTC9S1U On the Beach at Night Alone Dir. Hong Sang-soo South Korea, 2017 “Hong Sang-soo’s movies have always invited autobiographical readings, and this is perhaps his most achingly personal film yet, a steel-nerved clear-eyed response to the tabloid frenzy that erupted in South Korea over his relationship with actress Kim Min-hee. The film begins in Hamburg, where actress Young-hee (played by Kim herself, who won the Best Actress prize at Berlin for this role) is hiding out after the revelation of her affair with a married filmmaker. Back in Korea, a series of encounters shed light on Young-hee’s volatile state, as she slips in and out of melancholic reflection and dreams.” – New York Film Festival. “A drama of rare lyrical exaltation…a kaleidoscopic fusion of reality and fantasy.” – The New Yorker https://youtu.be/AkBJ9QGtvRA Lean on Pete Dir. Andrew Haight United Kingdom, 2017 Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) wants some stability: a home, food on the table, and a high school he can attend for more than part of the year. As the son of an itinerate single father (Travis Fimmel) working in warehouses across the Pacific Northwest, stability is hard to find. Hoping for a new start they move to Portland where Charley takes a summer job with a washed-up horse trainer (Steve Buscemi), and befriends an aging racehorse named Lean on Pete, ridden by the hard-nosed Bonnie (Chloe Sevigny). Based on Willy Vlautin’s novel and filmed in Burns and Portland, Lean on Pete chronicles a harsh coming of age in the American West. https://youtu.be/nzlazAyylw8 Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc Dir. Bruno Dumont France, 2017 France, 1425. In the midst of the Hundred Years’ War, the young Jeannette, still at the tender age of eight, looks after her sheep in the small village of Domremy. One day, she tells her friend Hauviette how she cannot bear to see the suffering caused by the English. Madame Gervaise, a nun, tries to reason with the young girl, but Jeannette is ready to take up arms for the salvation of souls and the liberation of the Kingdom of France. Carried by her faith, she will become Joan of Arc. “With his tenth feature, Bruno Dumont radically delves into Joan’s childhood with a category-defying period-cum-techno-head-banging musical, derived from two works by French writer Charles Péguy.” – Toronto International Film Festival. https://youtu.be/aLPW60Zo53w Foxtrot Dir. Samuel Moax Israel, 2017 Michael and Dafna experience gut-wrenching grief when army officials come to announce the death of their son. Unable to find any solace in the well-meaning condolences of family, or in the military’s patriotic platitudes, Michael spirals in to anger only to subsequently experience one of life’s unfathomable turns – a twist that can only be rivaled by the surreal military experiences of his son. Although terrible tragedy is at the heart of the film, Foxtrot contains moments laced with mordant humor, irony, and resonant emotion, as it explores the heartache of war and its far-reaching and unpredictable impacts. Winner of Israeli Ohphir Awards for Best Film and Best Director, the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, and this year’s Israeli Oscar submission. https://youtu.be/wrBEDEmUceM I Am Not a Witch Dir. Rungano Nyoni United Kingdom/France/Zambia/Germany, 2017 Following an incident in her Zambian village, nine-year-old Shula is denounced as a witch and exiled to a state-run witch camp. While making every effort to adapt to her new life among much older women, Shula is both embraced and exploited by the camp officials. Now she must decide whether to accept the fate forced upon her or risk everything for freedom. Zambian-born Welsh director Rungano Nyoni’s debut combines anthropology, social satire, and superstition in a fascinating and touching magic-realist fable. Best Director, British Independent Film Awards. https://youtu.be/jOtcU_-KuaQ Gemini Dir. Aaron Katz United States, 2017 A heinous crime tests the complex relationship between a tenacious personal assistant and her Hollywood starlet boss. As the assistant travels across Los Angeles to unravel the mystery, she must stay one step ahead of a determined policeman and confront her own understanding of friendship, truth, and celebrity. Former Portlander Katz, whose Cold Weather appeared in the PIFF 34 lineup, “delves into dreamy neo-noir territory with nods to films from auteurs like Hitchcock, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Brian De Palma, and David Lynch that tackle the “double” in cinema – and the potential, in the process of taking on an alternate identity, of subsuming the darkness of another’s soul.” – AFI Film Festival. https://youtu.be/ISjmjYU-kMI Five Fingers for Marseilles Dir. Michael Matthews South Africa, 2017 A recent parolee returns to his hometown, vowing to turn his back on his criminal ways. But it’s not long before he finds that some of the friends he grew up with in Apartheid era Marseilles have internalized and recreated the tyranny they struggled against for the present inhabitants of “New Marseilles.” “Director Michael Matthews and scripter Sean Drummond skillfully employ recycled genre elements to enhance the mythic qualities of their slow-burn narrative and reinforce the underlying sense that their archetypical characters are fulfilling destinies as inescapable as the fates that might befall major players in a conventional Wild West saga.” – Variety https://youtu.be/b5oVrZrbCr0 The Third Murder Dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda Japan, 2017 This moving story of a man struggling to find the truth while questioning his own faith in the law is a philosophical whodunnit, intelligently broaching questions of innocence and guilt. Star attorney Shigemori agrees to defend Misumi, accused of murder after a fatal holdup. A man with a long criminal record, Misumi narrowly escaped the death sentence for another murder thirty years earlier. Astonishingly laid-back, Misumi has already confessed to the murder, and all the evidence points to the fact that he is guilty. But the deeper Shigemori delves into this case, the more he begins to doubt his client. Soon, he is faced with a complicated family story and the plot thickens. https://youtu.be/Plr3V4TYBQE Spoor Dir. Agnieszka Holland Czech, 2017 Drawing inspiration from local fairy tales, Spoor dissects political corruption and environmental activism in a small Polish town. Janina Duszejko is a retired engineer, astrology lover, vegetarian, and defender of animal rights. Now, she lives alone in the Sudeten Mountains near the Czech border. One winter night, she finds the body of her neighbor, a poacher. The circumstances of the man’s death are unusally mysterious as the only footprints found around his house are the prints of deer hooves. Soon, other members of the local hunting club are mysteriously murdered. Seeing the ineffectiveness of the police, she starts her own, unconventional investigation. Holland’s genre-bending, ecologically-minded thriller is this year’s Polish submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. https://youtu.be/3JxYmGXAfXc Under the Tree Dir. Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurðsson Iceland/France, 2017 Equal parts family drama, absurdist black comedy, and unconventional thriller, Under the Tree follows two warring households locked in a bitter dispute. One family adores their beautiful old tree, but the couple next door complain that blocks their sunlight, causing their garden to languish in its shadow. As the disagreement escalates into a passive-aggressive back-and-forth of nasty vibes, mysterious property damage, disappearing cats and dogs, the installation of security cameras, and more. Though set in Iceland, this humorous, but at times unsettling, story of suburban neighborhood warfare could be anywhere. https://youtu.be/qJghTR5y9U0
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2017 Toronto International Film Festival Unveils Wavelengths Program of 40 Avant-Garde Films

[caption id="attachment_23758" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Mrs. Fang[/caption] The Toronto International Film Festival’s 17th edition of Wavelengths — its uncompromising, carefully curated, avant-garde showcase — will feature 40 films, which unite internationally celebrated and emerging artists with some of today’s most important, influential and risk-taking filmmakers. Wavelengths is comprised of four programs of experimental short films and videos, three resonant pairings, and nine stand-alone features — each displaying its own radical approach to the art of cinema. Some of the highlights include Véréna Paravel and Lucien CastaingTaylor’s gripping and unsettling work of sensory ethnography, Caniba, about the notorious Japanese cannibal Issei Sagawa and his remarkable relationship with his brother; Narimane Mari’s category-defying follow-up to her debut feature, Bloody Beans, Le Fort des fous, a scathing, subversive and shape-shifting indictment of European colonialism, past and present; Ben Russell’s exquisite, intercontinental mining documentary Good Luck, shot in Super 16mm in Serbia and Suriname; and Pedro Pinho’s FIPRESCI winning, left-leaning The Nothing Factory, which premiered at this year’s Quinzaine des réalisateurs. Wavelengths will also present the innovative 3D feature PROTOTYPE by Toronto-based Wavelengths alumnus Blake Williams; Occidental, the neo(n)-noir second feature by acclaimed contemporary artist-filmmaker Neïl Beloufa; and Dragonfly Eyes (蜻蜓之眼), the CCTV-sourced feature debut by leading Chinese artist Xu Bing. Other highlights include the World Premiere of Anna Marziano’s deeply moving and mysterious essay-film Beyond the One (Al di là dell’uno), as well as new films by master filmmakers Bruno Dumont and Denis Côté. The programme also features Wang Bing’s powerful, sobering and intimate Mrs. Fang, about a woman with Alzheimer’s dying days in a southern village in China, and Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias’ astonishing Cocote, which follows an evangelical gardener’s eye-opening homecoming as he attends his father’s funeral and grapples with religious belief and ritual. Both were recent winners at the 70th Locarno International Film Festival, where they received the Golden Leopard for Best Film and the Signs of Life Award, respectively. Short-film highlights include terrific new films and videos by Michael Robinson, Rosa Barba, Fern Silva, Wojciech Bąkowski, Jodie Mack, Laura Huertas Millán, Baloise Art Prize–winner Sara Cwynar, local performance artist Francesco Gagliardi, Dan Browne, Yoni Brook and Pacho Velez, Luis López Carrasco, Helga Fanderl, Friedl vom Gröller, Dane Komljen, André Lehmann, Kazik Radwanski and more. As always, Wavelengths will include historical work; this year’s archival selections are Florence (1970), by the late Finnish computer-art maverick and electronic musician Erkki Kurenniemi, and disarming diarist Anne Charlotte Robertson’s Pixillation (1976), which was recently restored by the Harvard Film Archive. A number of filmmakers included in this year’s Whitney Biennial will also present films at Wavelengths, including Dani Leventhal and Sheilah Wilson, Kevin Jerome Everson and Sky Hopinka.
SHORT FILM PROGRAMS

Wavelengths 1: Appetite for Destruction
As pessimistic prognoses flood in during our age of decline, dictatorships and devastation, this sweeping appetite for destruction also fuels rebellious — even mischievous — forms of resistance and necessary counter-investigation. Onward Lossless Follows Michael Robinson, USA some cities Francesco Gagliardi, Canada The Watchmen Fern Silva, USA Wasteland No.1 – Ardent, Verdant Jodie Mack, USA Phantasiesätze (Fantasy Sentences) Dane Komljen, Germany/Denmark Dislocation Blues Sky Hopinka, Ho-Chunk Nation/USA
Wavelengths 2: Fluid Frontiers
A newly restored and astonishing short by film diarist Anne Charlotte Robertson launches this programme of portraits and homages, with links to notions of home and heritage. Pixillation Anne Charlotte Robertson, USA (Restoration courtesy of Harvard Film Archive) Ticino Friedl vom Gröller, Austria/Italy Brown And Clear Kevin Jerome Everson, USA Turtles Are Always Home (Sokun Al Sulhufat) Rawane Nassif, Canada/Lebanon/Qatar Configuration in Black and White Helga Fanderl, Germany Fire Lucy Parker, United Kingdom From Source to Poem Rosa Barba, Germany Fluid Frontiers Ephraim Asili, USA/Canada
Wavelengths 3: Figures in the Landscape
There is much to manoeuvre in the world. When quotidian objects seemingly conspire against and constrict our movement, inevitably slowing us down in an over-accelerated world, attendant shifts in meaning and interventions can propose unforeseen detours. Mr. Yellow Sweatshirt Pacho Velez, Yoni Brook, USA Yeti Wojciech Bąkowski, Poland (100ft) Minjung Kim, South Korea/USA Heart of a Mountain Parastoo Anoushahpour, Ryan Ferko, Faraz Anoushahpour, Taiwan/Canada Rose Gold Sara Cwynar, USA Division Movement to Vungtau Benjamin Crotty, Bertrand Dezoteux, France Flores Jorge Jácome, Portugal
Wavelengths 4: As Above, So Below
Four exceedingly different films, each with its own documentary impulse, suggest rich interplay between metaphoric and physical horizon lines and amid shifting scales: of thread, of light and shadow, of environmental elements, of existential contemplation and of memory. La Libertad Laura Huertas Millán, Colombia/France/USA Palmerston Blvd. Dan Browne, Canada below-above André Lehmann, Switzerland Aliens Luis López Carrasco, Spain
PAIRINGS
Beyond the One (Al di là dell’uno) Anna Marziano, France/Italy/Germany World Premiere Preceded by Strangely Ordinary this Devotion Dani Leventhal, Sheilah Wilson, USA International Premiere PROTOTYPE Blake Williams, Canada North American Premiere Preceded by Florence (Firenze) Erkki Kurenniemi, Finland North American Premiere Ta peau si lisse (A Skin so Soft) Denis Côté, Canada/Switzerland North American Premiere Preceded by Scaffold Kazik Radwanski, Canada North American Premiere
FEATURES
Caniba Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, France North American Premiere Cocote Nelson Carlo de los Santos Arias, Dominican Republic North American Premiere Dragonfly Eyes (蜻蜓之眼) Xu Bing, China/USA North American Premiere Good Luck Ben Russell, France/Germany North American Premiere Jeannette, the Childhood of Joan of Arc Bruno Dumont, France North American Premiere Le fort des fous Narimane Mari, France/Algeria/Switzerland/Germany/Greece/Qatar North American Premiere Mrs. Fang Wang Bing, France/China/Germany North American Premiere Occidental Neïl Beloufa, France North American Premiere The Nothing Factory (A Fábrica De Nada) Pedro Pinho, Portugal North American Premiere Previously announced Wavelengths titles at the Festival include Blake Williams’s PROTOTYPE and Denis Côté’s Ta peau si lisse (A Skin so Soft).
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Jeannette the Childhood of Joan of Arc (Jeannette l’enfance de Jeanne d’Arc) (2017)

Film Society of Lincoln Center Announces Lineup for 23rd Rendez-Vous with French Cinema

FILMS & DESCRIPTIONS

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2018 SXSW Festival to Close with Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” + Midnighters, Shorts, VR Lineup

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INDEPENDENT EPISODICS

MUSIC VIDEOS

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EXCELLENCE IN TITLE DESIGN

2018 Portland International Film Festival Reveals First Wave of Films + Trailers, to Open with THE DEATH OF STALIN

FIRST WAVE TITLES include:

2017 Toronto International Film Festival Unveils Wavelengths Program of 40 Avant-Garde Films

SHORT FILM PROGRAMS

Wavelengths 1: Appetite for Destruction

Wavelengths 2: Fluid Frontiers

Wavelengths 3: Figures in the Landscape

Wavelengths 4: As Above, So Below

PAIRINGS

FEATURES