Austin’s South By Southwest Film Festival announced their Film lineup for this year’s fest, which starts in under a month and for which I really need to get off my butt and set up a hotel room. Sleeping on the street isn’t fun.
Some of the biggest films on the list are movies that were also shown at Sundance a few weeks ago. But that’s alright, the all also happen to be the movies I wasn’t able to catch while I was in Park City. Thanks SXSW for giving me a second chance at Baghead.
There’s no shortage of SXSW exclusives though either. Harold and Kumar Go To Guantanamo Bay will get it’s debut at the Paramount in Austin, as will the new Jason Siegel/Jonah Hill comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I think it’s safe to assume that a lot of weed will be smoked on March 7th.
Below is the full list of everything showing this year at SXSW. If you’re going, drop me a line so I know who to avoid. I’ll see you down on Congress.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
'Bulletproof Salesman'
Director: Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein Fidelis Cloer is a self-confessed war profiteer who found The Perfect War when the US invaded Iraq. It wasn¹t about selling a dozen cars, or even a hundred, it was a thousand-car war where security would become the ultimate product. (World Premiere)
'FrontRunners'
Director: Caroline Suh
The campaign for student body president at Stuyvesant, perhaps the most prestigious public high school in the country, is almost as sophisticated as any presidential election. But unlike presidential candidates, they also have to do their homework, take their SATs and write their college applications. (World Premiere)
'Full Battle Rattle'
Directors: Jesse Moss & Tony Gerber
A feature documentary about life inside the US Army's Iraq Simulation in California's Mojave Desert. The film follows one Army Battalion's efforts to pacify the town of Medina Wasl, one of thirteen villages in the simulation, as it tips precariously on the brink of civil war. (North American Premiere)
'The Matador'
Directors: Stephen Higgins & Nina Gilden Seavey The epic tale of David Fandila's quest to become the world¹s top-ranked bullfighter. Heart-wrenching setbacks and thrilling successes dramatize his three-year journey across Spain and Latin America and into the pages of bullfighting history. (World Premiere)
'Sex Positive'
Director: Daryl Wein
A look at the life of Richard Berkowitz, a revolutionary gay S&M hustler turned AIDS activist in the 1980s, whose incomparable contribution to the invention of safe sex has long since been forgotten. (World Premiere)
'Some Assembly Required'
Director: Dori Berinstein
Over 2000 kids. 400 teams nationwide. Eight months of brainstorming, designing and building. One goal: to create the next great toy. (World
Premiere)
'They Killed Sister Dorothy'
Director: Daniel Junge
On February 12th, 2005, a 73 year-old Catholic nun from Ohio, was shot six times at point blank range and left to die on a muddy Amazon road. Who was this woman, and why was she killed? What will become of her murderers, and who else was involved? What are the implications of her murder and these trials on the future? (World Premiere)
'We Are Wizards'
Director: Josh Koury
An entertaining and comprehensive portrait of the passionate culture of Harry Potter fans. (World Premiere)
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
'Explicit Ills'
Director/writer: Mark Webber. Starring: Lou Taylor Pucci, Frankie Shaw,
Tariq Trotter, Rosario Dawson, Noamie Harris, Paul Dano.
Young love, drugs and poverty collide in the city of Philadelphia creating a
beautiful tale of hope and the power of coming together. (World Premiere)
'The Lost Coast'
Director/writer: Gabriel Fleming. Starring: Ian Scott McGregor, Lucas
Alifano, Lindsay Benner, Chris Yule.
As a group of old high school friends wander through San Francisco on
Halloween night, two of them are forced to confront their unspoken sexual
history. (World Premiere)
'My Effortless Brilliance'
Director: Lynn Shelton. Writers: Lynn Shelton, Sean Nelson, Basil Harris.
Starring: Sean Nelson, Basil Harris, Calvin Reeder, Jeanette Maus.
Successful and self-involved novelist Eric Lambert Jones has been
unceremoniously dumped by his life long buddy, Dylan. In an attempt to piece
together the fractured friendship, Eric takes a side trip from his latest
book tour to drop in on Dylan, newly settled in the picturesque backwoods of
Washington state. (World Premiere)
'Older Than America'
Director: Georgina Lightning. Writers: Georgina Lightning, Christine Kunewa.
Starring: Adam Beach, Tantoo Cardinal, Bradley Cooper, Georgina Lightning,
Wes Studi.
A woman's haunting visions reveal a Catholic priest's sinister plot to
silence her mother from speaking the truth about atrocities that occurred at
a Native Indian boarding school. (World Premiere)
'Paper Covers Rock'
Director/writer: Joe Maggio. Starring: Jeannine Kaspar, Sayra Player, Clint
Jordan, Tom Brangle.
The story of Sam, a troubled young woman who loses custody of her six
year-old daughter in the wake of an unsuccessful suicide attempt. (World
Premiere)
'Up With Me'
Director: Greg Takoudes. Writers: Maeve McQuillan, Greg Takoudes. Starring:
Francisco Vicioso, Erika Rivera, Brandon Thorpe, Justin Coltrain.
When Francisco, a teenager from Harlem, is admitted to an upstate boarding
school on scholarship, he is torn between his life at home (his loyal
girlfriend and his jealous best friend) and the new environment. (World
Premiere)
'Wellness'
Director/writer: Jake Mahaffy. Starring: Jeff Clark, Paul Mahaffy.
The chaotic journey of one man trying to succeed in a business that doesn't
exist. (North American Premiere)
'Yeast'
Director/writer: Mary Bronstein. Starring: Mary Bronstein, Amy Judd, Greta
Gerwig, Sean Williams.
A maddeningly oblivious, tyrannical and emotionally stunted young woman
tries her best to negotiate two toxic friendships. (World Premiere)
EMERGING VISIONS
'A Necessary Death'
Director: Daniel Stamm. Starring: GJ Echternkamp, Matt Tilley, Valerie Hurt,
Michael Traynor.
"Documentary Filmmaker looking for suicidal individual to follow from first
preparation to final act." Cut from 142 video tapes, this project sheds
light on the tragedy following the infamous internet ad. (World Premiere)
'The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela'
Director/writer: Olaf de Fleur. Starring: Raquela Rios, Stefan Schaefer,
Olivia Galudo.
Raquela is looking for a way out of her tireless job as a "ladyboy"
prostitute, which brings her to Iceland with some unexpected outcomes.
(North American Premiere)
'Año Una'
Director/writer: Jonas Cuaron. Starring: Eireann Harper, Diego Catano.
An impossible romance between Molly, a 21 year-old American, and Diego, a
Mexican in the throes of puberty. (Regional Premiere)
''Bama Girl'
Director: Rachel Goslins.
A charismatic black woman at the University of Alabama runs for Homecoming
Queen, going up against a century of ingrained racial segregation, internal
black politics, and a secret association of all-white fraternities. (World
Premiere)
'Bootleg Wisconsin'
Director: Brandon Linden. Writers: Brandon Linden, Tim Donovan. Starring:
Lepolion Henderson, Angela Harris, Alissa Bailey, Joyce Porter.
A married Chicago Public School Teacher spends part of her summer vacation
visiting outlet malls across the Midwest. At her penultimate stop, in
Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin, she meets a young man who works at the mall. A
relationship develops that makes them both question their lives and their
futures. (World Premiere)
'Flying On One Engine'
Director: Joshua Z Weinstein.
The documentary story of an Indian-American surgeon who, despite being
critically ill himself and living in a one-room Brooklyn apartment, travels
back to India every year to perform marathon surgery "camps" where he
repairs the cleft lips of 700 children in a week. (World Premiere)
'Half-Life'
Director/writer: Jennifer Phang. Starring: Sanoe Lake, Alexander Agate,
Julia Nickson, Ben Redgrave.
As troubling signs of global cataclysms accelerate, a brother and sister
react to their father's desertion and the powerful presence of their
mother's new boyfriend. (Regional Premiere)
'Humboldt County'
Director/writer: Danny Jacobs & Darren Grodsky. Starring: Fairuza Balk,
Peter Bogdanovich, Frances Conroy, Madison Davenport.
When Peter Hadley, a promising yet disillusioned medical student, stumbles
upon an eccentric community of marijuana farmers, his life will never be the
same. (World Premiere)
'I'll Come Running'
Director: Spencer Parsons. Writers: Spencer Parsons, Line Langebek Knudsen.
Starring: Melonie Diaz, Jon Lange, Christian Tafdrup.
A young American woman finds herself drawn to a last-minute trip to Denmark,
so that she can learn more about the man she loves. (World Premiere)
'IBID'
Director/writer: Russell Friedenberg. Starring: Christian Campbell, Russell
Friedenberg, Chris Kriesa, Heather Rae.
Recently escaped from Trinity Psychiatric Center, a pair of patients hit the
road on a mission to inscribe an addendum to the Ten Commandments in order
to save the world. (World Premiere)
'In A Dream'
Director: Jeremiah Zagar.
The chaotic story of Julia Zagar and her husband Isaiah Zagar, a renowned
mosaic artist, who for the past 30 years has covered more than 40,000 square
feet of Philadelphia top to bottom with tile, mirror, paint, and concrete.
(World Premiere)
'The Marconi Bros.'
Director/writers: Marco Ricci, Michael Canzoniero. Starring: Brendan Sexton
III, Dan Fogler, Jon Polito, Zoe Lister Jones.
Anthony and Carmine Marconi have been dutifully serving out life sentences
in the family carpet business. Their opportunity to escape occurs when they
meet the undisputed king of the Long Island wedding video business. (World
Premiere)
'Medicine For Melancholy'
Director/writer: Barry Jenkins. Starring: Wyatt Cenac, Tracey Heggins.
A love story of bikes and one-night stands told through two African-American
twenty-somethings dealing with issues of class, identity, and the evolving
conundrum of being a minority living in a rapidly gentrifying San Francisco.
(World Premiere)
'Natural Causes'
Director: Alex Cannon, Michael Lerman. Writers: Alex Cannon, Michael Lerman,
Paul Cannon. Starring: Jerzy Gwiazdowski, Leah Goldstein, Shonda Leigh
Robbins, Peter Davenport Swan III.
In the wake of a brief, but intense relationship with Shaina, David
struggles to find the same connection with Cara, his new flame and Shaina's
former best friend. (World Premiere)
'The New Year Parade'
Director/writer: Tom Quinn. Starring: Greg Lyons, Jennifer Welsh, Andrew
Conway, MaryAnn McDonald.
When Mike and Lisa separate, their children suffer quietly in the middle of
the annual Mummer's Parade. (Regional Premiere)
'One Minute to Nine'
Director: Tommy Davis.
A haunting and touching documentary look at one family, thrown into the
disturbing reality that follows a history of domestic abuse, as one member
prepares to serve a jail sentence. (North American Premiere)
'The Ostrich Testimonies'
Director: Jonathan VanBallenberghe.
The dramatic story of the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch near Tucson,
Arizona, where in 2002, two hot-air balloons triggered a stampede of 1,600
ostriches. (World Premiere)
'The Pleasure of Being Robbed'
Director: Josh Safdie. Writers: Josh Safdie & Eléonore Hendricks. Starring:
Eléonore Hendricks, Josh Safdie, Wayne Chin, Francesca & Miranda LaPrelle.
A curious and lost Eléonore looks for something everywhere, even in the bags
of strangers who find themselves sadly smiling only well after she's left
their lives. They owe her their thanks. (World Premiere)
'Present Company'
Director/writer: Frank V. Ross. Starring: Anthony Baker, Tamara Fana, Sasha
Gioppo, Allison Latta.
Leading very separate lives, Christy and her boyfriend Buddy live together
in her parent¹s basement with their baby Mikey. As they struggle with the
realities of their lives, questions are formed about obligations,
consequences, and all the identities we employ to get through the day.
(World Premiere)
'Woodpecker'
Director: Alex Karpovsky. Writers: Alex Karpovsky, Jon E. Hyrns. Starring:
Jon E. Hyrns, Wesley Yang, Ken Parham.
Fanatical birdwatchers have descended upon a small town in the Arkansas
bayou in hopes of finding the celebrated Ivory Billed Woodpecker. Declared
extinct in the 1940s, the bird has apparently been spotted by numerous
experts over the past few months. The news is miraculous, yet concrete proof
remains elusive. (World Premiere)
SPOTLIGHT PREMIERES
'21'
Director: Robert Luketic. Writers: Peter Steinfeld, Allan Loeb. Starring:
Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne.
Based on the true story of a group of MIT students who, under the guidance
of a cryptic professor, take Vegas casinos for millions through the
mathematical art of counting cards. (Opening Night Film)
'American Teen'
Director: Nanette Burstein.
A documentary on seniors at a high school in a small Indiana town, and their
various cliques. (Regional Premiere)
'Assassination of a High School President'
Director: Brett Simon. Writers: Tim Calpin, Kevin Jakubowski. Starring:
Reece Thompson, Mischa Barton, Melonie Diaz, Bruce Willis.
A rookie journalist for the school paper unravels a mysterious plot
involving the class president, drugs, and a ring of stolen test scores in
this noir caper set at a quirky Catholic High School. (Regional Premiere)
'At the Death House Door'
Director: Steve James & Peter Gilbert.
An investigation of the wrongful death of Carlos DeLuna, who was executed in
Texas on December 7, 1989, after prosecutors ignored evidence inculpating a
man, who bragged to friends about committing the crimes of which DeLuna was
convicted. (World Premiere)
'Baghead'
Director/writers: Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass. Starring: Steve Zissis, Ross
Partridge, Greta Gerwig, Elise Muller.
An in-depth study of the relationship dynamics for a group of desperate
actor friends. And a bag. And a head. (Regional Premiere)
'Bananaz'
Director: Ceri Levy.
An in-depth and revealing glimpse at the cryptic cartoon band, Gorillaz.
(North American Premiere)
'Battle in Seattle'
Director/writer: Stuart Townsend. Starring: Martin Henderson, Charlize
Theron, Woody Harrelson, Ray Liotta.
An all-star, edge-of-your-seat glimpse at the 1999 WTO demonstrations in
Seattle, told from the perspective of protesters, police, and city
officials. (U.S. Premiere)
'Beautiful Losers'
Directors: Aaron Rose & Joshua Leonard.
A feature documentary film celebrating the independent and D.I.Y. spirit
that unified a loose-knit group of American artists who emerged from the
underground youth subcultures of skateboarding, graffiti, punk rock and
hip-hop. (World Premiere)
'Choke'
Director/writer: Clark Gregg. Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly
Macdonald.
An adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel, this is the sardonic story about
mother and son relationship, fear of aging, sexual addiction, and the dark
side of historical theme parks. (Regional Premiere)
'Crawford'
Director: David Modigliani
Just a short time before George W. Bush announced his intentions to run for
the Presidency, the New Haven-born hopeful bought a ranch in tiny Crawford,
Texas. This is what happened next. (World Premiere)
'Dreams With Sharp Teeth'
Director: Erik Nelson.
A documentary portrait of acclaimed author Harlan Ellison, as he looks back
on his fabled and influential career as one of the world¹s top genre writers
for television and print. (World Premiere)
'Flawless'
Director: Michael Radford. Writer: Edward Anderson. Starring: Demi Moore,
Michael Caine.
In 1960s London, a talented but overlooked diamond executive is convinced to
participate in a jewelry heist when a veteran janitor hatches a plan.
(Regional Premiere)
'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'
Director: Nicholas Stoller. Writer: Jason Segel. Starring: Jason Segel,
Kristen Bell, Jonah Hill, Russell Brand.
A comic look at one guy's arduous quest to grow up and get over the
heartbreak of getting dumped. If only his ex-girlfriend and her new
boyfriend weren't staying at the same hotel.
'Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay'
Director/writers: Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg. Starring: Kal Penn, John
Cho, Rob Corddry, Neil Patrick Harris.
The triumphant return of the two hilarious, slacker anti-heroes. This time,
the boys get themselves in trouble trying to sneak a bong onboard a flight
to Amsterdam. Now, being suspected of terrorism, they are forced to run from
the law and try to find a way to prove their innocence. What follows is an
irreverent and epic journey of deep thoughts, deeper inhaling and a wild
trip around the world that is as "un-PC" as it gets.
'Living with the Tudors'
Directors: Karen Guthrie & Nina Pope.
After four years of participation as costumed historical re-enactors, Karen
Guthrie & Nina Pope were given unprecedented access with their cameras to
the UK¹s oldest and largest historical re-enactment at Kentwell Hall in
rural Suffolk. (North American Premiere)
'Lou Reed's Berlin'
Director: Julian Schnabel.
An artful document of musical legend Lou Reed, performing his influential
record, "Berlin," to audiences in New York City. (U.S. Premiere)
'Love Songs'
Director/writer: Christophe Honore. Starring: Louis Garrel, Ludivine
Sagnier, Chiara Mastroianni, Clotilde Hesme.
Ismaël and Julie are the ideal young Parisian couple. They both have good
jobs, a great apartment and are considered part of each other¹s families.
After several years together, they decide to add a spark to their
relationship and take on a third lover, Alice. (Regional Premiere)
'Mister Foe'
Director: David Mackenzie. Writers: David Mackenzie, Ed Whitmore. Starring:
Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds, Claire Forlani.
Driven to expose the true cause of his mother¹s death, young Hallam Foe
instead finds himself searching the rooftops of the city of Edinburgh for
love. (U.S. Premiere)
'Mister Lonely'
Director: Harmony Korine. Writers: Avi Korine & Harmony Korine. Starring:
Werner Herzog, Diego Luna, Samantha Morton, Denis Lavant.
A Michael Jackson impersonator lives alone in Paris and performs on the
streets to make ends meet. At a performance in a retirement home, Michael
falls for a beautiful Marilyn Monroe look-alike who suggests he move to a
commune of impersonators in the Scottish Highlands. (U.S. Premiere)
'New Orleans Mon Amour'
Director: Michael Almereyda. Starring: Christopher Eccleston, Elisabeth
Moss, Isabel Gillies.
A year after Hurricane Katrina, an affluent surgeon in New Orleans is
attempting to get his life back on track. He is remarrying his ex-wife,
renovating her house and restarting his medical practice. His plan begins to
unravel when he runs into an old flame. (World Premiere)
'Nights and Weekends'
Director/writers: Joe Swanberg & Greta Gerwig. Starring: Joe Swanberg, Greta
Gerwig, Elizabeth Donius, Jay Duplass, Lynn Shelton, Kent Osborne.
A man and woman must face the tension that builds between them during a
long-distance relationship. (World Premiere)
'Obscene'
Directors: Daniel O'Connor, Neil Ortenberg.
Under Barney Rosset, Grove Press and Evergreen Review fought decisive
battles to defeat legal censorship, and opened American life to new and
dangerous currents of freedom. This is Rosset's story. (U.S. Premiere)
'The Order of Myths'
Director: Margaret Brown.
A probing and artful portrait of the divided Mardi Gras communities that
still exist today in Alabama. (Regional Premiere)
'The Promotion'
Director/writer: Steven Conrad. Starring: Seann William Scott, John C.
Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Lili Taylor.
The story of two mid-level supermarket employees who compete ruthlessly for
a coveted post at a new store location. (World Premiere)
'Run, Fat Boy, Run'
Director: David Schwimmer. Writers: Michael Ian Black, Simon Pegg. Starring:
Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria.
An out-of-shape divorced father makes one last attempt to win back the
respect of his son, his ex-wife, and the community around him. All he has to
do is finish his first marathon. (Regional Premiere)
'Second Skin'
Director: Juan Carlos Pineiro.
An intimate look at people whose lives have become transformed by the
virtual worlds in online games such as World of Warcraft, Everquest and
Second Life. (World Premiere)
'Shine A Light'
Director: Martin Scorsese.
A career-spanning documentary on the Rolling Stones, with concert footage
from their "A Bigger Bang" tour. (North American Premiere)
'Shot In Bombay'
Director: Liz Mermin.
Yes, Bollywood makes gangster films. This fast paced documentary, populated
by a charismatic and often surreal cast of characters, goes beyond the
tinselly glamour of "Bollywood" to explore some of the industry's darker
sides.
(North American Premiere)
'Stop-Loss'
Director: Kimberly Peirce. Writers: Kimberly Peirce, Mark Richard. Starring:
Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
Back home in Texas after fighting in Iraq, a soldier refuses to return to
battle despite the government mandate requiring him to do so.
'Super High Me'
Director: Michael Blieden
Comedian Doug Benson, a famous marijuana advocate, decides to test the
limits of his body during two, 30-day stretches. (Regional Premiere)
'Then She Found Me'
Director: Helen Hunt. Writers: Alice Arlen, Victor Levin, Helen Hunt.
Starring: Helen Hunt, Colin Firth, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick.
Adapted from Elinor Lipman¹s novel of the same name, Helen Hunt makes her
feature directing debut with this touching story of schoolteacher April
Epner and her very unlikely path towards personal fulfillment. (Regional
Premiere)
'The Toe Tactic'
Director/writer: Emily Hubley. Starring: Lily Rabe, Daniel London, Kevin
Corrigan, Sakina Jaffrey.
In this hybrid of live-action and animation, a young woman grieves for her
father while unaware of the magical world around her. (World Premiere)
'Where In The World is Osama Bin Laden?'
Director: Morgan Spurlock.
Acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Spurlock heads to the Middle East for two
reasons: to understand cultures overseas and to find Osama Bin Laden.
(Regional Premiere)
'Wild Blue Yonder'
Director: Celia Maysles.
Celia Maysles had no idea her father and his brother Albert were pioneers of
verite documentary filmmaking. Determined to uncover the secrets surrounding
her background, Celia sets out on a quest to rediscover her father by using
his own artistic process. (North American Premiere)
'Young@Heart'
Director: Stephen Walker.
The touching and heartfelt portrait of a New England senior citizens chorus
that has delighted audiences worldwide with their covers of songs by
everyone from The Clash to Coldplay. (Closing Night Film)
24 BEATS PER SECOND
'Blip Festival: Reformat the Planet'
Director: Paul Owens.
A documentary look at the movement known as ChipTunes, a vibrant underground
scene based around creating new, original music using old video game
hardware. (World Premiere)
'Heavy Load'
Director: Jerry Rothwell.
Heavy Load are a punk outfit subject to the combustible flux of ego,
ambition, fantasy, expectation and desire that fuels any emerging band. But
they're also, uniquely, made up of musicians with and without learning
disabilities. (World Premiere)
'Heavy Metal in Baghdad'
Director: Suroosh Alvi.
Playing heavy metal in a Muslim country has always been a difficult
proposition, but after Saddam¹s regime was toppled, there was a brief moment
for the band in which real freedom seemed possible. (U.S. Premiere)
'Nerdcore Rising'
Director: Negin Farsad.
"Nerdcore" is the newest, dorkiest wave of hip-hop, born out of the internet
and made possible by computer-obsessed geeks. (World Premiere)
'Of All The Things'
Director: Jody Lambert.
A Filipino concert promoter has been begging Dennis Lambert (one of the most
successful and gifted songwriter/producers of the Œ70s and Œ80s) to come
tour for decades. Thirty-five years after the release of his solo album, he
finally agreed. (World Premiere)
'Rainbow Around the Sun'
Director/writer: Kevin Ely. Starring: Matthew Alvin Brown, Jamie Buxton,
Doug Van Liew, Brian Stockton.
A rock musical about the healing power of creativity. Matthew Alvin Brown
stars as Zachary Blasto, a hard-drinking, talented songwriter and performer
who envisions madcap musical fantasies in order to avoid dealing with the
downward spiral of his personal life. (World Premiere)
'Throw Down Your Heart'
Director: Sascha Paladino.
Cameras follow American banjo virtuoso B
to explore the little known African roots of the banjo, and record an album.
(World Premiere)
'The Upsetter: The Life & Music of Lee
Directors: Ethan Higbee and Adam Bhala Lough.
The fascinating story of Lee "Scratch" Perry, a visionary musician and
artist from poor rural Jamaica who soon became of the most influential
artists in reggae and dub. (World Premiere)
'Wesley Willis's Joyrides'
Director: Chris Bagley.
A portrait of the self-proclaimed rock 'n' roll star and Chicago city
artist, Wesley Willis. (Regional Premiere)
'The Wrecking Crew'
Director: Denny Tedesco.
You heard them playing on the Beach Boys hits, on the Mamas and the Papas'
recordings, on Frank Sinatra records, on Monkees' singles, and they were
Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Most likely, you never heard their name. If
you knew who they were, you called them "the Wrecking Crew." (World
Premiere)
LONE STAR STATES
'Cook County'
Director/writer: David Pomes. Starring: Anson Mount, Xander Berkeley, Ryan
Donowho, Polly Cole.
Set in the deep woods of East Texas, an abused and alienated teenage boy and
his absentee father struggle to reconnect and beat their respective
addictions to crystal meth amidst a family of meth addicts and a community
crumbling under the meth epidemic. (World Premiere)
'Intimidad'
Directors: David Redmon & Ashley Sabin.
Cecy and Camilo recently migrated to Reynosa, Mexico with a dream to buy
land and build a home. A year later they return to their rural hometown to
reunite with their daughter. What seems like a satisfying reunion turns into
a confusing dilemma that transforms the course of their marriage.
(World Premiere)
'The King of Texas'
Director: René Pinnell.
Although Eagle Pinnell was quickly becoming a regional film legend, his
acute alcoholism and legendary ego alienated many of his friends and
collaborators. Eagle remained a forgotten and mostly unsung talent
throughout his life, which ended in 2002. Friends, family, and fellow
filmmakers recall Eagle¹s life, the excitement of working alongside him, and
the burden of his addictions. (World Premiere)
'Tulia, Texas'
Director: Cassandra Herrman & Kelly Whalen.
At the end of one of the biggest drug stings in Texas history, dozens of
residents of the small farming town of Tulia had been rounded up and thrown
behind bars. Of 46 people indicted for cocaine dealing, 39 were African
American. In the years to follow, troubling evidence about Coleman's
investigation and his past began to surface. (World Premiere)
ŒROUND MIDNIGHT
'Dance of the Dead'
Director: Gregg Bishop. Writer: Joe Ballarini. Starring: Jared Kusnitz,
Greyson Chadwick, Justin Welborn, Chandler Darby.
A horror/adventure that takes place on the night of the big High School
Prom: the dead rise to eat the living, and the only people who can stop them
are the losers who couldn't get dates to the dance. (World Premiere)
'Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie'
Director: Jay Delaney.
Through the experiences of two amateur bigfoot researchers in southern Ohio,
we see how the power of a dream can bring two men together and provide a
source of hope and meaning. (World Premiere)
'Otis'
Director: Tony Krantz. Writer: Thomas Schnauz & Erik Jendresen. Starring:
Daniel Stern, Illeana Douglas, Kevin Pollak, Jere Burns.
In the midst of a serial abductor/killer's rampage, a beautiful young teen
goes missing but soon turns the tables on her tormentor. (World Premiere)
'Registered Sex Offender'
Director/writer: Robert Byington. Starring: Gabriel McIver, Kristen Tucker,
Andrew Bujalski, Kevin Corrigan.
There may be one thing worse than being a sex offender sent to prison: Being
a sex offender released from prison. (World Premiere)
'Shuttle'
Director/writer: Edward Anderson. Starring: Peyton List, Cameron Goodman,
Cullen Douglas, Dave Power.
A late-night shuttle ride home from airport descends into darkness. (World
Premiere)
'Southern Gothic'
Director/writer: Mark Young. Starring: Yul Vazquez, Nicole DuPort, William
Forsythe.
A man must atone for a tragic mistake by saving a little girl from a
ruthless, undead preacher. (World Premiere)
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
'Agile, Mobile, Hostile: A Year With Andre Williams'
Director: Tricia Todd.
A year in the life of Andre Williams, one of the unsung heroes of the
American R&B community, who walks us through the hard life he's led over
five decades of making music. (World Premiere)
'Bi The Way'
Director: Brittany Blockman.
This documentary looks at recent statistics, real-life stories, and more to
paint a picture of the growing acceptance of bisexuality in America. (World
Premiere)
'The Black List'
Director: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. Writer: Elvis Mitchell.
In a film that works as series of living portraits, twenty prominent African
Americans of various professions, disciplines and backgrounds offer their
own stories and insights on the struggles, triumphs and joys of black life
in this country and manage to re-define "blacklist" for a new century in the
process. (Regional Premiere)
'Body of War'
Directors: Ellen Spiro & Phil Donahue.
"Support our troops" has long been a rallying cry for war proponents. But
that phrase will never sound the same after you meet Tomas Young, an
eloquent former soldier and current war protester. (Regional Premiere)
'Dancing Alfonso'
Director: Barak Heymann.
Alfonso is the lead dancer in a flamenco troupe, which rehearses in a Tel
Aviv suburb After the death of his wife, he begins to obsessively court
Sima, a dancer with the troupe, to the displeasure of his children, who are
unwilling to accept the fact that their father might be interested in
another woman. (U.S. Premiere)
'Dear Zachary: a letter to a son about his father'
Director: Kurt Kuenne.
After Dr. Andrew Bagby was brutally murdered, the prime suspect (his former
girlfriend) announced that she was pregnant with Andrew's baby. Andrew's
childhood friend began this film as a way for the baby to learn about his
father, until things started to take an even more unpredictable turn.
(Regional Premiere)
'Do You Sleep In the Nude?'
Director: Marshall Fine.
Forty years after he blazed across the scene, Rex Reed is still going strong
éla Fleck on his journey to Africa³Scratch² Perry'
a brand-name movie critic whose name and face remain easily recognizable,
even if his influence has waned. (Regional Premiere)
'Don't Get Me Wrong'
Director: Adina Pintilie
Within a stark Romanian psychiatric hospital, patients move stones, help
each other perform daily tasks and discuss the existence of God and how to
stop the rain. (U.S. Premiere)
'Goliath'
Director: David Zellner. Writers: David and Nathan Zellner. Starring: David
Zellner, Caroline O'Connor, Nathan Zellner.
A recently divorced man tries to find the one aspect of his marriage that
still matters to him: his missing cat, Goliath. (Regional Premiere)
'Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson'
Director: Alex Gibney.
With access to never-before-seen archives, this is a fascinating documentary
look at the legendary and undeniable Hunter S. Thompson. (Regional Premiere)
'Here Is What Is'
Director: Adam Vollick & Adam Samuels.
An invitation to experience a year of creation, looking over Daniel Lanois
shoulder. His psychedelic past emerges throughout the film as the
hyperrealism of the in-studio documentation is contrasted by moments of wild
fantasia. (U.S. Premiere)
'Here's Johnny'
Director: Kat Mansoor.
Previously renowned for his work in the comics Judge Dredd and 2000AD,
Johnny now lives in an increasing state of immobility and frustration. He
escapes the confines of his front room by drawing, and through the
expression of his brilliant, and sometimes troubled, imagination we learn
about the disease that he is forced to co-exist with. (World Premiere)
'Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry'
Director: Erich Weiss
A feature-length documentary exploring the roots of American tattooing
through the life of its most iconoclastic figure Norman ³Sailor Jerry²
Collins. (World Premiere)
'Joy Division'
Director: Grant Gee.
The filmmakers investigate why Joy Division's collective musical genius and
singular vision enjoys a larger audience and influence thirty years on.
(U.S. Premiere)
'Mongol'
Director: Sergei Bodrov. Writers: Arif Aliyev, Sergei Bodrov. Starring:
Tadanobu Asano, Honglei Sun, Khulan Chuluun.
The first part in a planned trilogy about the epic, violent, and romantic
life of Genghis Khan. (Regional Premiere)
'The Night James Brown Saved Boston'
Director: David Leaf.
A documentary look at the historic James Brown concert, held just days after
Martin Luther King's assassination, when the city of Boston was ready to
boil. (Work-In-Progress)
'Secrecy'
Director: Peter Galison & Robb Moss.
The film is about the vast, invisible world of government secrecy. By
filming people from the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security
Agency, reporters, information seekers, and individuals whose lives have
been marked by their encounters with the classification bureaucracy, the
film probes secrecy's relationship to fear, executive power and national
security. (Regional Premiere)
'The Sweet Lady with the Nasty Voice'
Director: Vincent Kralyevich.
This documentary is the culmination of a two-year journey with Wanda
Jackson, now 70, in performances across the United States and Europe. (World
Premiere)
'The Visitor'
Director/writer: Thomas McCarthy. Starring: Richard Jenkins.
A college professor becomes embroiled in the lives of a young immigrant
couple he discovers squatting in his Manhattan apartment. Confronted with
adversity, these strangers become inextricably bound together. (Regional
Premiere)
'Triage: Dr. James Orbinski's Humanitarian Dilemma'
Director: Patrick Reed.
The former head of Doctors Without Borders returns to Africa, to confront
its harsh realities. (Regional Premiere)
'We Dreamed America'
Director: Alex Walker.
A documentary that delves deep into the dark and hilarious recesses of the
British Americana music scene, exploring the gritty underworld of the New
British Country movement. (U.S. Premiere)
'The Wild Horse Redemption'
Director: John Zaritsky.
At a prison in the high desert foothills of the Colorado Rocky Mountains,
hard-core criminals are given 90 days to tame wild mustang horses. Most of
the inmates who volunteer for the program have never trained a horse before,
or even ridden one. (U.S. Premiere)
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