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  • New Orleans Film Festival Debuts “Change Makers” Strand – Featuring Stories of Social Activism and Advocacy

    [caption id="attachment_24557" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Small Town Rage by Raydra Hall and David Hylan; Small Town Rage[/caption] The 2017 New Orleans Film Festival will debut a new strand, titled “Change Makers” that brings to the forefront stories of social activism and advocacy. From farm workers’ union activists in the 60s, to the front lines of AIDS activism in the 80s and recent protests against Confederate monuments, Change Makers will feature nine feature-length documentary films and ten documentary short films. Additional strands in the festival include the return of Caribbean Cinema in its third incarnation. This strand of five feature films and ten short films recognizes the historical and cultural ties between the Caribbean and New Orleans—oftentimes called the northernmost Caribbean city—and showcases the vibrant and varied landscapes and cultures of the Caribbean and Caribbean Diaspora, featuring stories from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti. Longtime festival-goers will remember previous film strands OUTakes, which spotlighted LGBTQ content, and keeping{SCORE}, which focused on music-themed films. While these strands will not be formally part of this year’s festival, the content reflected in both strands will continue to be folded into the programming in important ways.

    Change-Makers Films

    ACORN and the Firestorm USA | 2017 | 84 mins DIR: Reuben Atlas & Sam Pollard; PRD: Reuben Atlas, Sam Pollard; DP: Natalie Kingston, Frank Larson, Spencer Chumbley, Naiti Gamez; ED: Francisco Bello, Paul Greenhouse Before it was associated with all things wrong with liberalism during the fateful 2008 election, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now wielded more power than just about any anti-poverty community rights group in American history. ACORN and the Firestorm chronicles the dramatic rise and ignominious fall of this agent of social change, as a video smear campaign from a proto-alt-right, Breitbart-backed activist takes down the group and its New Orleans-based founder Wade Rathke. Directors Reuben Atlas and NOFF alum Sam Pollard have created a work that feels like both a time capsule and a warning shot, a potent lesson in the power of media and a harrowing blueprint for our current era of alternative facts and fake news. -NS Small Town Rage USA | 2016 | 98 mins DIR: Raydra Hall & David Hylan; PRD: Raydra Hall, David Hylan; ED: Clint McCommon Narrated by Lance Bass, is an independent documentary examining the work and influence of ACT UP Shreveport in the conservative Deep South. During the early years of the AIDS pandemic, ACT UP Shreveport sought to change the way the government and the medical community handled the crisis through the same attention-grabbing protest tactics that were so successful in cities such as New York and San Francisco. As their individual stories will attest, their actions may not have made them popular, but their courage did lead to changes in the way local hospitals, government agencies, and even the public at large responded to the AIDS epidemic. The Organizer United States, Canada, Honduras, India, UK | 2017 | 101 mins DIR: Nick Taylor; PRD: Joey Carey; WRI: Nick Taylor; DP: Joey Carey; ED: Nick Taylor The Organizer charts the life, times, and philosophy of controversial community organizer Wade Rathke. As the founder and Chief Organizer of ACORN, the largest organization of low and moderate-income people in US history, Rathke grew the organization from a small group of welfare mothers in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1970 to a 500,000 member-strong political force some 30+ years later. With the sweep of an American epic, the film moves from the Vietnam War and Civil Rights movement up to the precarious present day for low-income communities. Sick to Death! USA, Belgium | 2016 | 86 mins DIR: Maggie Hadleigh-West; PRD: Elizabeth Dunnebacke, Catherine Reirson; WRI: Maggie Hadleigh-West; ED: Ilko Davidov, Kim Connell, David Bear One of the most commonly misdiagnosed afflictions for women in the US is thyroid disease. The thyroid has a hand in nearly every major function in the body, making symptoms difficult to pin down, as they are comprised of common issues such as fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, and depression. Through director Maggie Hadleigh-West’s own medical journey, Sick to Death investigates the political and medical reasons thyroid disease is so often looked over and the serious health complications that can occur when left untreated. Using personal video, interviews with medical professionals and women who grapple with thyroid problems every day, Maggie seeks answers that have the potential to better her own life and those of the women around her. -AL Tell Them We Are Rising USA | 2017 | 90 mins DIR: Stanley Nelson; PRD: Cyndee Readdean, Marco Williams, Stacey L. Holman; WRI: Marcia Smith; ED: Kim Miille A haven for Black intellectuals, artists and revolutionaries—and path of promise toward the American dream—Black colleges and universities have educated the architects of freedom movements and cultivated leaders in every field. They have been unapologetically Black for more than 150 years. For the first time ever, their story is told. Directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson, Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities examines the impact Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have had on American history, culture, and national identity. On Our Watch USA | 2017 | 59 mins DIR: Jonathan Evans; PRD: Bruno Steiner; WRI: Jonathan Evans, Caroline Taylor; DP: Ryan Martin; ED: Jonathan Evans This documentary presents the problem of coastal land loss in Southern Louisiana with honesty, directness, and urgency. The film features interviews with activists, professors, and community leaders who demonstrate how we got here and where we are going. The effects of sea rise and erosion in the wetlands touch down on numerous industries and influence the lives of residents throughout the Delta, including New Orleans. Solutions have been placed on the table, but they are underfunded, and civic engagement on a small scale appears to be the only route to sustainability on a larger one. But even that might be wishful thinking. Nothing Without Us USA | 2016 | 70 mins DIR: Harriet Hirshorn; PRD: Harriet Hirshorn; WRI: Hilary Brougher; DP: Nadia Hallgren; ED: Mary Patierno Since the early 90s, AIDS has largely been painted as affecting mainly white, gay males. Rich with stories, facts, and moments of hope, Nothing Without Us brings light to those who this narrative passes over. Viewers are brought to locations as close as New Orleans, LA and Oakland, CA and as far as Nigeria, Burundi, and Spain to meet the women who stand on the front lines in the fight for equal rights and medical protection against AIDS. These women have banded together in organizations to bring medication, counseling, and—perhaps most importantly—attention to the women of color that are most afflicted by the ongoing crisis. The fight may not be over, but Nothing Without Us is threaded with the hope an end is possible. Quest USA | 2017 | 105 mins DIR: Jonathan Olshefski; PRD: Sabrina Schmidt Gordon; DP: Jonathan Olshefski; ED: Lindsay Utz Christopher and Christine’a Rainey (known as Quest and Ma to their friends and visitors to their recording studio) are an ordinary couple straining under the weight of economic hardship and a violent corner of North Philadelphia. But in the hands of director Jonathan Olshefski, they take on near-mythic status, pulling and loving their family through devastating illness, wrenching violence and the tumultuous Obama years. Intimate but never invasive, Quest is an empathetic look at coming of age, black love, poverty, race and family that takes its place among verité greats of any era. Richly illuminating a decade in the life of an extraordinary family, Quest emerges as a song of determined resilience in a time of deep uncertainty. Dolores USA | 2017 | 95 mins DIR: Peter Bratt; PRD: Brian Benson; WRI: Peter Bratt, Jessica Congdon; DP: Jesse Dana; ED: Jessica Congdon Dolores Huerta is among the most important, yet least known, activists in American history. An equal partner in co-founding the first farm workers unions with Cesar Chavez, her enormous contributions have gone largely unrecognized. Dolores tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice alongside Chavez, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the twentieth century—and she continues the fight to this day, at 87. With intimate and unprecedented access to this intensely private mother to eleven, the film reveals the raw, personal stakes involved in committing one’s life to social change. Our 100 Days Created through a collaboration between Firelight Media and Field of Vision, this collection of seven documentary short films explores threats to U.S. democracy and the stories of its most vulnerable communities in the current highly polarized political climate, all made by filmmakers of color. The Magnifying Glass Funded through a grant from Artless Media, these three documentary short films from Louisiana-based filmmakers look at social injustices within the communities that the filmmakers are part of, with a focus on racial justice. More than Monuments This program of three short documentary films focuses on the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans. Films include: Divided City – World Premiere dir. Andrea B. Scott and Katie Mitchell | 2017 | 30 mins New Orleanians see history differently in this short documentary that examines the gap between those who see their city’s legacy of white supremacy and those who choose to ignore it. Interviews with members of the Monumental Task Committee and the Sons of Confederate Silent Parade or the Soul Rebels Vs. Robert E. Lee – North American Premiere dir. William Cordova | 2017 | 10 mins The Soul Rebels, one of New Orleans’ most revered brass bands, confronts the legacy of slavery in a powerful rooftop performance across from Robert E. Lee’s statue in this moving short film. Goodbye Old Glory – World Premiere dir. Jordan Haro | 2017 | 17 mins Mid-City’s statue of Jefferson Davis, former president of the Confederacy, serves as the battleground for the argument over the removal of the Confederate monuments. During the course of one night, those who seek to defend their ancestors’ effigies stand, scream, and salute with flags and rifles. Meeting them with emotional response, protesters denounce them as outsiders and racists whose perspective is outmoded. In this contentious stand-off, Louisianans camp out with hot trays of food and lawn chairs, and while they argue over history, passions intensify and violence looms large.

    Caribbean Films

    Samba’ Dominican Republic | 2017 | 90 mins DIR: Laura Amelia Guzman, Israel Cardenas; PRD: Ettore D’Alessandro, Carolina Encarnación; WIR: Ettore D’Alessandro; DP: Andrei Bowden Schwartz; ED: Andrea Kleinman After doing time in a United States prison, Cisco returns home to the Dominican Republic to find his alcoholic mother is in delicate health conditions. The only way for him to get some money is to fight on the streets. When Nichi, a former Italian boxing promise, sees Cisco during a fight, he decides he is a diamond in the rough to be polished to get out of the debt caused by Nichi’s gambling addiction. During the training process he discovers there is atonement for both of them in the game. They have to make it to the final match and make the dream inside the ring come true. Serenade for Haiti USA | 2016 | 110 mins DIR: Owsley Brown; PRD: Christy McGill; DP: Marcel Cabrera; ED: Gina Leibrecht For his third feature, director Owsley Brown spins a gorgeous and soulful symphony of a city, Port-au-Prince, sprung to life through the performances and words of the students and teachers at Sainte Trinité Music School. Beginning three years before the devastating earthquake of January 2010 that left 300,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless, music’s saving grace takes on new meaning in the aftermath of the horror that leaves the school in ruins. Serenade for Haiti never wallows in sorrow, though: it’s a visual feast and celebration of a musical and cultural heritage whose fingerprints can be found all over New Orleans. -NS Play the Devil Trinidad & Tobago, The Bahamas, USA | 2016 | 89 mins DIR: Maria Govan; PRD: Maria Govan, Abigail Hadeed, Jonathon Grey, Chris Mortimer; WIR: Maria Govan; DP: James Wall; ED: Thomas A. Kreuger Dancing deftly between the confusion and possibilities of youth, Play the Devil offers a story of Gregory, a teenager on the cusp of graduation in the town of Paramin, Trinidad. He is torn between meeting the expectations of his family by studying medicine abroad and his passion to study the world’s beauty through photography. Amid this choice and the return of his father—a recovering addict—his artistic spirit catches the attention of an affluent businessman who attempts to foster Greg’s talent until the relationship goes too far. Tender moments intertwine with the lush cliff sides and vistas of Trinidad and Tobago, toppling one into the next until a choice with dire consequences is made during the year’s Carnival festivities. Coming and Going Haiti and USA | 34 mins | DIR: Annie Huntington & Clay Thomas A young translator from a small Haitian city considers his future.  Should he stay in the community where he grew up, or join the exodus abroad in search of other opportunities? Adolescencia Puerto Rico and USA | 10 mins | DIR: José Fernando Rodriguez Comprised of Hi8 videos, Adolescencia presents a portrait of a teenage boy in 2002 Puerto Rico who films odd and unusual movie vignettes by himself – and tries to get a girl’s attention in the process. Days of Wholesome Joy Cuba | 18 mins | DIR: Claudia Muñiz Zayda has taken care of her grandma afflicted with dementia for a long time, but on the eve of her birthday Zayda tries to get back her previous life. Cuban Shorts Parade DIR: Kira Akerman Jazz students from New Orleans travel to Cuba on a cultural exchange and collaborate on a parade, celebrating open borders. Connection (Conectifai) DIR: Horizoe Garcia A portrait of a park in Havana where, thanks to public Wi-Fi, a new kind of meeting place has arisen. Charlie DIR: Kadri Koop Four decades after hijacking a plane to Cuba to avoid charges of killing a state trooper, a former black power militant reflects on his past in a letter to his nine-year-old Cuban son. Manuel DIR: Gabriela Cavanagh By the train tracks in Havana, Cuba, 87-year-old Manuel brews an aphrodisiac juice called pru. Forever, Comandante (Hasta Siempre, Comandante) DIR: Faisal Attrache Living in the shadow of the revolutionary generation’s unrelenting Cuban ideals, Ernesto, a 14 year old barber, wants to get a tattoo despite his father’s adamant objection to it. Fighting Cuba’s Boxing Ban DIR: Ora DeKornfeld In Cuba, where women are banned from competitive boxing, a thirteen-year-old girl steps into the ring. Prince of Smoke DIR: Matthew Gelb Cuban tobacco farmer and artisanal cigar maker, Hirochi Robaina, follows in his legendary grandfather’s footsteps as he fights to preserve a 171-year old family legacy.

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  • 2017 New Orleans Film Festival Reveals Competition Lineup + MUDBOUND is Centerpiece Film

    [caption id="attachment_19917" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Mudbound Mudbound[/caption] The 2017 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) selected the Louisiana-shot Mudbound, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year as the Centerpiece Film; and announced the competition lineup. The festival will take place October 11th to October 19th in venues across the city. With 53 percent of films by female directors and 45 percent by directors of color, 2017 boasts the most diverse line-up in the festival’s history. Directed and co-written by Dee Rees, whose previous directorial projects include Pariah and Bessie, Mudbound is an adaptation of the prizewinning novel from Hillary Jordan about racial tension in the 1940s American South. It stars Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Mary J. Blige, Garrett Hedlund, and New Orleans native Jason Mitchell. In addition to being directed by a woman, Mudbound also features women in the lead roles of producer, writer, cinematographer, editor, sound mixer, and head of makeup. Set in the rural American South during World War II, Dee Rees’ Mudbound is an epic story of two families pitted against one another by a ruthless social hierarchy, yet bound together by the shared farmland of the Mississippi Delta. Mudbound follows the McAllan family, newly transplanted from the quiet civility of Memphis and unprepared for the harsh demands of farming. Despite the grandiose dreams of Henry (Jason Clarke), his wife Laura (Carey Mulligan) struggles to keep the faith in her husband’s losing venture. Meanwhile, Hap and Florence Jackson (Rob Morgan, Mary J. Blige)—sharecroppers who have worked the land for generations—struggle bravely to build a small dream of their own despite the rigidly enforced social barriers they face. The war upends both families’ plans as their returning loved ones, Jamie McAllan (Garrett Hedlund) and Ronsel Jackson (Jason Mitchell), forge a fast but uneasy friendship that challenges the brutal realities of the Jim Crow South in which they live. “Mudbound is an epic film that feels like an instant American classic: timeless and yet strikingly relevant to issues our country is facing today,” said NOFS Artistic Director Clint Bowie of the festival’s Centerpiece Film. After receiving a record number of nearly 5000 entries for the 2017 competition lineup—an increase of over 20 percent from 2016—the festival’s seasoned team of programmers carefully curated a slate of original, affecting, and provocative films. Entries came from 109 different countries. Overall, directors of selected films represent 44 different nationalities. This year, Louisiana-made films represent 29 percent of the lineup.

    NARRATIVE FEATURES

    After Louie | dir. Vincent Gagliostro Sam worked as an artist and activist through the early years of AIDS, and the younger generation of gay men has left him bewildered. That is, until he meets Braeden. A relationship blossoms between them, reawakening Sam’s artistic soul and wilted heart. Damascene | dir. Freddy Syborn WORLD PREMIERE. Frank and Inez meet while biking to a party. They went out at university, but they haven’t seen each other for nine years. Their journey through the streets of London, captured on their helmet GoPros, brings to light old stories and old secrets. Rift | dir. ErlingurThoroddsen After receiving a disturbing late-night call from his volatile ex, Gunnar drives through the night to a secluded cabin below a glacier, where the two men are haunted by their dead relationship. Sambá | dir. Laura Amelia Guzmán, Israel Cárdenas Cisco returns home to the Dominican Republic after doing time in a U.S. prison but soon finds that the only way he can make a buck is through loosely organized street fights. When a former boxing coach shows interest, they discover there is atonement for both of them in the game. She’s Allergic to Cats | dir. Michael Reich A dog groomer living in a rat-infested Hollywood dive struggles to raise money for an all-cat remake of Carrie. Snowy Bing Bongs Across the North Star Combat Zone | dir. Rachel Wolther, Alex H. Fischer Bing Bong (n. /biNGbäNG/) A pre-historic future lady creature. Soft and dangerous. “Three bing bongs awaken to the morning light, an epic battle awaits them.” The World of Which We Dream Doesn’t Exist | dir. AyoubQanir U.S. PREMIERE. In Central Asia, a Mongolian shaman is visited by an ancient spirit with a message to embark on a grand journey in a world where multiple generations thrive with and alongside shamanic magic. Victor’s History | dir. Nicolas Chevaillier WORLD PREMIERE. A proud son hires a documentary filmmaker to immortalize his father’s legacy. Tensions flare up between filmmaker and subject—a rookie cameraman is caught in the cross fire—as the three travel across France unearthing family secrets. Wexford Plaza | dir. Joyce Wong A dark comedy about a lonely female security guard who works at a dilapidated strip mall. Isolated and friendless, a glimmer of hope appears when a charming make-up salesman shows Betty kindness, leading to an unexpected sexual encounter. Young and Innocent | dir. Jesse Robinson During the hot days of summer, Marion runs away from camp and checks into a seedy motel where she meets a man named Norman. They begin a friendship, though Marion begins to have dreams of another young girl who’s recently gone missing in the area.

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    Ask the Sexpert | dir. Vaishali Sinha U.S. PREMIERE. 90-year-old Dr. MahinderWatsa is an institution on page 34 of the Mumbai Mirror, doling out on-demand sex advice to a faithful readership. Meanwhile a ban on comprehensive sex education in schools is adopted by approximately a third of India’s states. Burqa Boxers | dir. AlkaRaghuram In a culture that values beauty, delicacy, and submission as the ultimate feminine traits, young Muslim women in Kolkata challenge stereotypes, learning boxing with one of the first Indian women to become a boxing coach and an international referee. Communion (Komunia) | dir. Anna Zamecka Ola is 14 and takes care of her dysfunctional father, autistic brother, and a mother who lives separately; but most of all she tries to reunite the family. Her 13-year-old brother Nikodem’s Holy Communion is a pretext for the family to come together. Horace Tapscott: Musical Griot | dir. Barbara McCullough A poetic meditation on the strength of African American music and activism embodied in the history of Los Angeles through the life of musician, composer, and community activist Horace Tapscott (1934-1999). Love and Saucers | dir. Brad Abrahams The story of David Huggins, a 73-year-old man who claims to have had a lifetime of encounters with otherworldly beings—including a romance with an extra-terrestrial woman, and chronicled it all in surreal impressionist paintings. Olancho | dir. Chris Valdés, Ted Griswold Manuel, a farmer from Olancho, Honduras, seeks fame by making music for the region’s drug cartels. When some of his song lyrics get him in trouble, he must make the most difficult decision of his life: continue the quest for fame, or flee. The Organizer | dir. Nick Taylor WORLD PREMIERE. A feature length documentary about the life, times, and philosophy of community organizer Wade Rathke. Pow Wow | dir. Robinson Devor An elderly Austrian heiress, a Native American family, a bitter Las Vegas comedian, and a cadre of white golfers throwing their club’s annual “pow wow” party, join in a portrait of the garish contrasts of the Coachella Valley in Palm Springs. The Thunder Feast (Truenos de San Juan) | dir. Santiago Maza Stern U.S. PREMIERE.The ancient tradition of a town and its patron saint changes when devotion is mixed with explosives. The World Is Mine | dir. Ann Oren U.S. PREMIERE. A western Cosplayer of cyber diva HatsuneMiku moves to Tokyo to get to know the HatsuneMiku fandom. Her journey explores identity through cosplay and the collective fantasy of this phenom.

    LOUISIANA FEATURES

    AS IS by Nick Cave | dir. Evan Falbaum Director Evan Falbaum spent 12 months in Shreveport, Louisiana, with visual artist Nick Cave and captured the profound way in which he delivers his message of change to the Shreveport community. Cut Off | dir. Jowan Carbin WORLD PREMIERE. Struggling with his new life in New Orleans, Clive follows Trevor, a former professor, to his country home on the bayou to gain a new perspective. While Trevor helps Clive deal with his demons, Clive is sucked into a mission to kill. Do U Want It? | dir. Josh Freund, Sam Radutzky An exploration and celebration of the musical culture of New Orleans, and the complex nature of success, through the story of beloved New Orleans band Papa Grows Funk. Fat Tuesday | dir. Jorge Torres-Torres WORLD PREMIERE. Behind the mask of Mardi Gras, something sinister stalks the streets of New Orleans. Filmed on-location during the final days of Carnival, a group of friends is picked off one by one by a mysterious killer. Hate Crime | dir. Steven Esteb As a killer is executed for murdering a young gay man, two sets of parents struggle to deal with the consequences of fear and repression. Isleños, a Root of America | dir. Eduardo Cubillo U.S. PREMIERE. A travel in time throughout North American history, dealing with a community in St. Bernard Parish largely unknown by the general public with significant and unique influence on politics, arts, war conflicts, and American society. On Our Watch | dir. Jonathan Evans WORLD PREMIERE. Louisiana is facing a coastal land loss crisis. If nothing is done, Louisiana’s wetlands, industries, people, and culture are in danger of being washed away. The Power of Glove | dir. Adam Ward, Andrew Austin U.S. PREMIERE. Released by Mattel in 1989, the Power Glove was hyped as a device that would change the way humans interact with computers. Thirty years later, a small but dedicated fanbase has brought new life to the Power Glove by hacking and repurposing it. Sick to Death! | dir. Maggie Hadleigh-West WORLD PREMIERE. After drinking radioactive iodine to kill her overactive thyroid, filmmaker Maggie Hadleigh-West catapults into illness only to run smack into the medical corruption that is shredding the fabric of millions of lives all over the world. Small Town Rage: Fighting Back in the Deep South | dir. Raydra Hall, David Hylan Examines the work and influence of the AIDS activist group ACT UP Shreveport and the challenges that come with advocating for people living with AIDS in the conservative Deep South.

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  • Star Studded Galas Featuring Sean “Diddy” Combs, 45th Anniversary of THE GODFATHER and More Added to Tribeca Film Festival

    [caption id="attachment_21425" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] Can't Stop, Won't Stop: The Bad Boy Story A film still from CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP: THE BAD BOY STORY.[/caption] The 2017 Tribeca Film Festival continues to rollout an impressive lineup, today revealing the star studded Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, as well as the titles premiering in the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival program.  To close this year’s Festival, the Tribeca Film Festival will celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Godfather’s theatrical release with an epic screening of the legendary crime saga’s first two parts. The Godfather and The Godfather Part II will play back-to-back at Radio City Music Hall on Saturday, April 29, followed by a once-in-a-lifetime panel discussion with Academy Award-winning director Francis Ford Coppola and actors Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro. This year’s Galas section features larger-than-life figures from the worlds of music and sports, including Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story documentary celebrating the first 20 years of Bad Boy Entertainment record label; the World Premiere of James Ponsoldt’s The Circle, starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson; and the World Premiere of Mike and the Mad Dog, which kicks off The Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival. The special screenings include the world premieres of House of Z, a documentary that follows fashion superstar Zac Posen; The Public Image is Rotten, a documentary about Sex Pistols’lead singer Johnny Rotten (AKA John Lydon); and Dare to be Different, the story of 1980’s rebel Long Island radio station WLIR, which will include live performances by Flock of Seagulls, The Alarm, and The English Beat. Tribeca will also give a nod to the past with a series of anniversary retrospectives, including: the 25th anniversary of Aladdin with a special sing-along; the 15th anniversary of Bowling for Columbine followed by a critical conversation with Academy Award®-winning director Michael Moore; and the 25th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino’s influential and celebrated classic, Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino and members of the cast will participate in a conversation following the film. The complete film selections for Closing Night, Galas, Special Screenings, and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival sections are as follows:

    CLOSING NIGHT

    The 45th anniversary of The Godfather screening followed by The Godfather Part II and conversation The Godfather & The Godfather: Part II, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. (USA). Arguably two of the best films ever made, and winners of nine Academy Awards between them, Coppola’s epic masterpieces paint a chilling, multigenerational portrait of the Corleone crime family’s rise and near fall from power in America. Tribeca celebrates the legacy of one of the most influential film sagas of all time with this anniversary screening and reunion event. Part I:  With Marlon Brando, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Abe Vigoda. In English, Italian, Latin with subtitles.  Part II:  With Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, William Bowers, James Caan, John Cazale, Giuseppe Sillato, Lee Strasberg. In English, Italian, Latin, Sicilian, Spanish with subtitles. After the Movie: A 45th anniversary conversation with Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, and Robert De Niro.

    GALAS

    Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The Bad Boy Story, directed by Daniel Kaufman. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary.  A raw and exclusive look behind the scenes at the history and legacy of Bad Boy through a complex portrait of the label’s mastermind, Sean “Diddy” Combs aka Puff Daddy, as he tries to reunite his Bad Boy Family in the course of a frantic three-week rehearsal period. This Live Nation Productions documentary finds him reuniting with the biggest names from Bad Boy’s history for a wildly successful pair of concerts at Brooklyn’s Barclay Center. With Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, Lil’ Kim, Faith Evans, Total. The Circle, directed by James Ponsoldt, written by James Ponsoldt and Dave Eggers. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech and social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity. With Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega, Karen Gillan, Ellar Coltrane, Patton Oswalt, Glenne Headly, Bill Paxton. An STXfilms release.

    TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL GALA 

    Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world’s most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who’s-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release.

    SPECIAL SCREENINGS

    Blues Planet: Triptych, directed and written by Wyland. (USA) – World Premiere. Blues Planet: Triptych explores the Gulf Oil Spill disaster and its aftermath through environmental artist Wyland who, along with 30 of today’s pre-eminent artists, recorded a new genre of global blues on the catastrophe’s anniversary. After the Movie: Taj Mahal and the Wyland Blues Planet Ban will perform. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, directed and written by Alexandra Dean. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Known for her unmatched beauty, Hedy Lamarr’s fans never knew she also possessed a beautiful mind. Immigrating to Hollywood in the 1940s, Lamarr acted by day and sketched inventions by night, even devising a “secret communication system” for the Allies to beat the Nazis. Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story reveals how Lamarr gave her patent away to the Army, receiving no credit for her engineering innovations, even as she was immortalized as a legend of the silver screen. Executive produced by Susan Sarandon. With Mel Brooks, Diane Kruger, Peter Bogdanovich, Denise Loder DeLuca, Anthony Loder, Richard Rhodes. After the Movie: Tribeca Film Institute and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation will host an exclusive panel with director Alexandra Dean and  prominent women in both entertainment and STEM, focusing on how both groups have been historically underrepresented in their respective fields. Chris Gethard: Career Suicide, directed by Kimberly Senior, written by Chris Gethard. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. In this deeply personal and profoundly funny one man show, comedian Chris Gethard dives deep into his own personal struggles with mental health issues. He will have you laughing at stories of Barb his therapist one minute, then revealing incredibly personal experiences the next, using comedy to lend insight in a way that only humor can. An HBO release. After the Movie: A conversation with comedian/actor/writer Chris Gethard and fellow comedians. Dare to be Different, directed by Ellen Goldfarb, written by Jay Reiss. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Featuring interviews and rare footage of U2, Blondie, Duran Duran, Joan Jett, The Cure, Billy Idol, and Depeche Mode, Dare to Be Different is a nostalgic look at WLIR 92.7, the radio station that introduced these bands to a US audience. Director Ellen Goldfarb tells the story of the rise and fall of this institution, and the birth of the punk and new wave communities. With Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, and others.  After the movie: A live music tribute to WLIR from A Flock of Seagulls, The English Beat, and The Alarm. The Exception, directed by David Leveaux, written by Simon Burke. (U.K., USA) – US Premiere, Narrative. A riveting World War II thriller, The Exception follows German soldier Stefan Brandt, tasked with investigating exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II, only to find himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with mysterious housemaid Mieke. When Heinrich Himmler, head of the SS, comes for an unexpected visit, secrets are revealed, allegiances tested, and Brandt is forced to make the ultimate choice between honoring his country and following his heart. With Christopher Plummer, Jai Courtney, Lily James, Janet McTeer, Eddie Marsan, Ben Daniels. A DirecTV/A24 release. After the movie: A conversation with director David Leveaux and actor Christopher Plummer. From The Ashes, directed by Michael Bonfiglio. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. From the Ashes captures Americans in communities across the country as they wrestle with the legacy of the coal industry and what its future should be under the Trump Administration. From Appalachia to the West’s Powder River Basin, the film goes beyond the rhetoric of the “war on coal” to present compelling and often heartbreaking stories about what’s at stake for our economy, health, and climate. From the Ashes invites audiences to learn more about an industry on the edge and what it means for their lives. Before the movie: Special introduction by three-term Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. After the movie: A conversation with director Michael Bonfiglio and special guests to discuss the state of the American coal industry. House of Z, directed by Sandy Chronopoulos, written by Sandy Chronopoulos, Sherien Barsoum. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Zac Posen rocketed to fashion stardom at a young age with his unique design aesthetic and charismatic presence, becoming one the most recognizable faces in the business today. But like any journey to great success it hasn’t come without cost. Sandy Chronopoulos’ film looks past the glamor of the red carpet and the runway to shine a light on the trials and tribulations of running one of the country’s most successful fashion houses. With Naomi Campbell, Sean Diddy Combs aka Puff Daddy, André Leon Talley, Paz de la Huerta. After the movie: A conversation with director Sandy Chronopoulos and the film’s subject Zac Posen. Intent to Destroy, directed by Joe Berlinger, written by Joe Berlinger, Cy Christiansen. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Embedding himself on the epic film set of Terry George’s The Promise (starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale), Academy Award®-nominated director Joe Berlinger takes an unwavering look at the Armenian genocide after a century of denial by the Turkish government and its strategic allies. A cinematic window into the historical and emotional web of responsibility. After the movie: A conversation with director/screenwriter Joe Berlinger, poet and nonfiction writer Peter Balakian, composer Serj Tankian, and producer Eric Esrailian. Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait, directed and written by Pappi Corsicato. (Italy) – World Premiere, Documentary. A titan of painting and filmmaking, Julian Schnabel’s art is among the most important work of the late 20th and early 21st century. Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait captures the artist in the studio and at home, incorporates archival footage and private home videos, and interviews family and friends to build a complex image of the man and his work. With Al Pacino, Willem Dafoe, Bono, Emmanuelle Seigner, Vito Schnabel. A Cohen Media release. After the movie: A conversation with director Pappi Corsicato and the film’s subject Julian Schnabel. Paris Can Wait, directed and written by Eleanor Coppola. (USA) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Long married to a successful but inattentive film producer, Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Enter Jacques, a French bon vivant, who offers to drive Anne from Cannes to Paris. What begins as an innocent favor quickly turns into an unexpectedly wandering road trip filled with fine cuisine and looming romance. Eleanor Coppola’s elegant journey takes us to the heart of a woman surprised to find long-buried memories resurface and unforeseen attraction arise. With Diane Lane, Alec Baldwin, Arnaud Viard. A Sony Pictures Classics release. After the movie: A food and film experience inspired by Paris Can Wait. The Public Image is Rotten, directed by Tabbert Fiiller. (USA) – World Premiere. Within months of the demise of the Sex Pistols in 1978, lead singer Johnny Rotten (aka John Lydon) formed post-punk outfit Public Image Ltd., an innovative and influential band which has accumulated a legion of fans since its founding. In this incisive, entertaining doc, Lydon opens up the book on his decades as a music provocateur, while past and present band members fill in the gaps and add their perspectives. With Thurston Moore, Flea, Adam Horovitz, Moby. After the movie: A conversation with director Tabbert Fiiller and the film’s subject John Lydon a.k.a. Johnny Rotten. The Third Industrial Revolution, directed by Oliver Ressler, Eddy Moretti. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. The global economy is in crisis. Economists warn that we face 20 more years of declining productivity, slow growth, rising unemployment, and steep inequality. And now, climate change is ravaging the planet. Where do we go from here? Economic theorist Jeremy Rifkin outlines a journey into the Third Industrial Revolution — a new era of sustainable development, accompanied by vast new economic opportunities in a smart green digital global economy. “After the Movie: A conversation with director Eddy Moretti and economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin.” Warning: This Drug May Kill You, directed by Perri Peltz. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Warning: This Drug May Kill You takes an unflinching look at the devastating effects of opioid addiction in the U.S., profiling four families whose lives have been decimated by addictions that all began with legitimate prescriptions to dangerous painkillers. Through the personal and emotional stories of people on the front lines of this epidemic, this film is an eye-opening look at a terrifying epidemic that is devastating communities across this country, and the toll it has taken on its victims and their families. An HBO Documentary release. After the Movie: A conversation with Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Dr. Andrew Kolodny, Co-Director of Opioid Policy Research Collaborative Brandeis University, Gail Cole, film subject and co-founder, Hope and Healing After an Addiction Death, and producer Sascha Weiss. Moderated by the film’s director Perri Peltz.

    RETROSPECTIVES

    Tribeca will provide a nod to the past with these three special screenings: Aladdin, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, written by Ron Clements & John Musker and Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio. (USA). Disney’s beloved animated masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, “A Whole New World,” Original Score) on the big screen at Tribeca’s 25th anniversary celebration for the whole family. With Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried. Before the Movie: Join Brad Kane, the singing voice of Aladdin, for a special 25th anniversary performance of a soundtrack favorite before the screening. Bowling for Columbine, directed by Michael Moore. (USA). In 2002, Michael Moore explored the roots of America’s relationships with guns and the firearms industry following the devastating mass shooting at Columbine High School. The film went on to win the Academy Award for Best Documentary. In the current moment of frequent mass shootings and ongoing legislative battles, 15 years after the film’s release, Moore’s confrontational documentary remains relevant as ever. After the Movie: On the 15th anniversary of the documentary, and on the exact day of the massacre 18 years ago, a conversation with director Michael Moore and others on the timeliness of the film today. Reservoir Dogs, directed and written by Quentin Tarantino. (USA). They were perfect strangers, assembled to pull off the perfect crime. Then their simple robbery explodes into a bloody ambush and the ruthless killers realize one of them is a police informant. But which one? Twenty-five years ago, auteur filmmaker Quentin Tarantino reinvigorated cinema with his singular voice in his canonical feature Reservoir Dogs. He has generously provided a 35mm print from his archive for this special 25th anniversary screening. With Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Edward Bunker, Quentin Tarantino. After the Movie: A 25th anniversary conversation with director Quentin Tarantino and cast from the film.

    TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL

    The 11th annual Tribecas/ESPN Sports Film Festival, the premier showcase of sports and competition films, offers sports fans and film buffs alike the opportunity to screen new films that are changing the sports landscape. The section features stories about some of the greatest, and in some cases unknown teams, competitions, and superior athletes.

    Features:

    Chuck, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl. (USA) – US Premiere. Chuck is the true story of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber), the man who inspired the billion-dollar film seriesRocky—a liquor salesman from New Jersey who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali. Wepner suffered numerous losses, knockouts, and broken noses in his ten years in the ring, and lived an epic life of drugs, booze, and wild women outside of it. With Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport. An IFC Films release. Mike and the Mad Dog, directed by Daniel H. Forer. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Dive into the inner workings of one of the sports world’s most unlikely partnerships: Mike Francesa and Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, the voices that launched a thousand sports radio imitators. The hosts, their colleagues, and a who’s-who of sports heavyweights tell the story of their surprise rise to stardom and 19 years as the iconic voices of New York sports. An ESPN Films release. No Stone Unturned, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA, Northern Ireland) – World Premiere. In 1994, six men were gunned down and five wounded in a pub while watching a World Cup soccer match in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. With a police investigation that was perfunctory at best, the case remained unsolved. In this non-fiction murder mystery, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney reopens the original case to investigate why no culprit was ever brought to justice. Sambá, directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas, written by Ettore D’Alessandro, Carolina Encarnacion. (Dominican Republic) – World Premiere. Cisco has his back against the ropes. After spending 15 years in an American jail, he’s returned to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job, a problem compounded by his mother’s ailing health and his younger brother’s delinquent habits. To make money, he’s resorted to illegal street fighting. But Cisco finds a possible salvation in Nichi, an Italian ex-boxer who sees dollar signs in Cisco’s gritty fighting skills. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Ettore D’Alessandro, Laura Gómez, Ricardo A. Toribio. In Spanish with subtitles. Year of the Scab, directed by John Dorsey. (USA) – World Premiere. During the 1987 NFL strike, teams scrambled to assemble temporary replacements to fill in for their boycotting players. The Washington Redskins were notable for their “scabs,” a collection of cast-offs who nonetheless rode a surprising wave of momentum against all odds. “Year of the Scab” revisits this ultimate underdog story and the men whose ordinary lives were interrupted. Those so-called “scabs” helped break the strike and bring their team to victory, only to struggle for their place in the sports history books. An ESPN Films release.

    Shorts:

    The Amazing Adventures of Wally and the Worm, directed by Colin Hanks. (USA) – New York Premiere. When Dennis Rodman hurts his knee with four weeks to go in the Chicago Bulls ’96-’97 NBA championship season, young assistant trainer Wally Blasé is assigned to oversee his rehab, and the two forge a close friendship over 10 wild days of fast living recounted by director Colin Hanks through animation and first-person confessions. Short Program: Sports Shorts Bump & Spike, directed by Michael Jacobs. (USA) – World Premiere. The spectacular rise and fall of the International Professional Volleyball Association, which existed between 1975–1980 complete with “party lifestyle,” rocking arena matches and stars on the court and in the stands, is chronicled in this Michael Jacobs-directed film. Short Program: Sports Shorts The Counterfeiter, directed by Brian Biegel. (USA) – World Premiere. Featuring actual wiretapped phone calls and surveillance video, this film explores how the FBI brought down the largest counterfeit operation in U.S. history during the summer of 1998, thanks to the help of some major league baseball players. Short Program: Sports Shorts Resurface, directed by Josh Izenberg, Wynn Padula. (USA) – New York Premiere. Struggling with trauma and depression after his military service, Iraq war veteran Bobby Lane wants to cross surfing off his bucket list before taking his life. Short Program: Surf’s Up Revolution in the Ring, directed by Jason Sklaver. (USA) – World Premiere. The story of Cuban boxer Teofilo Stevenson, who in 1962 chose to stay in his home country rather than defect, this film examines through the lens of Cuban-American politics how his life and the life of the Cuban people were dramatically altered by the embargo. In English, Spanish with subtitles. Short Program: Sports Shorts Run Mama Run, directed by Daniele Anastasion. (USA) – World Premiere. Run Mama Run is an examination of motherhood and athleticism through the eyes of Sarah Brown, an elite track athlete who will continue to train through pregnancy and postpartum with help of her trainer and husband Darren Brown. Short Program: Sports Shorts Under an Arctic Sky, directed by Chris Burkard, written by Ben Weiland, Chris Burkard. (USA) – World Premiere. A group of surfers along with photographer Chris Burkard journey to Iceland’s north coast in search of perfect waves during the largest storm to make landfall in 25 years. Short Program: Surf’s Up

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  • 2017 Tribeca Film Festival Announces Exiciting Feature Film Line Up

    [caption id="attachment_21224" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Ice Mother (Bába z ledu) Zuzana KrÛnerov· as Hana in ICE MOTHER.[/caption] The Tribeca Film Festival today unveiled an exciting slate of films that will premiere at the 2017 festival. The Festival announced the feature films across the following programs: Competition, including U.S. Narrative, Documentary, and International Narrative categories; Spotlight, a selection of anticipated premieres from major talent; Viewpoints, which recognizes distinct voices in international and American independent filmmaking; and the popular Midnight Section, featuring the best in psychological thriller, horror, sci-fi, and cult cinema. The 16th Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 to 3, 2017. To honor Earth Day, which falls during the Festival, the programmers chose to highlight documentaries that focus on critical and timely issues that have an impact on our planet, including climate change, food waste, and animal extinction. Each of these films will screen on Earth Day, April 22, as well as throughout the Festival. This will be reflected in other sections of the festival programming as well, including VR and Tribeca N.O.W. The films selections are as follows:

    U.S. Narrative Competition

    Aardvark, directed and written by Brian Shoaf. (USA) – World Premiere. While battling her own anxieties, therapist Emily Milburton (Jenny Slate) spends her time listening to other people’s problems. Her professional and personal worlds collide when Emily’s newest patient, Josh Norman (Zachary Quinto), walks through her door. Mentally ill and experiencing hallucinations, Josh harbors complex feelings for his estranged brother, Craig (Jon Hamm). Things begin to get interesting when Emily falls for Craig. With Sheila Vand, Tonya Pinkins, Marin Ireland. Abundant Acreage Available, directed and written by Angus MacLachlan. (USA) – World Premiere. Still reeling over the recent death of their father, siblings Jesse (Terry Kinney) and Tracy (Amy Ryan) are attempting to settle into their new lives in his absence. Their simple existence is unexpectedly disrupted by the sudden arrival of three mysterious brothers, camping on their land and possessing a surprising connection to their family farm. With Max Gail, Francis Guinan, Steve Coulter. Blame, directed and written by Quinn Shephard. (USA) – World Premiere. Abigail (Quinn Shephard) is an outcast who seeks solace in fantasy worlds. When high school drama teacher Jeremy (Chris Messina) casts her in Arthur Miller’s ‘The Crucible,’ Abigail’s confidence blooms. But soon her relationship with Jeremy begins to move beyond innocent flirtation, and it in turn fuels a vengeful jealousy that quickly spirals out of control and brings about a chain of events that draws parallels to Salem. With Nadia Alexander, Tate Donovan, Trieste Kelly Dunn, Tessa Albertson. The Endless, directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, written by Justin Benson. (USA) – World Premiere. Years after escaping a cult as teenagers, brothers Aaron and Justin return to their former home after receiving a mysterious message. While Aaron is quickly drawn back into the fold, Justin remains uneasy. However, neither can deny it when strange events begin happening that seem to mirror the cult’s unusual axioms. Following their Tribeca breakout, Resolution, Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead direct and star in another intensely original genre hybrid. With Tate Ellington, Callie Hernandez, James Jordan, Lew Temple. Flower, directed by Max Winkler, written by Alex McAulay, Max Winkler, Matt Spicer. (USA) – World Premiere. Rebellious and quick-witted, 17-year-old firecracker Erica Vandross (Zoey Deutch) kills time with her friends gawking at older men in bowling alleys and sexually scheming guys out of their money. However, her biggest scheme is still to come when her mother asks her boyfriend and his troubled, fresh-out-of-rehab son to move in with them in this biting dark comedy. With Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Tim Heidecker, Joey Morgan, Dylan Gelula. Keep the Change, directed and written by Rachel Israel. (USA) – World Premiere. In a support group for adults living with autism, David—a smooth talker struggling to hide his disability—meets a woman with similar learning challenges, and they quickly forge an intimate bond. Starring a cast of nonprofessional actors on the autism spectrum, Keep the Change details an underrepresented community with authenticity, optimism and humor. With Brandon Polansky, Samantha Elisofon, Nicky Gottlieb, Will Deaver, Jessica Walter, Tibor Feldman. Love After Love, directed by Russell Harbaugh, written by Russell Harbaugh, Eric Mendelsohn. (USA) – World Premiere. The world of a mother and her two adult sons feels emotionally untethered following the death of their family’s patriarch. Andie MacDowell, Chris O’Dowd, and James Adomian deliver searing performances in this absorbing story of a family losing and regaining their equilibrium in the wake of loss. With Juliet Rylance, Dree Hemingway, Gareth Williams. One Percent More Humid, directed and written by Liz W. Garcia. (USA) – World Premiere. Catherine (Julia Garner) and Iris (Juno Temple) are childhood friends home from college for a hot New England summer. As they attempt to enjoy parties and skinny-dipping and the usual vacation hijinks, a shared trauma in their past becomes increasingly difficult to suppress. As the wedge between the friends grows, they each pursue forbidden affairs to cope. With Alessandro Nivola, Maggie Siff, Philip Ettinger, Mamoudou Athie. Saturday Church, directed and written by Damon Cardasis. (USA) – World Premiere. 14-year-old Ulysses is a shy and effeminate teen being raised in the Bronx by his strict Aunt Rose. He finds escape in a rich fantasy life of music and dance, and soon with a vibrant transgender youth community called Saturday Church. Damon Cardasis’ directorial debut is a rousing celebration of one boy’s search for his identity.With Luka Kain, Margot Bingham, Regina Taylor, Marquis Rodriguez, MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Alexia Garcia. Thirst Street, directed by Nathan Silver, written by Nathan Silver, C. Mason Wells. (USA, France) – World Premiere. There’s a fine line between lust and obsession—and for flight attendant Gina (Lindsay Burdge), that line is often difficult to see. Grieving over a lover’s suicide, Gina loses her grip on reality after falling for a suave Parisian bartender. Tribeca alum Nathan Silver (Actor Martinez) takes cues from ‘70s Euro erotic psychodramas in this gorgeously retro and piercingly intimate look at one-sided love. With Damien Bonnard, Esther Garrel, Lola Bessis, Jacques Nolot, Françoise Lebrun. In English, French with subtitles.

    International Narrative Competition

    The Divine Order (Die göttliche Ordnung), directed and written by Petra Volpe. (Switzerland) – International Premiere. Political leaders in Switzerland cited ‘Divine Order’ as the reason why women still did not have the right to vote as late as 1970. Director Petra Volpe explores this surprising history through the story of Nora, a quiet housewife from a quaint village searching for the fierce suffragette leader inside her. With Marie Leuenberger, Max Simonischek, Rachel Braunschweig, Sibylle Brunner, Marta Zoffoli, Bettina Sucky. In Swiss-German with subtitles. Holy Air (Hawa Moqaddas), directed and written by Shady Srour. (Israel) – World Premiere. Desperate to care for his pregnant wife and ailing father, Adam (writer/director Shady Srour) embarks on his latest, riskiest business venture: selling bottled holy air. A sharp comedy set in modern-day Nazareth, Holy Air examines the complicated emotions that go into living as a modern, progressive, Christian family on the world’s most spiritual ground. With Laëtitia Eïdo, Shmulik Calderon, Tareq Copti, Dalia Okal, Bian Anteer. In Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, Italian with subtitles. Ice Mother (Bába z ledu), directed and written by Bohdan Sláma. (Czech Republic, Slovakia, France) – International Premiere. Hana lives alone in a big villa with only weekly visits from her two belligerent sons and their families to look forward to. While on a stroll with her grandson one day, she rescues Brona, an elderly ice swimmer with a hen for a best friend, from drowning. This encounter invigorates Hana, introducing her to a new hobby and unexpected romance. With Zuzana Kronerová, Pavel Nový, Daniel Vízek, Václav Neužil. In Czech with subtitles. King of Peking, directed and written by Sam Voutas. (China, USA, Australia) – World Premiere. Big Wong and his son Little Wong are traveling film projectionists, screening Hollywood movies for local villagers. Faced with losing custody of his son, Big Wong starts making and selling illegal bootleg DVDs out of the old movie theater where he works, despite Little Wong’s objections. More than a father-son story, King of Peking is a love letter to cinema. With Zhao Jun, Wang Naixun, Han Qing, Si Chao, Geng Bowen, Yi Long. In Mandarin with subtitles. Newton, directed by Amit V Masurkar, written by Mayank Tewari, Amit V Masurka. (India) – North American Premiere. India, the world’s largest democracy, is preparing for an election—and with more than 800 million voters, this is a logistical puzzle of epic proportions. With disarming charm, this film probes the nature of democracy as Newton, a young, idealistic office worker, becomes the torch bearer for political fairness when he volunteers to head up a polling station in the deepest jungle for 76 remote voters. With Rajkummar Rao, Anjali Patil, Pankaj Tripathi, Raghubir Yadav. In Hindi with subtitles. Nobody’s Watching (Nadie Nos Mira), directed by Julia Solomonoff, written by Julia Solomonoff, Christina Lazaridi. (Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, USA, Spain) – World Premiere. After giving up a successful soap opera career in his native Argentina for a chance to make it in New York, Nico finds himself staying afloat with odd jobs bartending and babysitting. In a moving depiction of the vibrant city, Nobody’s Watchingquestions who is watching and how we adjust ourselves accordingly. With Guillermo Pfening, Rafael Ferro, Paola Baldion, Elena Roger, Cristina Morrison, Kerri Sohn, Marco Antonio Caponi. In English, Spanish with subtitles. November, directed and written by Rainer Sarnet. (Estonia) – International Premiere. Dive into the cold, snowy landscape of 19th-century Estonia, where werewolves and spirits roam free, and Jesus co-exists with kratts, the farmers’ mythological helpers made of tools and bones. Farmer girl Liina’s doomed romance with local boy Hans is at the center of director Rainer Sarnet’s pagan, black and white world, where the characters search for meaning in their surroundings and ponder the existence of the soul. With Rea Lest, Jörgen Liik, Arvo Kukumägi, Katariina Unt, Taavi Eelmaa, Dieter Laser. In Estonian with subtitles. Sambá, directed by Laura Amelia Guzmán and Israel Cárdenas, written by Ettore D’Alessandro, Carolina Encarnacion. (Dominican Republic) – World Premiere. Cisco has his back against the ropes. After spending 15 years in an American jail, he’s returned to the Dominican Republic yet is unable to get a job, a problem compounded by his mother’s ailing health and his younger brother’s delinquent habits. To make money, he’s resorted to illegal street fighting. But Cisco finds a possible salvation in Nichi, an Italian ex-boxer who sees dollar signs in Cisco’s gritty fighting skills. With Algenis Pérez Soto, Ettore D’Alessandro, Laura Gómez, Ricardo A. Toribio. In Spanish with subtitles. Son of Sofia (O Gios tis Sofias), directed and written by Elina Psykou. (Bulgaria, France, Greece) – World Premiere. Set during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, 11-year-old Misha is travelling from Russia to live with his mother in Athens in the home of an elderly Greek man she works for. When he learns this man is actually his new father, Misha runs away but doesn’t have the stomach for life on the streets. Returning to his new home, he clings to the stories he grew up with, melding them with reality to create a dark urban fairytale. With Viktor Khomut, Valery Tcheplanowa, Thanasis Papageorgiou, Artemis Havalits, Christos Stergioglou, Iro Maltezou. In Greek, Russian with subtitles. Tom of Finland, directed by Dome Karukoski, written by Aleksi Bardy. (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany) – International Premiere. This is the true story of cult artist Touko Laaksonen, better known as Tom of Finland, and the events that influenced his iconic homoerotic drawings. From Finnish army uniforms to motorcycle leathers, Tom finds inspiration in his European post-war surroundings, even as conservative Finland is not quite ready for his transgressive work. Eventually Tom and his art make their way to dazzling Los Angeles in time for the sexual revolution and its aftermath. With Pekka Strang, Lauri Tilkanen, Werner Daehn, Jessica Grabowsky. In Finnish with subtitles.

    World Documentary Competition

    Bobbi Jene, directed by Elvira Lind, written by Elvira Lind, Adam Nielsen. (Denmark, Israel, USA) – World Premiere. In her moving and cinematic documentary, Elvira Lind follows American dancer Bobbi Jene Smith as she makes the decision of a lifetime. Bobbi returns to the U.S., leaving behind a loving boyfriend and a successful 10-year run as a star dancer of the famous Israeli dance company Batsheva. Lind intimately portrays Bobbi’s rigorous creative process as she starts fresh in San Francisco, while still working to maintain a long-distance relationship. Copwatch, directed by Camilla Hall. (USA) – World Premiere. In 1990, a California citizen journalist began recording police interactions with the public. A one-man operation, he titled his work “Copwatch.” Now, decades later, the initiative has expanded to cities around the country, including New York, where Ramsey Orta filmed Eric Garner’s fatal arrest. In her feature film debut, director Camilla Hall crafts an intriguing and timely profile of citizen-journalist-activists who seek to disrupt the ever-present challenge of police violence. The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, directed by David France, written by David France, Mark Blane. (USA) – World Premiere. Featuring never-before-seen footage and rediscovered interviews, Academy Award nominee David France (How to Survive a Plague) follows a new investigation into the mysterious death of self-described “street queen” Marsha P. Johnson. Credited as one of the courageous black transgender activists who instigated the Stonewall Riots of 1969, thereby spearheading the modern gay civil rights movement. The Departure, directed by Lana Wilson. (USA) – World Premiere. Lana Wilson follows up her award-winning film, After Tiller, with this profile of Ittetsu Nemoto, a Buddhist priest renowned for saving the lives of countless suicidal people. But Nemoto, suffering from heart disease and supporting his wife and young son, risks his life carrying the heavy emotional load to support those who no longer want to live. When saving others takes such a toll, can he find the resiliency to save himself? In Japanese with subtitles. No Man’s Land, directed by David Byars. (USA) – World Premiere. “We are patriots,” utters one of the characters in David Byars’ detailed, on-the-ground account of the standoff between ranchers occupying Oregon’s Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and federal authorities. That statement—believed to be true by the armed occupiers—underlines the film, which unspools in measured pace and slowly unpacks its loaded meaning. The Reagan Show, directed by Pacho Velez and Sierra Pettengill, written by Josh Alexander, Pacho Velez. (USA) – World Premiere. Constructed entirely through 1980s network news and videotapes created by the Reagan administration itself, Velez and Pettengill’s prescient documentary presents Ronald Reagan as the first made-for-TV president—a man whose experience as a performer and public relations expert made him a unique match for an emerging modern political landscape, and for his chief rival: charismatic Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. A River Below, directed by Mark Grieco. (Colombia, USA) – World Premiere. Deep in the Amazon, a renowned marine biologist and a reality TV star are each working to save the indigenous pink river dolphin from being hunted to extinction. When a scandal erupts, ethical questions are raised as murky as the waters of the Amazon River. Mark Grieco’s (Marmato) surprising documentary digs into the ethics of activism in the modern media age. In English, Portuguese, Spanish with subtitles. Earth Day Screening The Sensitives, directed by Drew Xanthopoulos. (USA) – World Premiere. Meet the Sensitives, people who are debilitatingly sensitive to modern life—electricity, chemicals, you name it. Their symptoms and coping mechanisms might vary, but they all face the unusual and heartbreaking choice of either living in dangerous and uncertain conditions with their loved ones, or in physical and technological isolation. Director Drew Xanthopoulos captures their lives in cinematic verite style. Shadowman, directed and written by Oren Jacoby. (USA) – World Premiere. In the early 1980s, Richard Hambleton was New York City’s precursor to Banksy, a rogue street artist whose silhouette paintings haunted the sides of Manhattan buildings. Like so many other geniuses of his time, he fell victim to drug addiction, even as his work continued to rise in both demand and value. Shadowman doubles as both a time capsule of a forgotten New York City era, and a redemption story. A Suitable Girl, directed by Smriti Mundhra and Sarita Khurana. (USA, India) – World Premiere. Dipti, Amrita, Ritu and Seema are all young, modern women in India looking to get married—some desperately, some reluctantly. A Suitable Girl follows them over the course of four years as they juggle family, career and friends, intimately capturing their thoughts on arranged marriage, giving them a voice, and offering a unique perspective into the nuances of this institution. In English, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi with subtitles. True Conviction, directed by Jamie Meltzer, written by Jamie Meltzer, Jeff Gilbert. (USA) – World Premiere. There’s a new detective agency in Dallas, Texas, started by three exonerated men, with decades in prison served between them, who look to free innocent people from behind bars. True Conviction follows these change-makers with no small task in front of them as they rebuild their lives and families, learn to investigate cases, work to support one another, and try and fix the criminal justice system. When God Sleeps, directed and written by Till Schauder. (USA, Germany) – World Premiere. “My songs didn’t make me famous. The fatwa did.” And so we embark on the journey of rapper Shahin Najafi, whose bold style and transgressive lyrics put him in the crosshairs of religious clerics in his native Iran. When God Sleeps tells the story of this tireless artist-activist against the backdrop of the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks and the European right-wing backlash against Middle Eastern refugees. In English, Farsi, German with subtitles.

    SPOTLIGHT NARRATIVE

    The Boy Downstairs, directed and written by Sophie Brooks. (USA) – World Premiere. Zosia Mamet exhibits winsome charm as Diana, navigating the rite of passage of every single New Yorker: the search for an apartment. She seemingly finds a jewel of a home until realizing her downstairs neighbor is her ex whose heart she broke. Like a true New Yorker, she keeps the apartment. With Matthew Shear, Deirdre O’Connell, Sarah Ramos, Diana Irvine. Buster’s Mal Heart, directed and written by Sarah Adina Smith. (USA) – New York Premiere. A fugitive hotly pursued by rangers reviews the pathway to his present circumstances and finds conflicting stories. A spellbinding Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) brings impressive range to Sarah Adina Smith’s sophomore feature: a twisting, mind-bending thriller in which the typical rules don’t apply, least of all to a man who cannot be certain of anything he’s done. With DJ Qualls, Kate Lyn Sheil, Sukha Belle Potter, Lin Shaye. A Well Go USA release. Chuck, directed by Philippe Falardeau, written by Jeff Feuerzeig, Jerry Stahl. (USA) – US Premiere. Chuck is the true story of Chuck Wepner (Liev Schreiber), the man who inspired the billion-dollar film seriesRocky—a liquor salesman from New Jersey who went 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali. Wepner suffered numerous losses, knockouts, and broken noses in his ten years in the ring, and lived an epic life of drugs, booze, and wild women outside of it. With Elisabeth Moss, Ron Perlman, Naomi Watts, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport. An IFC Films release. The Clapper, directed and written by Dito Montiel. (USA) – World Premiere. Ed Helms stars as Eddie Krumble, a professional audience member who gains unwanted notoriety when a late-night talk show turns his life into a national obsession, threatening his budding relationship with gas station attendant Judy (Amanda Seyfried). Directed by Dito Montiel (Boulevard, Tribeca ‘14), The Clapper is a heartfelt comedy featuring Tracy Morgan, Adam Levine, Russell Peters, PJ Byrne, and appearances from Rob Gronkowski, Mark Cuban and the late Alan Thicke. Dabka, directed and written by Bryan Buckley. (USA) – World Premiere. When rookie journalist Jay Bahadur (Evan Peters) has an inspiring chance encounter with his idol (Al Pacino), he uproots his life and moves to Somalia looking for the story of a lifetime. Hooking up with a local fixer (Barkhad Abdi), he attempts to embed himself with the local Somali pirates, only to find himself quickly in over his head. Based on the true story of one reporter’s risk-taking adventure that ultimately brought the world an unprecedented first-person account of the pirates of Somalia. With Melanie Griffith. In English, Somali with subtitles. The Dinner, directed and written by Oren Moverman. (USA) – North American Premiere. Two brothers, congressman Stan and caustic former teacher Paul, are locked in sibling rivalry and are forced to come head to head over a dinner with their wives. As the two couples (Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Steve Coogan and Rebecca Hall) sit down to dine, their dark family secrets are drudged on to the table along with the main course, in this adaptation of the Herman Koch bestseller. With Chloe Sevigny. An Orchard release. Literally, Right Before Aaron, directed and written by Ryan Eggold. (USA) – World Premiere. Still reeling from his breakup with college sweetheart Allison (Cobie Smulders), Adam’s (Justin Long) world is thrown into further chaos when he’s surprisingly invited to attend her wedding. Over a surreal weekend, he stumbles through a nightmarish rehearsal dinner and drinks his way through the reception as he thinks back on where it all went wrong with the one that got away. Ryan Eggold directs this refreshingly unconventional romantic comedy. With John Cho, Luis Guzman, Kristen Schaal, Leah Thompson, Ryan Hansen. The Lovers, directed and written by Azazel Jacobs. (USA) – World Premiere. Years into a dispassionate marriage, a long-married couple, both seriously involved with other people, resolve to call it quits. To their surprise, their decision reignites a dormant spark that leads to an impulsive affair. Broadway legend Tracy Letts and the always-luminous Debra Winger shine in writer/director Azazel Jacob’s (Terri) latest. With Debra Winger, Tracy Letts, Melora Walters, Aiden Gillen, Tyler Ross, Jessica Sula. An A24 release. Manifesto, directed and written by Julian Rosefeldt. (Germany) – New York Premiere. All current art is fake. Nothing is original. These are some of the statements exposed in artist Julian Rosefeldt’s stunning piece. Starring Cate Blanchett, we witness a series of vignettes which draw upon artist manifestos that question the true nature of art. A chameleonic Blanchett gives a tour-de-force performance as she transforms in each segment like never before. A FilmRise Release. Permission, directed and written by Brian Crano. (USA) – World Premiere. Anna (Rebecca Hall) and Will (Dan Stevens) are the definition of long-term monogamy, and with great careers, an impending marriage, and a potential new home, things couldn’t be better. But after a close friend’s joke about her non-existent sexual experience hits too close to home, Anna proposes to Will an experiment to broaden their horizons without sabotaging their relationship: to try an open relationship—together. With Gina Gershon, Francois Arnaud, Morgan Spector, David Joseph Craig, Jason Sudeikis. Rock’n Roll, directed by Guillaume Canet, written by Guillaume Canet, Rodolphe Lauga, Philippe Lefebvre. (France) – International Premiere. Real-life couple Guillaume Canet and Marion Cotillard play themselves in this satirical comedy about a couple dealing with aging in the limelight. After Guillaume gets told by a co-star that he’s just not that cool anymore, he goes to increasingly extreme lengths to prove her wrong, putting his happy domestic life to the test. With Gilles Lellouche, Philippe Lefebvre, Camille Rowe, Yvan Attal. In French with subtitles. Sweet Virginia, directed by Jamie Dagg, written by The China Brothers. (USA) – World Premiere. Jon Bernthal, Rosemarie DeWitt, Imogen Poots, Odessa Young, and a spectacular Christopher Abbott star in this gritty neo-Western with echoes of the early Coen Brothers: a burglary-homicide rattles the residents of a small Alaska town. Jamie Dagg’s sophomore feature is a haunting drama about the predator in each of us, and the prices we pay to start over. Take Me, directed by Pat Healy, written by Mike Makowsky. (USA) – World Premiere. Ray is in the boutique simulated abduction business. It’s an understandably threadbare market, so he jumps at the chance when a mysterious call contracts him for a weekend kidnapping with a handsome payday at the end. But the job isn’t all that it seems. A black comedy that threads the needle between crime thriller and slapstick farce, Take Me is as twisty as it is funny. With Taylor Schilling, Pat Healy, Alycia Delmore, Jim O’Heir. Thumper, directed and written by Jordan Ross. (USA) – World Premiere. This suspenseful crime drama follows Kat Carter (Eliza Taylor), the troubled new girl in a school harboring a deep secret. When she attracts the attention of the volatile gang leader Wyatt (a menacing Pablo Schreiber), Kat’s own hidden secrets threaten to put her life in danger. Executive Produced by Cary Fukunaga, the film features raw supporting turns from Lena Headey, Daniel Webber, Ben Feldman, and Grant Harvey. The Trip to Spain, directed by Michael Winterbottom. (U.K.) – World Premiere. Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon reunite with director Michael Winterbottom for another chapter in their hilarious road trip series. This time taking their wit and appetites on a tour through picturesque Spain’s finest fine dining, Coogan and Brydon trade celebrity impressions and witty banter over paella and gazpacho, their comic observations on fame and friendship as dry as the finest Spanish wine. With Marta Barrio, Claire Keelan, Margo Stilley. An IFC Films release.

    SPOTLIGHT DOCUMENTARY

    ACORN and the Firestorm, directed and written by Reuben Atlas and Sam Pollard. (USA) – World Premiere. For 40 years, the community-organizing group ACORN advocated for America’s poorest communities, while its detractors accused it of promoting government waste and the worst of liberal policies. Riding high on the momentum of Barack Obama’s presidential victory in 2008, ACORN was at its social zenith when a hidden-camera video sparked a national scandal and brought it all crashing down. AlphaGo, directed by Greg Kohs. (USA) – World Premiere. With simple rules but a near-infinite number of possible outcomes, the ancient Chinese board game Go has long been considered the holy grail of artificial intelligence. Director Greg Kohs’ absorbing documentary chronicles Google’s DeepMind team as it takes on one of the world’s top Go players in a weeklong tournament, pitting man against machine in a competition that reveals as much about the workings of the human mind as it does the future of AI. In English, Korean with subtitles. Blurred Lines: Inside the Art World, directed and written by Barry Avrich. (Canada) – World Premiere. Barry Avrich’s in-depth and eye-opening documentary pulls back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes dealings revolving around the contemporary art world. Reputable artists, critics, auctioneers and collectors demystify the often illusive and complex relationship between art and commerce in this film, which features extraordinary access to industry players. ELIÁN, directed by Tim Golden, Ross McDonnell. (USA) – World Premiere. Thanksgiving, 1999: Two fishermen on the Florida Straits find a young Cuban boy, Elián González, floating alone in an inner tube. Their discovery evolves into a custody battle between Elián’s Cuban father and his Miami-located relatives that brings the conflict between Cuba and the U.S. to the forefront. Eighteen years later, ELIÁN, executive produced by Alex Gibney, gives the now grown-up Elián the chance to tell his own side of the story. In English, Spanish with subtitles. Frank Serpico, directed and written by Antonino D’Ambrosio. (USA) – World Premiere. With unprecedented access to a notoriously reclusive subject, Antonino D’Ambrosio creates a powerful portrait of Frank Serpico, the former NYPD officer who in the 1970s blew the whistle on the corruption and payoffs running rampant in the department. The true story that inspired Sidney Lumet’s American crime classic that bears his name. Get Me Roger Stone, directed and written by Dylan Bank, Daniel DiMauro, Morgan Pehme. (USA) – World Premiere. With his bespoke suits and collection of Nixon memorabilia, political firebrand and noted eccentric Roger Stone has been a fixture of Republican politics since the 1970s, yet at the same time has always been an outsider. Despite its success, his brand of confrontational (some would say “dirty”) politics was always publicly rejected by the conservative mainstream, though with the shocking ascendancy of his longtime pet project Donald Trump (interviewed in the film), Stone—the ultimate political trickster—would likely say he was just ahead of his time. A Netflix release. Gilbert, directed by Neil Berkeley, written by Neil Berkeley, James Leche. (USA) – World Premiere. Legendary comedian Gilbert Gottfried has had quite a career. Rocketing to fame in the 1980s, he was thrust into the public consciousness almost immediately thanks to his brash personality, unique worldview, and off-kilter comic timing. Now, foul-mouthed and unapologetic after decades of flying solo in both his work and in his personal life, Gilbert has shockingly reinvented himself…as a family man. With Jay Leno, Bill Burr, Jeff Ross, Whoopi Goldberg, Howie Mandel. A Gray State, directed by Erik Nelson. (USA) – World Premiere. Christmas, 2014: filmmaker, veteran and charismatic up-and-coming voice of alt-right politics David Crowley and his family are killed in their suburban Minnesota home. Their shocking deaths quickly become a cause célèbre for conspiracy theorists. Executive produced by Werner Herzog, A Gray State combs through Crowley’s photographs, videos and recordings to investigate what happens when an ideology becomes an all-consuming obsession. Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS, directed by Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested, written by Mark Monroe. (USA) – World Premiere. Chronicling Syria’s descent into unbridled chaos, this gripping and insightful work captures the Syrian war’s harrowing carnage, political and social consequences, and, most importantly, its human toll. From personal stories of family survival and tragedy to keen insight from top experts from around the world, acclaimed filmmaker and author Sebastian Junger and Nick Quested create an informative and comprehensive documentary, as the story continues to unfold. In English, French, Arabic, Kurdish with subtitles. A National Geographic release. Hondros, directed by Greg Campbell, written by Greg Campbell, Jenny Golden. (USA) – World Premiere. Beginning with the war in Kosovo in 1999, award-winning photographer Chris Hondros served as a witness to conflict for over a decade before being killed in Libya in 2011. In Hondros, director and childhood friend Greg Campbell creates a portrait of a man with not only great depth and sensitivity, but a passion for his craft, and an unending talent for creating breathtaking imagery. Executive produced by Jake Gyllenhaal. In Arabic, English with subtitles. I Am Evidence, directed by Trish Adlesic and Geeta Gandbhir. (USA) – World Premiere. Every year in cities around the United States, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of rape kits are left untested in police storage facilities. Produced by Mariska Hargitay, I Am Evidence exposes this shocking reality, bringing attention to the way in which police have historically processed sexual assault cases. Through an exploration of survivors’ accounts, the film sheds light on these disturbing statistics, and shows what can be achieved when evidence—and the individuals it represents—are treated with the respect we all deserve. An HBO Documentary Film release. LA 92, directed by Daniel Lindsay, TJ Martin. (USA) – World Premiere. Few images are seared into the American consciousness with the anger and clarity of the beating of Rodney King and the riots following his abusers’ acquittal. Twenty-five years later, Academy Award-winning directors Daniel Lindsay and TJ Martin draw on archival news images and unseen footage to paint an in-depth portrait of those riots and the tempestuous relationship between Los Angeles’ African-American community and those charged with protecting it. A National Geographic release. No Stone Unturned, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA, Northern Ireland) – World Premiere. In 1994, six men were gunned down and five wounded in a pub while watching a World Cup soccer match in Loughinisland, Northern Ireland. With a police investigation that was perfunctory at best, the case remained unsolved. In this non-fiction murder mystery, Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney reopens the original case to investigate why no culprit was ever brought to justice. WASTED! The Story of Food Waste, directed by Anna Chai and Nari Kye. (USA) – World Premiere. Each year, $218 billion—or 1.3 billion tons—of food is thrown out. With nearly a billion people worldwide facing starvation, food conservation is a more urgent issue than ever before. Executive produced by Anthony Bourdain, Chai and Kye’s fast-paced and forward-thinking food doc takes viewers on a tour of inventive new ideas for recycling waste and maximizing sustainability from innovative chefs like Massimo Bottura, Dan Barber and Danny Bowien, who turn scraps into feasts before our eyes. Earth Day Screening Whitney. “can I be me,” directed by Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal, written by Nick Broomfield. (U.K.) – World Premiere. Whitney Houston was the most awarded female recording artist of all time, with more consecutive number one hits than The Beatles, and on top of that she was America’s Sweetheart. Yet despite her fame, talent, and success, she died tragically at the age of 48. Featuring largely never-before-seen footage and Broomfield and Dolezal’s moving documentary tells the story of the girl behind the voice. A Showtime release. Year of the Scab, directed by John Dorsey. (USA) – World Premiere. During the 1987 NFL strike, teams scrambled to assemble temporary replacements to fill in for their boycotting players. The Washington Redskins were notable for their “scabs,” a collection of cast-offs who nonetheless rode a surprising wave of momentum against all odds. “Year of the Scab” revisits this ultimate underdog story and the men whose ordinary lives were interrupted. Those so-called “scabs” helped break the strike and bring their team to victory, only to struggle for their place in the sports history books.  An ESPN Films release.

    VIEWPOINTS

    City of Ghosts, directed by Matthew Heineman. (USA) – New York Premiere, Documentary. The fearless citizen-journalists of “Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently” (RBSS) risk their lives on a daily basis to document and expose the atrocities of the Islamic State in their home city of Raqqa, Syria. Academy Award-nominee Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) returns to Tribeca with an immersive and deeply personal documentary chronicling the lives of these activists. In Arabic with subtitles. An Amazon Studios release. Dog Years, directed and written by Adam Rifkin. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Vic Edwards (Burt Reynolds) was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, known for his mustachioed good looks and cocky swagger. With his Hollywood glory a distant memory, the now-octogenarian Vic is prompted to reassess his life with the passing of his beloved dog and the arrival of an invitation to receive a lifetime achievement award from the (fictional) International Nashville Film Festival. With Ariel Winter, Chevy Chase, Clark Duke, Ellar Coltrane, Juston Street. The Family I Had, directed by Katie Green and Carlye Rubin, written by Tina Grapenthin, Katie Green, Carlye Rubin. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. In The Family I Had, a mother recalls how her seemingly brilliant teenage son came to shatter their idyllic family through one horribly violent and shocking act. Now, left to pick up the pieces, the survivors test the boundaries of their newly defined reality in this moving true crime exploration of the nature and limits of familial love. The Farthest, directed and written by Emer Reynolds. (Ireland) – International Premiere, Documentary. On the 40th anniversary of Voyager’s eleven-billion-mile flight (and counting), experience a comprehensive behind-the-scenes account from those who built and nurtured this unprecedented deep space achievement. Emer Reynolds creates a vivid celebration of curiosity and exploration for the most audacious project in human history, and one of humankind’s greatest successes. Flames, directed and written by Zefrey Throwell and Josephine Decker. (USA) – World Premiere. Filmed over five years, Flames follows real-life couple Josephine Decker and Zefrey Throwell from the white-hot passion of first love to the heartbreak of breaking up. But for these two filmmakers, the end of the relationship wasn’t the end of the story. As they continue filming, reconstructing what happened and where it went wrong, lines begin to blur between what was real and what was “the film”—if there’s even a difference anymore. With Hollis Witherspoon, Michael Melamedoff, Joe Swanberg, Matthew Levy. For Ahkeem, directed by Jeremy S. Levine and Landon Van Soest. (USA) – North American Premiere, Documentary. Beginning one year before the events in Ferguson, Missouri, Levine and Van Soest’s intimate and cinematic For Ahkeem is the coming of age story of 17-year-old Daje Shelton in neighboring North St. Louis. Falling in love and fighting with mom, Daje struggles with typical teen growing pains, but also must increasingly combat the institutional and social roadblocks that keep black teens like her from succeeding in America. The Last Animals, directed by Kate Brooks, written by Kate Brooks and Mark Monroe. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Photojournalist Kate Brooks turns her lens from war zones to a new kind of genocide in this sweeping and sobering film. As the single-digit population of the Northern White Rhino ticks closer to extinction, Brooks exposes the epidemic of highly effective poachers and trafficking syndicates, and the heroic efforts of conservationists, park rangers, and scientists to protect these majestic creatures. In Czech, English, French, Lingala with subtitles. Earth Day Screening Mr Long, directed and written by SABU. (Japan, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan R.O.C., Germany) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Following an assignment gone wrong in Tokyo, professional Taiwanese hitman Mr. Long (Chang Chen) finds himself stranded without a passport in a run-down Japanese village. So naturally Long does what any cold-hearted killer would do in his situation: befriend the locals and open a wildly popular noodle cart. Moving artfully between scenes of slickly choreographed violence and charming, whimsical drama, Japanese director SABU’s latest is a refreshing twist on the gangster genre, offering a surprisingly tender and heartwarming fable of redemption. In Japanese, Mandarin, Taiwanese with subtitles. My Art, directed and written by Laurie Simmons. (USA) – North American Premiere, Narrative. For cultured artist Ellie (Laurie Simmons), age really isn’t anything but a number. Unhappy with where her career has gone, the single New York City socialite flees upstate to recharge her creative spark away from the big city’s various distractions. There, she attracts the romantic interests of three men and figures out what she wants from life—even though she’s 65 years old. With Lena Dunham, Robert Clohessy, John Rothman, Josh Safdie, Parker Posey, Blair Brown, Barbara Sukowa. My Friend Dahmer, directed and written by Marc Meyers. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Before Jeffrey Dahmer became one of the most notorious serial killers of all time, he was a teenage loner. Conducting grisly experiments in a makeshift backyard lab, Jeff was invisible to most, until his increasingly bizarre behavior unexpectedly attracted friends. Based on the cult graphic novel, My Friend Dahmer chronicles the origins of the man, the monster…the high school senior. With Ross Lynch, Anne Heche, Dallas Roberts, Alex Wolff, Tommy Nelson, and Vincent Kartheiser. Pilgrimage, directed by Brendan Muldowney, written by Jamie Hannigan. (USA, Ireland) – World Premiere, Narrative. In 13th-century Ireland, a cadre of monks travel through the war-torn countryside on a mission to bring their land’s most sacred relic to Rome. But other forces are gaining on them, as the true significance of the relic becomes dangerously apparent. A period drama crossed with an action/adventure road movie, Pilgrimage delivers a profound lesson on religious fervor and the savagery of soldiers with a cause. With Tom Holland, Richard Armitage, Jon Bernthal, John Lynch, Stanley Weber. A Thousand Junkies, directed and written by Tommy Swerdlow. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Three heroin addicts crisscross Los Angeles in search of relief in this comedy balanced on the fine line between reliance and dependence. With a sensitive eye and gift for the absurd, writer/director/co-star Tommy Swerdlow crafts both the inevitable and the wholly unexpected: a drug movie that struggles to find any drugs, and a road movie that drives in circles. With TJ Bowen, Blake Heron, Bill Pullman, Steven Weber, Dinarte de Freitas. The Wedding Plan (Laavor et HaKir), directed and written by Rama Burshtein. (Israel) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Spirited bride-to-be Michal is dumped by her fiancé a month before their wedding. Undeterred, she keeps her wedding date, leaving it to fate to provide a suitable groom. With invitations sent, venue booked, and the clock counting down to the big day, Michal goes to increasingly elaborate lengths in her search for Mr. Right, in writer-director Rama Burshtein’s (Fill the Void) funny and poignant romantic comedy. With Noa Kooler, Amos Tamam, Oz Zehavi. In Hebrew with subtitles. A Roadside Attractions release.

    MIDNIGHT

    Devil’s Gate, directed by Clay Staub, written by Peter Aperlo, Clay Staub. (Canada, USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Struggling to overcome a recent professional tragedy, a tough-as-nails FBI agent (Amanda Schull) relocates to a small North Dakota town to investigate the disappearance of a local woman and her young son. The search leads to the missing woman’s husband’s (Milo Ventimiglia) secluded farm, on which answers, new mysteries, and God-fearing terrors await. Not to mention, something locked and caged down in the basement. With Shawn Ashmore, Bridget Regan, Jonathan Frakes. Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine, directed by Patrick O’Dell. (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine charts the rise and fall of the irreverent, boundary-pushing “Big Brother Magazine”, whose taboo-breaking stunts and unapologetically crass humor spawned MTV’s Jackass and a generation of skaters. Featuring a trove of original footage and interviews with the magazine’s major players, Dumb celebrates the lowbrow legacy of this touchstone of 90’s counterculture. With Johnny Knoxville, Spike Jonze, Steve Rocco, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Tony Hawk, Chad Muska. A Hulu release. Hounds of Love, directed and written by Ben Young. (Australia) – New York Premiere, Narrative. Dark forces lurk behind the sunny façade of an unassuming Australian suburb in Ben Young’s stylish directorial debut. This ‘80s-set true crime thriller follows 17-year-old Vicki on the night she’s abducted by a disturbed couple. While bound to a bed inside of the kidnappers’ home and subjected to psychological and physical torture, Vicki must find a way to drive a wedge between her unhinged captors and escape by any means necessary. With Emma Booth, Ashleigh Cummings, Stephen Curry, Susie Porter, Damian de Montemas, Harrison Gilbertson. A Gunpowder & Sky release. Presented in partnership with Venice Days. Psychopaths, directed and written by Mickey Keating. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. Over the course of one excessively blood-soaked night, multiple serial killers’ paths cross, leaving a trail of bodies and begging the question: Which psychopath will live to see morning? One of the most exciting and unclassifiable new voices in indie horror, Mickey Keating delivers his wildest ride yet with this ultra-stylish and uber-violent descent into madness. With Ashley Bell, James Landry Hébert, Mark Kassen, Angela Trimbur, Larry Fessenden, Jeremy Gardner, Sam Zimmerman. Super Dark Times, directed by Kevin Phillips, written by Ben Collins, Luke Piotrowski. (USA) – North American Premiere, Narrative. Teenagers Zach and Josh have been best friends their whole lives, but when a gruesome accident leads to a cover-up, the secret drives a wedge between them and propels them down a rabbit hole of escalating paranoia and violence in Kevin Phillips’ atmospheric ‘90s-set mystery-thriller. With Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino, Max Talisman, Sawyer Barth, Amy Hargreaves. Tilt, directed by Kasra Farahani, written by Jason O’Leary, Kasra Farahani. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. There’s something off about Joe. Although his pregnant girlfriend, Joanne, supports him as he devotes more and more time to his passion project, a sprawling documentary about America’s “golden age,” both the film and Joe are becoming increasingly unhinged. Joanne is growing worried about Joseph’s odd behavior…but not as worried as she should be. With Joseph Cross, Alexia Rasmussen, Kelvin Yu, Jessy Hodges, CS Lee.

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  • Its a Tie. ASTRAEA and COME TO MY VOICE Win 18th Maine International Film Festival Audience Award

    Come To My Voice The 18th Maine International Film Festival closed on Sunday and unveiled the winner of its audience favorite award, with Astraea and Come To My Voice tied as the MIFF audience’s favorite. “We’re thrilled that MIFF audiences once again were adventurous and enthusiastic about exploring and discussing films from around the world,” said Festival Director Shannon Haines. “We had a fabulous slate of guests and an incredible array of films for MIFF audiences to enjoy. We look forward to seeing you all next year” In the film Astraea, directed by Kristjan Thor, – when an epidemic nearly wipes out the human race, a telepathic teenage girl named Astraea has visions of survivors living in New Brunswick. She leads her doubting brother on a 5000-mile journey through a silent and abandoned America into the snowbound wilderness, hoping to rebuild life as she knew it. As they head north, her clairvoyance intensifies and they encounter a wary young couple, homesteading on a remote lake in Western Maine. The grief and complexity—as well as the excitement and comfort—of encountering other normal humans pits itself against Astraea’s desire to keep moving and find her family. This post-apocalyptic film, spectacularly shot in wintry Maine landscapes, uses sensitivity and intellect rather than special effects to show not what humanity is running from, but what we’re running towards. https://vimeo.com/118208194 In Come To My Voice, directed by Hüseyin Karabey, which takes place in a snowy Kurdish mountain village, in the east of Turkey, an old woman Berfé and her granddaughter Jiyan are distressed. The only man in the household, Temo, the son of one and the father of the other, was arrested by the Turkish military. The commanding officer has been told that the villagers are hiding weapons, so he arrested all the men and announced that they will be kept in prison until their families hand over the weapons. The problem is that there are no weapons in the village. Desperate, Berfé and Jiyan embark on a long journey, in search of a gun which they could exchange for their beloved Temo. Will the old woman and her innocent granddaughter find a way out of the inextricable Kurdish identity conflict? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3Xbi0l61k0 Learning To Drive and Samba were tied for second place and Au Bord du Monde came in third place for the audience favorite award. Forty-four of the 47 films eligible for the award received at least one vote. Acclaimed actor Michael Murphy was presented the Mid-Life Achievement Award in honor of his diverse career that includes a long-time collaboration with director Robert Altman and work with Woody Allen, P.T. Anderson, Elia Kazan and Oliver Stone. MIFF screened the U.S. premiere of Murphy’s new film Fall before the award presentation on July 16. For the first time, MIFF hosted the World Filmmakers’ Forum through a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts. Filmmakers from France, Argentina, Turkey and Mexico will show their work and discuss their creative process and the state of international film.

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