A schedule of events through April 11....
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A schedule of events through April 11. Films will be shown at six
venues: Edwards Big Newport, 300 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach;
Lido Theater, 3459 Via Lido, Newport Beach; Edwards Island Cinemas
(two theaters, designated either Blue or Gold), 999 Newport Center
Drive, Newport Beach; Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente
Drive, Newport Beach; Adventures at Sea Theaters, 3101 West Coast
Highway, Newport Beach. Unless otherwise marked, tickets are $8 and
can be purchased at the box office or online at
www.newportbeachfilmfest.com. For more information, check the web
site or call (949) 253-2880.
* Denotes special event
THURSDAY
7:30 p.m.
MIRANDA*
Edwards Big Newport
United States 2003
* West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Marc Munden
* SCREENWRITER: Rob Young (IV)
* CAST: Christina Ricci, John Simm, Kyle MacLachlan, John Hurt,
Julian Rhind-Tutt, Cavan Clerkin, Matthew Marsh
* RUNNING TIME: 96:00
Frank (John Simm) is a librarian struck with love for a beautiful
stranger named Miranda (Christina Ricci). He reveals his feelings and
winds up in a whirlwind of intrigue. The enigmatic Miranda presents
many facades: she’s a businesswoman or a dancer in different
tellings, and though Frank enjoys the chase, he wonders if a working
stiff can maintain his hold on such an exotic creature. Miranda, in
reality a confidence woman wedged in a complex set of schemes between
her mentor, Christian (John Hurt) and sleazy millionaire Nailor (Kyle
MacLachlan). She seeks solace with her slightly loopy lover, but it’s
anybody’s guess whether they’ll emerge unscathed from this thicket of
high-stakes agendas.
Opening night gala will be held after the film at the Radisson
Hotel Newport Beach. $75. Black tie optional.
FRIDAY
11 a.m.
TWO SUMMERS
Edwards Island -- Blue
Canada 2002
A film by Bruce La Pointe
CAST: Mathew Harbour, Frank Fontaine, Chip Cuipka, Robert Crooks,
Sheena larkin, Susie Almgren
RUNNING TIME: 118:00
Eight-year-old Lewis Poppy is using his imagination to stave off
boredom and loneliness as he explores his grandfather Herbert’s empty
apartment while Herbert is at work. When Lewis’ curiosity leads him
to discover a mannequin that resembles his deceased mother, his
difficult journey toward finding true companionship really begins.
Lewis will need faith, hope and love to have any chance of bringing
back his mother, the best friend he has ever had.
SHORTS (S6): GET SHORTSY!
Edwards Island -- Gold
* TRAPPED IN FREEDOM
Embark on a journey through the mind of a man who discovers the
manic intoxication of pure freedom.
* HERBERT III
The collective experience of being black in America explored
through the trauma a teenager’s parents face as they anxiously wait
through the night for their son to come home.
* SURPRISE
The love life of a 2-minute psychic in 5 minutes.
* WAITING RIVER
The inevitable nature of desire most often keeps us from living in
the present.
* BLOOD SHOT
A vampire hitman who works for the CIA and a loner cop team up to
rid LA of a dangerous terrorist cell.
* THE CORNER
A young man dreams of riding a bicycle, but lacks the one
component that will make his dream a reality.
* CREATIVE PROCESS 473
A tale of madness, mayhem and the birth of an original thought.
And monkeys.
A POCKET FULL OF DREAMS
Lido Theater
India, United States 2003
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Vishal Bhandari
* SCREENWRITER: Corey Judd
* CAST: Mohan Agashe, Anju Mahendroo, Sachin Khedekar, Sheetal
Sheth, Ellen Thomson, John Richy Nash
* RUNNING TIME: 98:00
A family of immigrants from India come to America when their
daughter is accepted into an American university. The film addresses
the problems which immigrants often face searching for fame and
fortune in the “American Dream.”
1 p.m.
SHORTS (S7): TIME FOR SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* DON’T NOBODY LOVE THE GAME MORE THAN ME
Four slightly over-the-hill guys on a New York basketball court
meditate on dedication, pride and basketball.
* ABBIE DOWN EAST
Abbie must save her family when they are stranded in a remote
lighthouse during the great storm of 1856.
* NO REGRETS
Mona is tired. She is tired of men trying to be charming and tired
of trying to be cute. But for just a moment, she may have found what
she is looking for ...
* THE ANNIVERSARY (NGAY GIO)
A Buddhist monk is haunted by memories of war and betrayal on the
anniversary of his brother’s death.
* ALCHEMY
What goes around, comes around ... and around ...
* R.I.P. (REST IN PEACE)
In a dark room, six men discuss the future of mankind. Who are
they? What do they want from us?
* SIT AND SPIN
A story about growing up, no matter how hard you try not to.
BOXED
Lido Theater
Northern Ireland 2002
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Marion Corner
* SCREENWRITER: Marion Corner
* CAST: Tom Jordan Murphy, Darragh Kelly, Jim Norton, Catherine
Cusack, Brendan Mackey
* RUNNING TIME: 98:00
A young, idealistic priest is mistaken for his cynical and
war-weary mentor and taken to an isolated house where an Irish
Republican Army group is holding a suspected informer for execution.
The terrorists are now faced with the possibility of having to kill a
priest, a decision none of them can make. Forced into a standoff
between victims and captors, each character reveals truths about
human nature.
1:30 p.m.
THE CHEESE NUN: SISTER NOELLA’S VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
Edwards Island -- Gold
France, United States 2002
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Pat Thompson
* SCREENWRITER: Jim Bittermann
* CAST: Sister Noella Marcellino
Attended by Director
* RUNNING TIME: 52:00
Sister Noella Marcellino, the cheese maker of her Connecticut
abbey, was chosen with others to leave the religious enclosures to
study at the University of Connecticut. This documentary follows the
outgoing nun for a rare look behind the walls of a religious
cloister, then off to the French countryside where she teaches
farmers how to sing gospel and finally into the hills of Kentucky
where she is an inspiration for the growing number of cheese makers
in the U.S.
3 p.m.
THROUGH THE NIGHT (YORU O KAKETE)
Edwards Island -- Gold
Japan, South Korea 2002
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Kim Su Jin
* SCREENWRITER: Maruyama Shoichi
* CAST: Yamamoto Taro
* RUNNING TIME: 133:00
In 1958, a group of Korean immigrants who are residing in Japan
after the war are now seen as second-hand citizens. Even in the ruins
of post-war tragedy a love story emerges between Yoshio, a young man
originally from the slums, seemingly on the run from something, and
Hatsuko, a beautiful young girl who sells her body to get money for
food.
100 MILE RULE
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Brent Huff
* SCREENWRITER: Drew Pillsbury
* CAST: Maria Bello, Jake Weber, David Thornton, Michael McKean
* RUNNING TIME: 95:00
Bobby and Jerry, away from their families, are faced with exotic
temptations in the guise of long-legged women and alcohol. Leading
them is their not so moral boss, Howard. Bobby tries not to succumb
to the peer pressure of his co-workers who believe in the 100 mile
rule: If you’re at least one-hundred miles away from home, you’re
free to do whatever with whomever. Their sophomoric antics snowball
into a roller-coaster ride of secrets, guilt and murder.
3:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S3): CRAZY ABOUT OUR SHORTS!
Edwards Island -- Blue
* COCKROACH BLUE
The perspectives of five separate building tenants gradually
reveal the twisted truth behind a brutal murder.
* FACE OF THE ENEMY
A compelling view of World War II as seen through the eyes of an
eager American photojournalist.
* THE STONE OF FOLLY
Madness rules in a twisted asylum where a bizarre surgical
procedure reveals a questionable medical methodology.
* TIED UP (AMARRADOS)
A homeless kid’s addiction to sniffing glue traps him in a vicious
cycle of dysfunction and sexual abuse.
* RUSSIAN LESSONS (CLASES DE RUSO )
Pedro works at home and leads an isolated life, but an answer to a
personal ad is about to change all that.
* AUTUMN
The bittersweet memories of a summer romance that ends with the
falling leaves of autumn.
* NICHE
Sometimes being honest and truthful is all you need ... sometimes.
5 p.m.
DRESSING FOR THE OSCARS
Lido Theater
United Kingdom 2000
* DIRECTOR: Luke Menges
* RUNNING TIME: 50:00
The Oscars red carpet has become the greatest fashion show on
earth. “Dressing for the Oscars” is a one-hour revealing documentary
that follows one of Hollywood’s favorite fashion designers, Randolph
Duke, as he arrives in Los Angeles from New York for three weeks of
frantic preparations to coax celebrities into his gowns.
5:30 p.m.
JULIE WALKING HOME
Edwards Island -- Gold
Germany, Canada, Poland 2001
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Agnieszka Holland
* SCREENWRITER: Agnieszka Holland
* RUNNING TIME: 118:00
Rejecting the limits and expectations placed on her, Julie takes
her young son, Nicholas, across the globe where they appear to find
desperately needed answers in Alexis, a man unlike any other. No
matter where he travels, thousands of hopeful people follow Alexis, a
healer in whom Julie sees a vision grand enough to match her own
hopes and dreams.
6 p.m.
LOST AND FOUND (CUA ROI)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Vietnam 2002
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Vuong Duc
* SCREENWRITER: Nguyen Viet Ha
* CAST: Duc Khue, Hue Minh
* RUNNING TIME: 97:00
Thang, a math professor, conducts research with his dean on the
theory of singular mathematics. He decides to proceed alone after
getting expelled for holding contradictory points of views. Thang’s
lie is disrupted when a TV ad announces that he has found a large sum
of money on September 11. His private research is then taken and used
to bring profit to a waste management project. Will Thang regain
control of his research and find out who placed the ad?
6:30 p.m.
SWELL / HEART OF THE SEA
Lido Theater
SWELL
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Charlotte Lagarde
* RUNNING TIME: 23:00
A documentary exploring life, death and four generations of women
longboard surfers. (precedes heart of the sea)
HEART OF THE SEA
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTORS: Charlotte Lagarde, Lisa Denker
* RUNNING TIME: 57:00
Hawaiian legend Rell “Kapolioka’ehukai” Sunn died in January 1998
of breast cancer at the age of 47. Known worldwide as a pioneer of
women’s professional surfing, Rell Sunn achieved the stature of an
icon in the Islands, not only for her physical power, grace and
luminous beauty, but for her leadership in a community that loved her
as much as she loved it.
8 p.m.
SHORTS (S2): GET INTO OUR SHORTS!
Edwards Island -- Gold
* BACKSLIDE
When it’s your first time, the eight minutes after can be an
eternity.
* LEGWORK
A day in the lives of the merciless entities who will hunt you
down until the day you die: bill collectors.
* TRYST WATCH
His girlfriend may have stood him up, but our hero has a date with
destiny when the forces of law and disorder collide.
* A FAMILY X-MAS
A dark comedy that pits two men against each other in a game of
wits on Christmas Eve.
* BOUNTY
The outlaw Mel Bishop realizes the true cost of redemption when he
seeks revenge against the man he believes betrayed him.
* LE MIME
The film from a 100-year-old camera reveals the moment that the
greatest mime found his life’s inspiration.
* 25, 5 & 3
Jim fights desperately to reunite with the now grown son that he
abandoned in his youth.
* THE BOX MAN
A disturbing stop-motion animation encounter between a man and a
cardboard box.
8:30 p.m.
THE OUTSIDERS*
20th Anniversary
Lido Theater
United States 1983
* DIRECTOR: Francis Ford Coppola
* SCREENWRITER: S.E. Hinton & Kathleen Rowell
* CAST: C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillion, Ralph Macchio, Patrick
Swayze, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, Glenn Withrow, Daine
Lane, Leif Garrett, Darren Dillion, Michelle Mayrink, Tam Waits,
Gailard Sartain, William Smith
* RUNNING TIME: 91:00
In 1983, Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s tale
“The Outsiders” was brought to the screen. Rival gangs of poor and
rich kids (the “Greasers” and “Socs”) battle in 1960s Oklahoma
fighting for turf and respect. The “Greaser” Curtis brothers, Darrel,
Sodapop and Ponyboy, struggle to remain together after their parents’
deaths. But after a fight with the rich kids turns deadly, fellow
Greaser and friend, Dallas, must help Ponyboy and troubled friend
Johnny to run away to avoid any further bloodshed.
The reception will follow the screening at the Hard Rock Cafe,
Fashion Island. $25. Business casual.
A BEAUTIFUL SECRET (UN SECRETO DE ESPERANZA)*
Latino Spotlight
Edwards Island -- Blue
Mexico 2003
* DIRECTOR: Leopoldo Laborde
* SCREENWRITER: Leopoldo Laborde
* CAST: Katy Jurardo, Imanol, Ana de Reguera, Maria Karunna,
Michel Corral
Attended by director
* RUNNING TIME: 128:00
It’s 1984 and Jorge is a rebellious 12-year-old boy who stumbles
upon a house many believe to be abandoned and haunted. Living inside,
however, is an elderly, cultured woman who teaches him lessons about
life and Mexican culture. Jorge is devastated upon her sudden death,
and as time passes, she becomes a memory. Now grown, Jorge recognizes
a photo on the news in which the identity of his old friend is
revealed. Jorge journeys to her grave, rediscovering himself and
someone who had helped shape his life.
The reception will follow the screening at the El Torito Grill,
Fashion Island. $15. Casual.
SATURDAY
9 a.m.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
Adventures at Sea Theaters
United States /Hungary /Spain 2002
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Mark Swan
* SCREENWRITERS: Forrest S. Baker III, Mark Swan, Ken Cromar
* CAST: Amanda Waring, Jonathan Firth, Nigel Lambert
* RUNNING TIME: 86:00
The quest for the heart of true nobility takes Sebastian, a wise
old raven, on a search for the answer to an ancient riddle that will
save the ancient kingdom of Corazion. Prince Rollo seeks a princess
to help save Corazion and finds her by a chance encounter with a
kind-hearted peasant girl. This causes Rollo to ponder where true
beauty lies.
9:30 a.m.
TOUCHING WILD HORSES
Adventures at Sea Theaters
Canada, Germany, United Kingdom. France 2002
* DIRECTOR: Eleanore Lindo
* SCREENWRITER: Murray McRae
* CAST: Jane Seymour, Charles Martin Smith, Mark Rendall
Attended by Film Representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 90:00
After 11-year-old Mark’s father and sister are killed in a car
accident, he is sent to live with his only relative, Aunt Fiona. She
lives on the remote Sable Island off Canada’s east coast. Fiona’s
strict routine and the confines of the island provide Mark with the
structure that he has been sorely lacking. Their delicate new
understanding is shattered when Mark disobeys Fiona’s edict against
interfering with the wild horses on the island. Mark and Fiona’s
relationship undergoes monumental shifts when he discovers that she
has a secret sorrow.
11 a.m.
CHILDREN’S SHORTS
Adventures at Sea Theaters
* BLUEGAROO
A 4-year-old girl named Tabitha meets Bluegaroo, the imaginary
6-foot tall, blue, flying kangaroo.
* HENRY’S GARDEN
A monster must find peace when his love of flowers, his only
pleasure, is threatened by the terrible transformation of his
environment.
* KANGAROO CREEK GANG
A game of real snakes and ladders begins when Mr. Lizard drops
down a hole after Kevin Kangaroo wishes he’d disappear.
* LITTLE RED PLANE
A toy plane carries a boy back for one last adventure with his
father.
* PAWS
The shocking truth about what your dog does at home while you are
away.
GANGS FROM ROSARIO (ROSARIGASINOS)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Argentina 2001
* DIRECTOR: Rodrigo Grande
* SCREENWRITER: Miguel Angel
* CAST: Alberto Saravia
* RUNNING TIME: 90:00
Thirty years after a botched heist, Alberto Saravia is released
from jail, along with his comrade, Castor the Gimp. In spite of their
advanced years, they hope to unite their old gang and grab the hidden
loot. Crime, friendship and thwarted love pulse through this jovial
Argentine heist drama.
I LOVE JOHANN
Edwards Island -- Gold
Sweden 2003
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Henrik Norrthon
* SCREENWRITER: Martin Jern
* CAST: Amelie Norgaard
* RUNNING TIME: 45:00
A brilliant independent film, shot without a director in an
anarchical production environment by a team of only four people. It’s
a mellow short telling summer-story of teen Johan and his encounters
with Tove, Eva, Jakob and Carolina.
SHORTS (S10): USC SHORTS
Lido Theater
* SOGNATORE
The music of Vivaldi transports a boy from his bedroom to a
mystical stage where notes come alive and ride to the stars.
* I DREAMT OF BOMBAY
Robert Jones is forced to choose between the unfortunate truth and
a beautiful lie.
* LULLABY
A beautiful woman dances the night away.
* STRAIGHT WHITE MEN & ME
A bisexual Asian director examines her stereotypes of straight
white men in this sometimes hilarious, probing personal documentary.
* ELEVATOR
A sensuous ride through one man’s subconscious desires.
* MBOUTOUKOU
When his family doesn’t think he can take the responsibilities
left to him at his older brother’s departure, 12 year-old Napo sets
out to prove himself.
* UP
A prisoner dreams of fanciful flight from his dark subterranean
cell.
* CROSSING
A young street kid suspects that his life may be nothing more than
a bad dream and puts his theory to the test.
* DANCE WITH ME
On his 50th wedding anniversary, a mysterious stranger shows
Pierre that the greatest gift is the ability to appreciate what he
already has.
12 p.m.
WOMEN WITHOUT WINGS
Edwards Island -- Gold
Canada 2002
* DIRECTOR: Nicholas Kinsey
* SCREENWRITER: Nicholas Kinsey
* CAST: Katya Gardner
* RUNNING TIME: 109:00
Marjie is truly incapable of choosing between two lovers. She goes
to a family funeral in the mountains of Albania and steps into a past
of furious blood feuds and the ancient customs rooted in legend. She
is so enchanted by her new found life that she decides to become a
“vowed virgin,” a woman who lives out her life as a man, never
marrying or having children.
12:30 p.m.
THE SWEATBOX
Orange County Museum of Art
United Kingdom 2002
* DIRECTORS: John-Paul Davidson, Trudie Styler
* RUNNING TIME: 86:00
In 1997, Sting was asked by the Walt Disney Company to write the
music for a new animation feature called “Kingdom of the Sun.” The
film was eventually released as “The Emperor’s New Groove.” For the
first time in its history, Disney allowed an outside film crew into
its world to chronicle the nuts and bolts, and the blood, sweat and
tears of its animation. This was the bumpiest ride that anyone within
the studio could remember, and not what you would imagine in the cozy
world of Mickey Mouse.
1 p.m.
CINEMATOGRAPHER’S FORUM
Edwards Island -- Blue
1:30 p.m.
LABYRINTH (LAVIRINT)
Lido Theater
Yugoslavia 2002
* DIRECTOR: Mirces lau Lekik
* SCREENWRITERS: Igor Bojovic, Miroslav Lekic
* CAST: Svetozar Cvetkovic, Branislav Lecic, Dragan Nikolic,
Katarina Radivojevic, Maja Sablijic, Josif Tatic
* RUNNING TIME: 106:00
When Pop, a compulsive gambler, returns to his homeland after 20
years, he accompanies an old friend, Laki, to a seance. There he
receives a message from his past, from Zoran, a childhood friend
thought to have committed suicide long ago. The medium tells Pop that
Zoran did not kill himself -- he was killed. When Pop later meets
Zoran’s alleged killer, he finds himself in the midst of dangerous
events that will lead him to a place he never knew existed.
2 p.m.
SAINT MONICA
Edwards Island -- Gold
Canada 2002
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Terrance Odette
* SCREENWRITER: Terrance Odette
* CAST: Gienevieve Buechner, Clare Coulter, Brigitte Bako
Attended by Film Representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 82:00
In the heart of Toronto, a tenacious young girl’s dream is to
participate as one of the angels in the annual church procession in
honor of the “Assumption of the Virgin Mary.” When Monica is denied
that chance, she steals the large archangel wings for herself. Losing
the wings on her way home, she finds them a few days later on the
back of a woman who lives in the ravine below the bridges that divide
the city.
B-17 FLYING LEGEND
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Mark Feijo
* SCREENWRITER: Mark Feijo
* CAST: Susan Williams
Attended by director, producer
* RUNNING TIME: 52:00
During World War II, America fought a fearsome battle over the
skies in Europe. It was a decisive moment in the history of the
world. From 1942 to mid 1944, Germany had the advantage: experience,
years preparing for the inevitable air war and great engineers behind
extremely well designed machines. One plane, however, was to overcome
all of these odds and prove that persistence was a much greater power
than fear. This airplane was the B-17 Flying Fortress, whose legacy
is unmatched in the history of aviation.
3:30 p.m.
STANDARD TIME
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Robert Cary
* SCREENWRITERS: Isabel Rose, Robert Cary
* CAST: Isabel Rose, Cameron Bancroft, Alix Corey, Ilana Levine,
Eartha Kitt, Victor Argo, Andrew McCarthy
Attended by director, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 99:00
Billie Golden is a struggling cabaret singer with a vivid
imagination. Unfortunately, her fantasies are shattered by the
reality of the third rate lounge where she performs. In the midst of
her confusion, Greg Ellenbogen, an old high school heartthrob, now a
successful corporate lawyer, comes back into her life. He offers her
almost everything she could ever desire. But when she meets Elliot,
an arrogant, bohemian musician she is forced to choose between the
luxuries Greg can give her and the one thing he can’t: a life filled
with music.
SPELLBOUND
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Jeff Blitz
Attended by director, producer
* RUNNING TIME: 97:00
An intense, true-life experience of the National Spelling Bee as
seen through the eyes of eight driven young spellers. We share in
their private lives as they train for and compete in the ultimate
intellectual showdown. From the hardscrabble plains of Texas to the
manicured lawns of Connecticut, from the redneck Ozark countryside to
the troubled Washington, D.C. projects, Spellbound presents a
patchwork of real and modern American stories.
SHORTS (S15): JOURNEY THROUGH SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* EAST SIDE
A skateboard journey to Asia and beyond.
* RAISE THE CANE
A documentary following 100 men and women dressed as Santa Claus
who make an annual pilgrimage to New York City.
4 p.m.
JUST DO IT (HAMYEONDOENDA)
Edwards Island -- Gold
South Korea 2000
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Park Dae --Young
* SCREENWRITERS: Kwon In-Chan, Lee Young Park, Park Dae-Young
* CAST: Park Sang Yeon, Park Jin-Hee, Lee Beom-Su, Jeong Jun, An
Seok-hwan, Ok-suk, Park In-hwan, Na Moon-hee, Lee Yun-seong and Ko
Ho-kyeong
* RUNNING TIME: 93:00
Making a satire of Nike’s slogan, “Just Do It!,” director Park
Jae-Dong applies it to a middle-class family in South Korea who take
advantage of the “economic miracles” happening there in this age of
financial boom. In this particular instance, Park pokes fun at
insurance scams, and how the Korean bourgeoisie has picked up tricks
learned in the Western World.
5 p.m.
THE KRESS LOUNGE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Renie Oxley
* SCREENWRITER: Renie Oxley
* RUNNING TIME: 56:00
The story of 86-year-old Irene Kress, a Polish immigrant business
owner, and her refusal to conform, change or follow the
gentrification of Detroit. The Kress Lounge is the home she created
for many including the Purple Gang, Veronica Lake, Milton Berle and
even a horse named Trigger. The film covers the 65-year history and
present-day happenings through its unexpected sale and demolition.
6 p.m.
SHORTS (S1): GANGS OF NEW SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* RIDE
When a routine call goes horribly wrong, a young man finds himself
trapped in the back seat of a squad car with a killer behind the
wheel.
* GRACE
A tale about the choices we make and what we truly want our lives
to mean.
* BILL’S SEAT
A flat tire traps a New Yorker in the local bar of a small
Pennsylvania town.
* ONE
On the eve of their separation, the shared memories of two young
lovers coalesce in a single tragic instant.
* UNTITLED:003-EMBRYO
What began as a simple act of curiosity descends into madness as
Jason exploits other people’s dreams to fulfill his ultimate fantasy.
* GERANIUM PEACE (GERANIENFRIEDE)
An award winning, darkly humorous mosaic of erect steeples, fuming
men, airborne children, seething neighbors, shrewish housewives,
enraged clouds and rampaging dogs.
* HEADS AND TAILS
Brought together in the local fish store, a beautiful woman, a
mystical little boy and the bond between two brothers renew a
fisherman’s interrupted faith.
SHORTS (S11): OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS
Lido Theater
* DOG (INJA)
A South African farmer uses a Xhousa boy to teach his puppy to be
white man’s friend. Ten years later, both find themselves at the
mercy of the dog.
* WHY CAN’T WE BE A FAMILY AGAIN
A cinema verite portrait of two brothers who long to be reunited
with their mother.
* THE COLLECTOR OF BEDFORD STREET
When a 59-year-old retarded charity worker needs help, his West
Village Manhattan community comes to his aid.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Kristen Coury
* SCREENWRITER: Joseph Triebwasser
* CAST: Tony Lo Bianco, Anna Maria Alberghetti
RUNNING TIME: 90:00
Stephen Torcelli and Danny Russo are a hunky and stylish Manhattan
couple who live in a perfectly appointed row house with plenty of
closet space and alphabetized skin-care products. When Stephen’s
parents announce a surprise visit, Stephen and Danny must scramble to
prepare the performance of a lifetime. Not that they’re closeted.
It’s just that Stephen can’t let his parents know that he and Danny
are ruthless mob enforcers for Don Patrizzi!.
6:30 p.m.
THE LAST ZAPATISTAS, FORGOTTEN HEROES (LOS ULTIMOS ZAPATISTAS,
HEROES OLVIDADOS)
Orange County Museum of Art
Mexico 2001 * DIRECTOR: Francesco Taboada Tabone
* SCREENWRITER: Sarah Perrig
Attended by Director
* RUNNING TIME: 70:00
Organized in 1910 by Emiliano Zapata, peasants of Morelos took up
arms and directly challenged 400 years of Spanish-style Mexican rule.
Elders of the Mexican revolution tell us the story one more time,
only this time, we listen 100 years deeper into the struggle for
indigenous and peasant rights.
8 p.m.
SHORTS (S19): MENDING SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* ONE LIFE
David Harlow Rice didn’t expect a plane to fly into his office
building September 11, nor did his family expect to be mourning his
loss one year later.
* IMPROBABLE PAIRS
A series of short film segments about pairs of people who have
made peace with each other against truly extraordinary odds.
8:30 p.m.
EDDIE (EDI)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Poland 2002
DIRECTOR: Piotr Trzaskalski
SCREENWRITERS: Piotr Trzaskalski, Wojciech Lepianka
CAST: Henryk Golebiewski, Jacek Braciak, Jacek Lenartowicz,
Grzegorz Stelmaszewski, Ola Kisio, Dominik Bak
Attended by Film Representatives
RUNNING TIME: 97:00
Two gangster brothers who rule the neighborhood beat a fellow
scrap picker to death. This is the brothers’ way of enforcing
payments for illegally sold alcohol. The brothers want Eddie to tutor
their 17 year old sister, Princess, whom they have been bringing up
since the death of their parents. The brothers chose Eddie for his
avid reading and his ugliness, a guarantee that the feisty girl will
not sleep with him. Three months later, Princess is pregnant. The
brothers’ suspicions fall on Gypsy, a young supplier of illegal
alcohol. In order to protect her beloved, Princess tells them Eddie
is the father.
CASTLE IN THE SKY*
Animation Spotlight
Lido Theater
Japan 1986
DIRECTOR: Hayao Miyazaki
SCREENWRITER: Hayao Miyazaki
CAST: James van der Beek, Cloris Leachman, Anna Paquin, Mark
Hamill, Andy Dick, Mandy Patinkin
RUNNING TIME: 124:00
Hayao Miyazaki’s engaging films are known and loved across the
globe for their compelling characters, entertaining plots and
stunning animation. “Castle In The Sky” takes audiences on a
fantastic journey to a mythical retro-future full of amazing
landscapes and wonderful flying machines. Pazu (James van der Beek),
a young boy, finds the beautiful girl Sheeta (Anna Paquin) slowly
descending from the sky wearing a crystal, one that allows her to
float in the air. Sheeta can’t remember the crystal’s secret, but it
becomes the target of a band of rabble-rousing sky pirates, led by
their hilarious leader (Cloris Leachman).
A reception will be held after the screening at the Hard Rock
Cafe. $20. Casual.
RED TROUSERS: THE LIFE OF THE HONG KONG STUNTMEN*
Hong Kong Spotlight
Edwards Island -- Gold
Hong Kong 2003
World Premiere
* RUNNING TIME: 90:00
In this dazzling combination of documentary and short film hosted
by and starring Robin Shou, star of Mortal Kombat, the death-defying
feats performed by the world’s greatest stuntmen are profiled through
interviews and clips that showcase their work. Intercutting with the
documentary footage is the short film “Lost Time,” a futuristic
martial arts adventure in the style of Alex Proya’s “Dark City,”
where one can appreciate the stuntmen’s extraordinary achievement in
their final cinematic form.
The reception featuring a Wushu Martial Arts exhibition and Lion
Dance will follow the screening at the Hard Rock Cafe. $20. Casual.
SUNDAY
11 a.m.
TRIBAL JOURNEY: CELEBRATING OUR ANCESTORS
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2003
World Premiere
A film by Scott Macklin
Attended by Director, Producer
* RUNNING TIME: 66:00
Twenty ocean-going dugout canoes representing 25 Indian nations
from the United States and Canada voyage from Vancouver Island, Puget
Sound and Washington’s Olympic Coast. We follow the canoes as they
meet at Neah Bay and continue down the coast to the Quinault Nation
in Tahola, host of this year’s journey.
THE MAGIC BOX (LA BOITE MAGIQUE)
Lido Theater
France, Tunisia 2002
DIRECTOR: Ridha Behi
SCREENWRITER: Ridha Behi
CAST: Marianne Baster, Abdelatif Kechiche, Hichem Rostom, Lotfi
Bouchnak, Medhi Rebii
RUNNING TIME: 90:00
Tunisian filmmaker Raouf finds that his marriage to a French
woman, Lou, is increasingly on the rocks with the cross-cultural
tensions that have risen between the once happy couple. Lou develops
a drinking problem amidst her loathing of life in Tunisia. Raouf is
then removed from his family when a European television network
commissions him to go on location and film a retrospective about the
influence of cinema on his childhood. This project causes Raouf to
reflect deeply on his youth.
THE HARRIMAN ALASKA EXPEDITION RETRACED
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
DIRECTOR: Lawrence Hott
SCREENWRITERS: Ken Chowder, Diane Garey
Attended by director, producer
RUNNING TIME: 110:00
A century ago, railroad tycoon Edward Henry Harriman decided to
take a little vacation -- one of the most ambitious expeditions ever
to be staged in America. Harriman invited 25 scientists, writers and
artists on a 9000-mile exploration of the coast of Alaska. In the
summer of 2001, a similar group of scientists, writers and artists,
retraced Harriman’s route, exploring some of the issues Harriman
faced, and some he couldn’t even imagine.
11:30 a.m.
PHYLANTHROPI (FILANTROPICA)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Romania 2001
DIRECTOR: Nae Caranfil
SCREENWRITER: Nae Caranfil
CAST: Mircea Diaconu, Gheorghe Dinica, Mara Nicolescu, Viorica
Voda
RUNNING TIME: 110:00
Ovidiu, 35, single, and still living with his parents. Although a
literature teacher, he gets no respect from his Mercedes-driving
students. He meets a TV spokes model Diana and presents himself as a
successful novelist, convincing her to go out with him.
Unfortunately, one night clubbing with Diana costs him an entire
month’s wages. Help arrives in the form of a “foundation,” run by the
mysterious Don Pepe. Overnight, the middle-aged teacher finds himself
“married” to Miruna, Pepe’s own assistant. With the cash thus earned,
Ovidiu begins running back and forth between fancy nightclubs and
slums, Ovidiu leads an exhausting double life.
12:30 p.m.
THE BURIAL SOCIETY
Edwards Island -- Gold
Canada 2002
DIRECTOR: Nicholas Racz
SCREENWRITER: Nicholas Racz
CAST: Rob Labelle, Jan Rubes, Allan Rich, David Paymer, Seymour
Cassel
RUNNING TIME: 95:00
Three kindly members of the Chevrah Kadisha, the traditional
Jewish society that prepares bodies for burial, welcome Sheldon when
he offers his services. The old men set about indoctrinating him into
their world, teaching him their ways. Sheldon has a different agenda
and soon sets in motion a complex scheme involving the theft of $2
million and the staging of his own death.
GOTHAM FISH TALES
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
A film by Robert Maass
RUNNING TIME: 83:00
Stalwart fisherman, scientists, environmentalists, historians,
community organizers, and government enforcers all contribute to this
story. All manner of fish species from sharks to tuna to tropical
fish pass through the city. This remarkable story is told through
characters whose knowledge, humor and pathos make them people we care
about and remember.
1 p.m.
OT: OUR TOWN
Lido Theater
United States 2003
* DIRECTOR: Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* SCREENWRITER: Scott Hamilton Kennedy
* CAST: Teachers & Students of Dominguez High School
* RUNNING TIME: 76:00
A documentary about a Compton high school’s first theatrical
production in 22 years. With no money and limited resources, the
students at Manuel Dominguez High School tear into Thornton Wilder’s
1938 play “Our Town.” A powerful documentary that shows one tough
school’s ability to find strength and rejuvenation through an
American classic.
2 p.m.
A DREAM IN HANOI
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Tom Weidlinger
* SCREENWRITER: Tom Weidlinger
* RUNNING TIME: 91:00
Two theatre companies, one American, one Vietnamese, came together
to stage the first performance in Vietnam of Shakespeare’s play “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.” “A Dream in Hanoi” follows the actors,
directors, producers and technicians from both countries as they
struggle to overcome the obstacles of language, culture, ideology and
a history of war, on their journey to opening night at Hanoi’s famous
Opera House.
SHORTS (S20): What Wonderful Shorts
Orange County Museum of Art
* THE NISEI FARMER
A Japanese American farmer at a crossroads in his life.
* TOYO MIYATAKE: INFINITE SHADES OF GRAY
An elegant portrait of a photographer’s quest to capture the
beauty and dignity of everyday life.
2:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S9): HAWAIIAN SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Gold
* KAMEHAMEHA: A LEGACY RENEWED
A portrait of Kohala and the art conservator whose life was
changed by the people, the place and the statue they hold dear.
* KAHO’OLAWE-THE BREATH OF OUR ANCESTORS
An action group’s efforts to expand erosion control programs and
establish Kaho’olawe as the spiritual center of Hawai’i.
* KAMEHAMEHA: THE GREAT REVOLUTIONARY
Kamehameha, the first ruler to unite and conquer the Hawaiian
islands, will bring changes to his land and set the stage for
foreigners through his leadership.
* THE BIRTHING OF IOSEPA
The students and community of Ko’olauloa cooperate in the carving
of Iosepa, a 57 ft. double hulled Hawaiian Voyage canoe.
OUTPATIENT
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Alec Carlin
* SCREENWRITER: Alec Carlin
* CAST: Catherine Kellner
Attended by producers, composer, director of photography,
principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 109:00
Morris Monk writes a murder mystery while locked up in a mental
institution. His writing in part leads to his release. A new
therapist, Dr. Patricia Farrow, makes progress delving in to Morris’
past unlocking his secrets and thus seemingly fueling new chapters
for his manuscript. Eventually, Dr. Farrow realizes that Morris is
obsessed with her and that he is writing his story as his reality is
unfolding.
3:30 p.m.
LOLITA: SLAVE TO ENTERTAINMENT
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2003
A film by Timothy Gorski
* RUNNING TIME: 60:00
When two species collide in the icy waters of Puget Sound, a storm
of epic proportions is unleashed: man versus nature; a barbaric hunt
leads to the death of five marine mammals and destroys the lives of
countless others. Six young orcas ripped away from their families,
sold to marine parks and shipped across the world enter into a life
of slavery. Three decades later, only one survives and she just
happens to be Miami’s biggest performer.
4 p.m.
IN JULY (IM JULI)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Germany 2000
* DIRECTOR: Fatih Atkin
* SCREENWRITER: Fatih Atkin
* CAST: Moritz Bleibtrau, Christiane Paul, Idil Uner, Mehmet
Kurtulus, Branka Katic
* RUNNING TIME: 99:00
A mild-mannered schoolteacher with no ambition for adventure meets
a beautiful and free-spirited girl at the local Hamburg flea market.
She convinces him that the women of his dreams will be carrying a
symbol which matches he one she gives him. Obsessed with this notion,
he embarks on a journey for Istanbul to find her.
4:30 p.m.
TIBET: CRY OF THE SNOW LION
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Tom Peosay
* SCREENWRITER: Sue Peosay, Victoria Mudd
* RUNNING TIME: 100:00
The snow lion, a mythic beast of Tibetan legend, is emblazoned on
the Tibetan flag. An unprecedented wealth of spectacular footage has
been combined with provocative interviews, poignant personal stories
and shocking images to document the story of Tibet.
5 p.m.
THE BOOK OF STARS
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2000
* DIRECTOR: Michael Miner
* SCREENWRITER: Tasca Shadix
* CAST: Mary Stuart Masterson, Jena Malone, Karl Geary, D.B.
Sweeney, Delroy Lindo
Attended by director, producer, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 110:00
Mary Stuart Masterson stars as a woman who has given up on life
and seeks out the oblivion of prostitution and drugs. Her sister
(Jena Malone) is on the cusp of womanhood, but because of cystic
fibrosis will never grow to be an adult. In her attempt to save her
sister from slow suicide, she imagines a romantic world peopled by
magical characters, some of whom actually enter their lives.
SHORTS (S18): IRONCLAD SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* LOCAL 40
While Americans mourned the loss of the World Trade Center,
hundreds of unnamed heroes stayed behind in the wreckage dismantling
the very buildings that many of them had helped build. This is their
story.
* STEEL HUG (CELICNI ZAGRLJAJ)
The rich and haunting history of Vinkovci, a German railway
station, as seen through the eyes of its retired railway workers.
6 p.m.
SHORTS (S8): THERE’S PRIDE IN OUR SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* NO PROM FOR CINDY
Gender issues run amok in this bizarre and hilarious short that
answers the burning question, “Can a shy young girl who’s really an
older gay man find love amid the emotional battleground that is high
school?” -- Marc Savlov
* CLAY PRIDE
A film about coming to terms with being clay. Or something like
that.
* ROCK BOTTOM
A lonely man and a young street hustler find themselves in a
sometimes tender, sometimes tense game of trust.
* BEND ME (DOBLAME)
A distant love story between unreachable women.
* BURL’S
The story of a 10-year-old boy’s experience with sexual confusion
when he encounters three flamboyantly dressed transvestites.
* SEX MARRIAGE, AND CHILDREN
A sexual fantasy turned reality leaves a marriage and friendship
in jeopardy.
* THE DRESS
Hard Kora prepares herself for a reunion date with her
ex-boyfriend while her clumsy roommates, Chinchita and Barbie-Q,
cause last minute problems.
* BREAKING UP REALLY SUCKS
A love affair that would make a sailor blush soon becomes a
relationship where sex becomes a no letter word.
* SIZE ‘EM UP
Teen jock Samantha finds herself in the unlikely hands of the “bra
ladies” who help her discover new things about breasts, femininity,
sexuality and how to improve her soccer game.
6:30 p.m.
SONG OF A JEWISH COWBOY / A HOME ON THE RANGE: THE JEWISH CHICKEN
RANCHERS OF PETALUMA
SONG OF A JEWISH COWBOY
Lido Theater
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Bonnie Burt
* RUNNING TIME: 18:00
An intimate portrait of Scott Gerber, an unlikely mix of Yiddish
and cowboy cultures. (precedes “Home on the Range”)
A HOME ON THE RANGE: THE JEWISH CHICKEN RANCHERS OF PETALUMA
Lido Theater
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTORS: Bonnie Burt, Judith Montell
Attended by director, producer
* RUNNING TIME: 52:00
This is the little-known story of Jews who fled the hardships of
Eastern Europe and traveled to California to become chicken ranchers.
Meet the idealistic group of Eastern European Jews and their
descendants as they confront obstacles of language and culture on
their journey toward becoming Americans. Jack London, California
vigilantes, McCarthyism, the Cold War and agribusiness all come to
life in this quintessentially American story of how a group of
immigrants found their new home, a home on the range.
PIPE DREAMS
Orange County Museum of Art
United States, Canada, Chile 2003
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Enzo Mileti
* SCREENWRITER: Enzo Mileti
* CAST: Joe Pack, Ricky Bower
* RUNNING TIME: 105:00
For a few glorious days during the 2002 Winter Olympics, dreams
became reality. Following Ricky Bower, U.S. Snowboard Team member and
U.S. Aerials Team member, “Pipe Dreams” offers a richly compelling
documentary combining the universal themes of triumph and tragedy.
7:30 p.m.
LETTERS IN THE WIND (NAMEHAY BAD)
Edwards Island -- Gold
Iran 2001
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Ali Reza Amini
* SCREENWRITER: Bayram Fazli
* CAST: Mohammad Taghi Hashemzasdeh, Karamarz Hashem Zadeh
* RUNNING TIME: 75:00
A group of soldiers from remote corners of the country are
mobilized to camp near Tehran. The young men struggle to coexist
under harsh and isolating conditions. Through anonymous recordings of
random strangers on a tape recorder, one soldier fills the void of
their everyday lives with promises of an outside world.
8 p.m.
TRIBUTE TO MACGILLIVRAY FREEMAN FILMS: 40 YEARS IN THE MAKING*
Lido Theater MacGillivray Tribute
Attended by Shawn Thompson, Greg MacGillivray
Greg MacGillivray’s accomplished career spans over 35 years and
includes cult classics, box-office darling and two Academy Award
nominated IMAX documentaries. His cinematographic eye developed
during his early surfing years in Southern California. This tribute
brings together some of the outstanding work of Greg MacGillivray to
honor his innovative and inspiring career.
A gala will be held after the tribute at the Hard Rock Cafe,
Fashion Island. $35. Tropical attire.
THE WONDER OF PHIL
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Michael Stute
* SCREENWRITERS: Michael Stute, Michelle Stute
* CAST: Phil Shane, Debbie Bartz, Michlene
Attended by director, Phil Shane
* RUNNING TIME: 80:00
Phil Shane has played Orange County venues for more than 30 years
and has a cult following of loyal fans of his “One Man Legends Show,”
which he performs up to six days a week. Filmmakers spent more than a
year following Phil Shane to shoot their documentary that has both a
comedic edge and a dramatic punch, not to mention toe-tapping music.
8:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S12): SHORT-ANIMATION-O-RAMA
Edwards Island -- Blue
* GRAND-MA
An ancestral spirit, in the form of a talking bird, attempts to
impart valuable hunting lessons to her young, naive grandson.
* THE VISIT
A glimpse into the heart-wrenching world of a love affair between
a dentist and his patient.
* DUST TO DUST
A dust bunny must make the most of a thorny situation in order to
be freed from captivity.
* THE ERLKING
As a father hurries through the night, his son clasped in his
arms, the dark specter of the ErlKing tries to lure the boy away.
* SOMETHING SMELLS LIKE FISH
Action, romance and ... a cat?
* BUTTERFLY
An abstract expression of beauty, form and harmony.
* THE TOLL COLLECTOR
The story of a terribly deformed toll collector who longs to be a
ballerina.
* BIG CITY FISH
Trouble ensues for three former lab animals when the “Trail
Elves,” a sadistic band of girl scout wanna-be’s, take over Big City
for their annual charity drive.
* ETERNAL GAZE
A poignant story about an artist, his art and his inner turmoil.
Inspired by the life of Alberto Giacometti.
* SHAPES & TUBES
While whimsical piano music plays, abstract forms and shapes spin,
dance, fly and hop into tubes.
* THUNDER PIG
The story of Thunder Pig, the superhero with the spiffy hairdo,
the giant appetite for junk food and the fragile ego.
* STILTWALKERS
A solitary fisherman’s carvings and sketches seem to have a life
of their own- giving rise to a strange, surreal and ultimately
fragile two-dimensional world.
* LONELY BOY
A man, estranged from those around him, lives out his life utterly
alone.
* PARKING
A parking lot attendant loses his temper when his lot is invaded
by a blade of grass, and a furious battle ensues.
9 p.m.
SWEAT (SUEURS)
Edwards Island -- Gold
France 2002
* DIRECTOR: Louis-Pascal Couvelaire
* SCREENWRITERS: Louis-Pascal Couvelaire, Benoit Philippon,
Michael Cooper
* CAST: Jean-Hughes Anglade, Joaquim De Almeida, Cyrille
Thouvenin, Sagamore Stevenin, Nozha Khouadra, Thierry Ashanti, Hubert
Saint-Macary
* RUNNING TIME: 103:00
Noh, an air traffic controller, Victor, a ground crew member,
Harvey, an experienced truck driver and Simon, a psychotic hit man,
join forces to heist a fortune in gold from a North African Airport.
A frantic race against time begins as the four partners in crime
drive across the Sahara to make contact with the man who will turn
their loot into cash. With violent tempers at boiling point and the
cruel desert conditions causing innumerable problems, the trust of
each man is called into question.
9:30 p.m.
SOLITUDE
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTORS: Susan Kraker, Pi Ware
* SCREENWRITERS: Susan Kraker, Pi Ware
* CAST: Patrick Belton, Mary Thornton, Ronne Orenna
Attended by directors, producers, director of photography, editor,
composer, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 99:00
Louis may be brilliant and he may be suicidal, but he has the keys
to the car. Hilary may be seductive and she may be falling apart, but
she is his sister. Louis and Hilary combine the vulgar and the poetic
as they badger, berate and bewitch each other. Louis has something
Hilary desperately needs, and Hilary has something Louis cannot live
without. Both will fight to the death not to give it to each other.
MONDAY
11 a.m.
SHORTS (S1): GANGS OF NEW SHORTS
Amy Edwards Island -- Blue
* RIDE
When a routine call goes horribly wrong, a young man finds himself
trapped in the back seat of a squad car with a killer behind the
wheel.
* GRACE
A tale about the choices we make and what we truly want our lives
to mean.
* BILL’S SEAT
A flat tire traps a New Yorker in the local bar of a small
Pennsylvania town.
* ONE
On the eve of their separation, the shared memories of two young
lovers coalesce in a single tragic instant.
* UNTITLED:003-EMBRYO
What began as a simple act of curiosity descends into madness as
Jason exploits other people’s dreams to fulfill his ultimate fantasy.
* GERANIUM PEACE (GERANIENFRIEDE)
An award winning, darkly humorous mosaic of erect steeples, fuming
men, airborne children, seething neighbors, shrewish housewives,
enraged clouds and rampaging dogs.
* HEADS AND TAILS
Brought together in the local fish store, a beautiful woman, a
mystical little boy and the bond between two brothers renew a
fisherman’s interrupted faith.
11:30 a.m.
ANNE B. REAL
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2003
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Lisa France
* SCREENWRITERS: Lisa France, Antonio Macia
* CAST: Carlos Leon, Janice Richardson, Eric Smith, Jackie
Quinones
* RUNNING TIME: 90:00
Cynthia begins writing in her own diary after she is given “Anne
Frank: Diary of a Young Girl.” Her writing becomes both a personal
release and a means of enduring her troubled family. Deuce, an
up-and-coming rap artist buys Cynthia’s diary from her drug addicted
brother, Juan, without her knowledge. Eventually Cynthia discovers
that Deuce has been succeeding as a rap artist -- with her writing.
Cynthia confronts Deuce in a rap battle at a local club.
MIRANDA
Lido Theater
United States 2003
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Marc Munden
* SCREENWRITER: Rob Young (IV)
* CAST: Christina Ricci, John Simm, Kyle MacLachlan, John Hurt,
Julian Rhind-Tutt, Cavan Clerkin, Matthew Marsh
* RUNNING TIME: 96:00
Frank (John Simm) is a librarian struck with love for a beautiful
stranger named Miranda (Christina Ricci). He reveals his feelings and
winds up in a whirlwind of intrigue. The enigmatic Miranda presents
many facades: she’s a businesswoman or a dancer in different
tellings, and though Frank enjoys the chase, he wonders if a working
stiff can maintain his hold on such an exotic creature. Miranda, in
reality a confident woman, is wedged in a complex set of schemes
between her mentor, Christian (John Hurt) and sleazy millionaire
Nailor (Kyle MacLachlan). She seeks solace with her slightly loopy
lover, but it’s anybody’s guess whether they’ll emerge unscathed from
this thicket of high-stakes agendas.
1:30 p.m.
JOYFUL PARTAKING
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: William Moreing
* SCREENWRITER: William Moreing
* CAST: John Procaccino
* RUNNING TIME: 120:00
The hapless and hopeless former TV weatherman Walter Majeski’s
young son perished in a freak snowstorm that Walter had failed to
forecast. Other characters include an elderly woman who has fallen
and can’t get up; a beer-swilling unemployed factory worker; a lonely
spinster who fears that her best chance for happiness may, in fact,
be with her dog; and a lowly spider searching for a safe place in
which to build its home.
SHORTS (S5): ETERNAL SHORTS
Lido Theater
* REPOSSESSED
A haunted house hits the real estate market.
* BARRIER DEVICE
A researcher for a female condom study loses all objectivity when
she realizes that one of her subjects is dating her ex.
* VENGEANCE
A man has an ulterior motive for enduring the pain and discomfort
of acupuncture.
* APSARA
In the Cambodian countryside, a convicted murderer escapes from
prison to track down his daughter who thinks he is long dead.
* THE DIM REAPER
One night a young Grim Reaper decides to be nice to his customers
for a change. Boy does he learn ...
* CHAN CHAN
When Chan Chan realizes his mother has passed away, he falls into
a state of sorrow and abandons his little sister for the night.
* LAST NIGHT WITH ANGEL
A rising Hollywood development executive seduces a high-powered
literary agent in the hopes of advancing her career.
* THE UNFORTUNATE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE
A manic rant about all that is wrong, but inevitable and
permanent, with life.
2 p.m.
FLYFISHING
Edwards Island -- Blue
United Kingdom 2003
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: David Williams
* SCREENWRITERS: Neil Warhurst, Paul Barnhill, Roger Thomas
* CAST: Kate Ashfield, Frances Barber, Helen Baxendale, Nicky
Henson
* RUNNING TIME: 82:00
Two men become escorts. Their debts diminish, their problems mount
and their lives fall to pieces. While times have changed, some things
remain the same. Men and women still want the same thing: love.
STRANGE FRUIT
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Joel Katz
* RUNNING TIME: 57:00
A documentary exploring the legacy of Billie Holiday’s song with
the same title. The history of the song’s creation and evolution,
tells a dramatic story of America’s radical past using one of the
most influential protest songs ever written. The saga brings viewers
face-to-face with the terror of a lynching.
3:30 p.m.
THE FLATS
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
* DIRECTORS: Kelly Requa, Tyler Requa
* SCREENWRITERS: Kelly Requa, Tyler Requa
* CAST: Chad Lindberg
* RUNNING TIME: 104:00
A story of longing and desire reflected in the relationship of two
best friends. When a self-destructive young man, Harper, returns home
on the eve of a court date that could send him to jail, his best
friend, Luke, zealously tries to protect him from his own undoing.
Living life to the fullest with his ragtag friends, a vulnerable
Harper finds unexpected comfort in Luke’s new girlfriend, Paige.
THE SHAMAN’S APPRENTICE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Miranda Smith
* SCREENWRITER: Abigail Wright
* RUNNING TIME: 54:00
Deep in the rainforests of Suriname, Dr. Mark Plotkin is racing
against time. New and remarkably effective medicines could be found
in the Amazon’s plant life, but the forest is disappearing. Even
worse, the tribal shamans -- healers and encyclopedias of rainforest
botany -- are the Amazon’s most endangered species.
4 p.m.
SHORTS (S22): SOMETHING FOREIGN IN THE SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Gold
* BREAKING AND ENTERING (EFFRACTION)
Two burglars break into an apartment and discover that it is not
empty; someone is locked in the closet.
* THREE CARD STUDS
Every action flick cliche takes a hit as a bizarre game of poker
degenerates into a wildly hilarious confrontation.
* O BEAUTIFUL
Two boys. One straight, one gay. One brutal, one brutalized. One
seeks forgiveness, the other acceptance.
* A FAIRY STORY
Madge and Tracy lead very different lives until their worlds
collide in a tale of innocence, experience and a handful of teeth.
* GOOD NIGHT VALENTINO
The true story of a dinner between silent movie idol Rudolph
Valentino and famed journalist H.L. Mencken, one week before
Valentino’s tragic death.
* HOW TO DO THE ASIAN SQUAT
A 1950s-style educational film that finally answers the question:
What is the Asian Squat?
* SEMMELWEIS
Ignaz Semmelweis, a Hungarian doctor, struggles to impart to his
students his discoveries on how to prevent childbed fever.
THE MONTH OF AUGUST
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Rex Piano
* SCREENWRITER: Scott Benefiel
* CAST: Mackenzie Astin, Ali Hillis, Randall Batinkoff, Candy
Clark
Attended by Director, Producer, Principal Cast
* RUNNING TIME: 93:00
Poor Nick is dumped by yet another girlfriend. His best friend Sam
sets him up on a chain of dates that all end with more humiliation.
Just as Nick is about to give up, he meets August, a waitress at the
local coffee shop. August is quirky and everything he never wanted in
a girl.
5 p.m.
L’CHAYIM COMRADE STALIN
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2003
* DIRECTOR: Yale Strom
* SCREENWRITER: Elizabeth Schwartz
* CAST: Ron Perlman (narrator)
* RUNNING TIME: 89:00
A documentary about the Jewish autonomous region of Siberia.
Stalin artificially invented it in 1928 to create an alternative to
the religious expression of Judaism and the growing Zionist political
movement in the USSR. The State, during its heyday, attracted some
40,000 Jews. Strom takes his camera on a seven-day trip via the Trans
Siberian Railroad with his interpreter and bodyguard Slava, who is
the grandson of Mikhail Kalinin, the first president of the USSR. The
endless train trip and the casual anti-Semitism of his Russian fellow
passengers immerse Strom in the experiences of the first Jewish
pioneers to settle in the region.
6 p.m.
THE ANARCHIST COOKBOOK
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Jordan Susman
* SCREENWRITER: Jordan Susman
* CAST: Devon Gummersall, Dylan Bruno, John Savage, Katharine
Towne, Gina Philips, Steve Van Wormer, Johnny Whitworth, Sabine
Singh, Richard Black
Attended by director, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 101:00
Puck lives in an abandoned East Dallas house with a group of
nonviolent yet rebellious folk. Things change with the arrival of
Johnny Black, a self-described nihilist who knows how to get what he
wants. Armed with “The Anarchist Cookbook,” Johnny lures the others
down a slippery slope. Puck is forced to decide what anarchy really
means.
SHORTS (S27): SHORT STACK
Lido Theater
* SAOIRSE
A woman’s struggle to keep the civil life she has created for
herself as she is tormented by her past.
* THE LEGEND OF RAZORBACK
A mysterious barber helps a silent, internalized little boy find
his voice and rekindle his childhood.
* RESURRECTION MARY
In the town Resurrection, Kentucky something strange has been
happening -- a string of mysterious disappearances stretching back to
the turn of the century.
* GREEN ROSE
The true story about the human rights of the Taiwanese people;
portrayed through only filmic language and music.
* MY LIFE AS A CLOWN
A young clown-in-training is faced with self doubt, an evil
professor, and the possibility of true love.
* THE BED
A young couple finds they can suspend the laws of physics in their
new bed, but are they willing to exercise the necessary restraint to
keep this unexpected boon?
* DELIVERED
A dark comedy about how bitterness and disappointment can drive
one to seek out life’s only real solace.
6:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S16): SATISFYING YOUR SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* AMERICAN PIE: SLICES OF LIFE (AND PIE)
On America’s Back Roads, an award-winning food critic discovers
“pies with character and characters who love pie” as she seeks the
soul of the great American dessert.
* THE QUEST FOR LENGTH
A big story about a little problem.
7 p.m.
FINAL DRAFT
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2003
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTORS: Oren Goldman, Yariv Ozdoba
* SCREENWRITERS: Oren Goldman, Yariv Ozdoba
* CAST: Michael Weston, Hamish Linklater, Emily Bergl, Laura
Jordan, Tristine Skyler
Attended by director, producer, writer
* RUNNING TIME: 96:00
Marty, having spent his early childhood in Israel, is an
ambitious, yet anti-social realist, whose honesty often gets him into
trouble. Harry is a passionate ideologist who believes even the civil
war in Rwanda is an anti-Semitic conspiracy. Working as editors
during the day, they use their spare time to develop their
masterpiece script that will take them to stardom. When Chad, their
health-freak, drug dealer friend arranges a meeting with one of his
clients, a head honcho at Misney Studios, Marty and Harry practice
the “pitch” that will surely win him over.
8 p.m.
DRIVE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Mark Jeremias
* CAST: Mike Vallely
* RUNNING TIME: 55:00
Professional skateboarder Mike Vallely uses America’s landscape as
the inspiration to explore his views on the current state of
skateboarding and why he skates, why he fights to keep his place in
skateboarding, why he fights for skateboarding.
8:30 p.m.
THE GATEKEEPER
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: John Carlos Frey
* SCREENWRITER: John Carlos Frey
* CAST: Joel Brooks, Michelle Agnew, Anne Bartencourt, John Frey
Attended by Director, Producer, Principal Cast
* RUNNING TIME: 100:00
A U.S. border patrol agent is vigilant about keeping the flood of
immigrants at bay. He goes undercover to expose the criminal nature
of Mexicans illegally pursuing freedom in America. The plan goes
terribly wrong and he ends up trapped within a drug ring. Forced to
live and work among the people he’s hated, Adam starts to see the
true nature of the people from whom he has tried to distance himself.
MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT*
French Spotlight
Edwards Island -- Gold
France, Switzerland, Spain 2001
* DIRECTOR: Claude Chabrol
* SCREENWRITERS: Charlotte Armstrong, Claude Chabrol, Caroline
Eliacheff
* CAST: Isabelle Huppert, Jacques Dutronc, Anna Mouglalis,
Rodolphe Pauly, Brigitte Catillon, Michel Robin, Mathieu Simonet
* RUNNING TIME: 99:00
Young Jeanne discovers that her origins may not be what she had
grown up to believe. Believing to have been switched at birth with
another newborn (the son of a famous piano player), she decides to
contact her supposed biological family to investigate the truths of
her past. The questioning leads to the discovery of a murder
committed many years before by the second wife of the musician and
the intrigue reveals an underlying hypocrisy in the lives of this
elite circle.
A reception will be held after the screening at the Wolfgang Puck
Cafe, Fashion Island. $20. Business casual.
THE TRIP
Lido Theater
United States 2003
* DIRECTOR: Miles Swain
* SCREENWRITER: Miles Swain
* CAST: Larry Sullivan, Steve Braun, Alexis Arquette, Jill St.
John
Attended by director, producer, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 93:00
Alan is a slightly neurotic Republican journalist. At the other
end of the spectrum is Tommy, a Texas native who relocated to
California to form OUT LOUD, a gay civil rights group. When the two
meet, they begin their journey together, learning about life, love
and heartbreak.
TUESDAY
11 a.m.
WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT: THE STORY OF HEDWIG
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Laura Nix
* CAST: Stephen Trask, John Cameron Mitchell
Attended by producer
* RUNNING TIME: 85:00
A document of the creative process, “Whether You Like It Or Not”
creates the definitive history of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” out of
a cloud of hairspray and glitter, from its inception to its eventual
status as a cultural phenomenon. The documentary explores the nature
of artistic collaboration, history of the Berlin wall, fluidity of
gender and the vast importance of being blond.
NEW GUY
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Bilge Ebiri
* SCREENWRITER: Bilge Ebiri
* CAST: Kelly Miller
* RUNNING TIME: 85:00
Gregg steps into his cubicle to find it covered in a sea of
Post-Its left behind by his predecessor, Frank. Later, he discovers
that Frank didn’t exactly depart under the most amicable
circumstances. As day turns to night, Gregg tries to stay on top of
his new job and begins to wonder if he’ll ever be able to leave this
place.
11:30 a.m.
HER NAME IS ZELDA
Lido Theater
United States 2003
* DIRECTOR: Nicole Sampogna
* CAST: Zelda Kaplan, Patricia Fields, Joyce Tenneson, Tito
Puente, Andres Serrano
* RUNNING TIME: 64:00
The film depicts Zelda’s world, capturing her public and private
moments, her zest for life, as well as her personal fears and
frailties. Her friends and followers of all races and ages are drawn
to her energy and independence. In a society known for turning away
from its elderly, 85-year-old Zelda shatters the stereotypes of what
it means to be old, what it means to be a woman and what it means to
be alive.
12:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S4): Did Someone Say Shorts?
Edwards Island -- Blue
* AUDIT
A young Hollywood couple undergoes a jaw-dropping IRS audit in
which they are asked to pay much more than just tax.
* COW
The sole crew member of an alien space exploration mission awakens
with a start.
* BUGGED
A peculiar visitor interrupts a loving couple in the heat of
passion and offers them a wish in return for saving his life.
* HERE WAS THE ANTHEM (AQU IBA EL HIMNO )
Two well-to-do kids are violently jolted out of their complacency
by brutal social reality.
* JON’S DAY
The beautifully drawn and visually poetic representation of the
art of skateboarding and the experiences of a 15 year-old kid.
* DROWNING
A poetic exploration of struggle that reveals that only when we
drown, can we become dry in life.
* THE WORMHOLE
A troubled boy searches for a wormhole in time in order to reunite
his family.
1 p.m.
LIBERTY, MAINE
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Josiah Emery
* CAST: P. Michael Bourgoin, Eric Close, Laurel Holloman, Barney
Martin II, Mandy Siegfried
Attended by film representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 92:00
A grown son goes back to his boyhood home and faces a childhood
demon: an emotionally abusive father who romps around in medieval
garb on his birthday and runs a halfway house of sorts for the town’s
wayward boys. But when his father falls ill, the son must take on
more than he bargained for to save the family house, facing angry
wayward children.
THE GIRL FROM PARIS (UNE HISONDELLE A FAIT LE PRINTEMPS)
Lido Theater
France 2001 * DIRECTOR: Christian Carion
* SCREENWRITERS: Christian Carion, Eric Assous
* CAST: Michel Serraut, Mathilde Seigner, Jean-Paul Roussillon
* RUNNING TIME: 103:00
Sandrine gives up her career in Paris and buys a farm in the south
of France. The cold and curmudgeonly former owner, Adrien, stays on
the property for 18 more months before leaving to retire. As Sandrine
learns to run her farm, Adrien observes in admiration but isolates
himself from her. Eventually, they learn to communicate.
3 p.m.
WEST BANK BROOKLYN
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2003
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Ghazi Albuliwi
* SCREENWRITER: Ghazi Albuliwi
* CAST: Charles Daniel Sandoval, Bronson Picket, Hany Kamal,
Ghazi Albuliwi, Anil Kumar, Matt Conley, Sian Heder, Peter Coriaty
* RUNNING TIME: 82:00
Ali Sahid is caught between the traditions of his Muslim father
and his desire to be a “normal” American. His best childhood friend
Saddam is an Arab, and with the state of world affairs being the way
they are, he denies his heritage and becomes “Tito the Puerto Rican”
to avoid prejudice. Ali’s older brother Mustafa is disowned by his
father when he rejects an arranged marriage with a woman from the
homeland.
THE SEVENTH MAN
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: H. Charles Riedl
* SCREENWRITERS: Timothy Sweeten, H. Charles Riedl, S. C. Smith
* CAST: Val Kilmer (Narrator)
* RUNNING TIME: 104:00
The film chronicles two years in the lives of rural Americans in a
small Texas community as they come together to support their six-man
football team, “Panther Creek Panthers.” Learn what six-man football
means to this small community as fans travel hundreds of miles to
support their team.
3:30 p.m.
9 DEAD GAY GUYS
Lido Theater
United Kingdom 2000
* DIRECTOR: Lab Ky Mo
* SCREENWRITER: Lab Ky Mo
* CAST: Glenn Mulhern, Brendan Mackey, Steven Berkoff, Michael
Praed, Vas Blackwood, Simon Godley
* RUNNING TIME: 83:00
Kenny and Byron come to London with visions of easy money but find
that the only way they can make a living involves questionable
behavior at a local gay bar. As their clientele begin to mysteriously
die in a series of accidents and murders, the pair turn from tricking
to crime-solving in an effort to steal riches allegedly hidden inside
the home of one of the victims.
ARISMAN: FACING THE AUDIENCE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Tony Silver
* CAST: Marshall Arisman
Attended by director
* RUNNING TIME: 83:00
Marshall Arisman paints auras; he is perhaps most known for his
depictions of the world’s violence and evil for major news
publications across the U.S. Arisman has inspired generations of
illustrators and photographers. Award-winning filmmaker Tony Silver
traces Arisman’s spiritual and artistic journeys from Manhattan to
Guangzhou as he literally “pulls light out of darkness.”
4:30 p.m.
NO SLEEP ‘TIL MADISON
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Erik Moe
* SCREENWRITERS: Peter Rudy, Erik Moe
* CAST: Jim Gaffigan
Attended by Director, Producer, Writer
* RUNNING TIME: 85:00
Owen Fenby loves his girlfriend, but he loves high school hockey
more. Forced to choose between love and his annual pilgrimage to the
Wisconsin High School Hockey Tournament, he picks the latter.
Accompanied by his teen protege and three out-of-state former
teammates, Owen heads for the Northwoods in a battered laundry truck.
As the road trip proceeds toward the final championship game in
Madison, the men face gout-inflamed toes, work crises, strained
marriages and, worst of all, a mysterious black pickup.
5 p.m.
WINDOW OF THE SOUL (JANELA DA ALMA)
Edwards Island -- Gold
Brazil 2002
* DIRECTORS: Joao Jardim, Walter Carvalho
* SCREENWRITER: Joao Jardim
* CAST: Win Wenberg, Jose Saramago, Oliver Sacks, Hermeto Pascoal
* RUNNING TIME: 73:00
Nobel prize winner Jose Saramago, director Wim Wenders, blind
French Slovak photographer Evgen Bavcar, neurologist Oliver Sacks and
blind councilor, Arnaldo Godoy, make personal and unexpected
revelations about issues relating to sight: the physiological working
of the eye, the use of glasses and their effect on the personality,
and also the meaning of seeing or not seeing in a world saturated
with images.
SHORTS (S17): FAITH IN SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* NINE
Nine breast cancer survivors prepare for the world’s largest
two-day rowing event.
* A HOMEGROWN BLUEGRASS BAND
A tragedy brings together a family and what results is a
delightful self-taught bluegrass band.
* SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN
Man’s personal search for something to believe in, told through
the eyes of several unique young people.
5:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S23): SIX DEGREES OF SHORTS
Lido Theater
* PAPERBOY (PAPELERO)
A young man’s struggle to succeed in a world that seems determined
to hold him back.
* THE SODA JERKS
A bittersweet comedy about the power of sweets over a bitter old
woman.
* THE HONOR SYSTEM
A group of awkward sixth-graders compete for the school’s dodge
ball title.
* MRS. PILGRIM GOES TO HOLLYWOOD
An aging kindergarten teacher becomes so confident in her annual
“5 Food Groups” school play that she takes it to Hollywood for
production.
* SALAD DAYS (DESALINADA)
A mixed salad and a trout unite in a single dish that will lead
them to eternal love.
* THE SNELL SHOW
Every year the community gathers at Old Man Snell’s trailer for
the greatest show on earth.
6:30 p.m.
P.S. YOUR CAT IS DEAD
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Steve Guttenberg
* SCREENWRITER: Jeff Korn
* CAST: Steve Guttenberg
Attended by Steve Guttenberg
* RUNNING TIME: 89:00
Actor-come-fledging writer Jimmy Zoole has lost it all this New
Year’s Eve. His girlfriend is seeing someone else. His groundbreaking
yet ill-conceived one-man show has closed after one day. His best
friend died a few short months ago. His soon-to-be-demolished
apartment has been robbed twice. And now his beloved cat is dead. But
Jimmy’s downward spiral is just beginning. The burglar has returned
and Jimmy’s caught him. This New Year’s Eve will be like no other, as
Jimmy holds Eddie, the burglar, hostage for an emotionally charged,
soul-searching, and often hilarious night.
NO DISTANCE TOO FAR
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Jon Dunham
Attended by director, producer, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 46:00
In June 2001, a group of over 2000 cyclists left San Francisco for
Los Angeles to promote awareness of HIV/AIDS and raise money for
organizations that serve those with the disease. The annual seven-day
event is known as the California Aids Ride. Each rider had a personal
reason for being there but they all have one thing in common: their
lives have been touched by AIDS. Over the course of the ride they
grieve, voice concern, and unite in life embracing support of one
another. During the ride, the world No Distance Too Far is a reminder
that AIDS is still a problem in our world and we must all take
responsibility for the disease.
TOWN DIARY
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Jack Kenny
* SCREENWRITERS: Jack Kenny, John Bruno
* CAST: David Andrews
* RUNNING TIME: 100:00
Brian Macauley, a TV documentary producer, returns to the bay town
where he grew up. His intention is to shoot a simple reality TV
program called “Town Diary.” However, once back he meets the town’s
conspiracy buff’, John Hartley, who tries to convince Brian that a
cheerleader’s accidental death from years ago was actually a murder!
Brian joins forces with Veronica Dale, from the local newspaper to
produce a ‘Town Diary’ program. Together they investigate the death
and uncover various town secrets, which may or may not include
criminal activity and learn about the nature and value of truth, and
its various incarnations!
8 p.m.
MY KINGDOM*
British Spotlight
Lido Theater
United Kingdom 2002
* DIRECTOR: Don Boyd
* SCREENWRITERS: Nick Davies, Don Boyd
* CAST: Richard Harris, Lynn Redgrave
* RUNNING TIME: 117:00
When the matriarch of Liverpool’s biggest crime family is gunned
down by an unknown assailant, a crime lord and his three daughters
are thrown into a nasty game of greed and betrayal. Sandeman decides
to turn his illegal empire over to his daughters. However, the
youngest and Sandeman’s favorite, has already turned her back on the
family. In a fit of rage, Sandeman divides the empire between the
other two. With their newfound power, the daughters engage in a
vicious power struggle at the expense of everything and everyone.
Sandeman is left alone and powerless to watch his world implode. He
sets out to even the score, whatever the cost. My Kingdom, one of
Richard Harris’s final roles as a modern day King Lear, leaves a
lasting impression on his respected and distinguished acting career.
A dessert reception will be held after the screening. $10.
Business casual.
HIP HOP HOPE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
West Coast Premiere
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Darell Wilks
* SCREENWRITER: Darell Wilks
Attended by director, producer
* RUNNING TIME: 63:00
Immediately following the World Trade Center disaster, filmmaker
Darrell Wilks captured the realistic perspective of the New York
underground, a viewpoint not explored by American media. The attacks
simultaneously changed a lot and nothing for the artists Wilks
interviewed in the streets. One rapper expresses the limitations of
his world by commenting that the city was as dangerous for him before
the attack as after. Another is grateful, perhaps for the first time,
that she lives in the ghetto because terrorists wouldn’t bother
attacking her neighborhood. These artists continue their struggle to
address issues of race, class and evolving black culture in America
as they help create it. They translate the pain and joy of the soul
through the simplest yet most powerful instruments, their voices.
8:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S14): ... AND YOUR LITTLE SHORTS TOO!
Edwards Island -- Blue
* JUDGE IS GOD
A seemingly crazy young couple break into a cold-hearted Judge’s
house and take him captive.
* ICE CREAM SUNDAE
A pregnant woman struggles with her self image until a mysterious
older woman offers her enlightenment over a dish of ice cream.
* VIRUS
A man seeks revenge against a hacker over a computer virus that
destroyed his life and family.
* HANNAH CAN’T SWIM
Hannah, infatuated with a stranger on a train, writes anonymous
letters arranging a rendezvous on her isolated island.
* BEAUTIFUL MEMORY PICTURE
A moody portrait of love and death set in a small town mortuary.
* FOR WHICH IT STANDS
A former Nazi embarks on an epic journey of redemption to find and
honor an American veteran of World War II.
* DESTINY’S CHILD
On one memorable night, three stories collide and what happens
next changes everyone involved ... forever.
* MODERN DAYDREAMS
Four post-modern Chaplinesque comedies explore the theme of
movement found in day-to-day life.
* DINNER WITH KIP
A neurotic woman goes on an emotional roller coaster ride when her
boyfriend of 3/12 weeks sends her yellow roses.
THE INVISIBLE COLLECTION (LA COLLEZIONE INVISIBLE)*
Italian Spotlight
Edwards Island -- Gold
Italy 2002
* DIRECTOR: Gianfranco Isernia
* SCREENWRITER: Gianfranco Isernia
* CAST: Marisa Mantovani, Felice Andreasi
* RUNNING TIME: 95:00
Ottavio made his fortune as a moneylender. He owns an apartment
building in Rome where an eclectic assortment of characters rent
flats and share an admiration for their landlord’s priceless
collection of 16th century architectural renderings. Adua, Vittoria
and Velia plot to eliminate Ottavio and steal the prized renderings.
A reception will be held after the screening. $10. Casual.
WEDNESDAY
11 a.m.
THE ROAD TO RECONCILIATION
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Paul Canney
* SCREENWRITER: Robert Connolly
* RUNNING TIME: 57:00
After decades of conflict, a tenuous peace has come to Northern
Ireland, though violence has left a lasting stain on the small
society. Reconciliation is something that can only be achieved in the
years ahead. “The Road to Reconciliation” takes an unflinching look
at the human and social cost of Northern Ireland’s three decades of
violence.
SHORTS (S3): CRAZY ABOUT OUR SHORTS!
Edwards Island -- Gold
* COCKROACH BLUE
The perspectives of five separate building tenants gradually
reveal the twisted truth behind a brutal murder.
* FACE OF THE ENEMY
A compelling view of World War II as seen through the eyes of an
eager American photojournalist.
* THE STONE OF FOLLY
Madness rules in a twisted asylum where a bizarre surgical
procedure reveals a questionable medical methodology.
* TIED UP (AMARRADOS)
A homeless kid’s addiction to sniffing glue traps him in a vicious
cycle of dysfunction and sexual abuse.
* RUSSIAN LESSONS (CLASES DE RUSO )
Pedro works at home and leads an isolated life, but an answer to a
personal ad is about to change all that.
* AUTUMN
The bittersweet memories of a summer romance that ends with the
falling leaves of autumn.
* NICHE
Sometimes being honest and truthful is all you need ... sometimes.
11:30 a.m.
MELVIN GOES TO DINNER
Lido Theater
United States 2003
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Bob Odenkirk
* SCREENWRITER: Michael Blieden
* CAST: Michael Blieden, Stephanie Courtney, Matt Price,
Annabelle Gurwitch
Attended by writer, editor, lead actor
* RUNNING TIME: 84:00
Melvin sleeps in his office. His sister finds this troubling, and
not just because she’s his boss. The fact that he gave up his medical
career doesn’t help much. Such is Melvin’s existence when he
accidentally speed-dials his old friend Joey, who invites Melvin to
dinner. When he shows up, Joey is sitting with two women, Sarah and
Alex. The conversation trips effortlessly into the realm of the
ghosts they’ve seen, the religion they reject, and down into the
depths of kink, depravity and universal loneliness.
12:30 p.m.
CHILDREN OF THE CROCODILE
Edwards Island -- Blue
Australia, East Timor 2001
* DIRECTOR: Marsha Emerman
* SCREENWRITER: Marsha Emerman
* RUNNING TIME: 59:00
Cidalia Pires and Elizabeth Exposto were babies when their
families fled East Timor in 1975 and came to Australia. Now in their
mid-20s, they’ve devoted their lives to the Timorese struggle --
Cidalia through theater performance and Elizabeth through her work in
human rights. East Timor’s independence fulfils their lifetime dream,
but it also brings hard choices.
1:30 p.m.
BUTTERFLY MAN
Edwards Island -- Gold
United Kingdom, Thailand 2002
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Kaprice Kea
* SCREENWRITER: Kaprice Kea
* CAST: Stuart Laing
* RUNNING TIME: 95:00
A young English backpacker, Adam, meets and falls in love with a
beautiful girl, Em, while on holiday on an exotic island in Thailand.
However, Em unwittingly works for the ex-pat mafia while Adam gets
involved in big trouble. But when Adam discovers a human trafficking
plot involving Em, he is forced to win her back and rescue her.
PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: John Putch
* SCREENWRITER: John Zaring
* CAST: Frank Whaley, Annabeth Gish, Amy Jo Johnson, Patrick Van
Horn, Cress Williams, Liz Vassey, Alex Hyde-White, Dawn Eason, Jenn
Gross, Kieran Mulroney, Anne-Marie Johnson, Adam Baldwin, Jean
Stapleton
Attended by Film Representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 91:00
Ad executive Alan Oliver has always been on the fast track in life
and in love. When his boss boots Alan off his main account at the
request of the celebrity spokesman and baseball star Chad Harmon, his
live-in girlfriend no longer wants to live in anymore. She has a new
guy and when she tells him it’s Chad Harmon, he’s starting to catch
on. Alan’s best friend since kindergarten, Marissa, has always been
there to catch him, but this time she has heartache of her own. For
Alan Oliver, it is time to grow up.
2 p.m.
SHORTS (S25): DREAMIN’ OF SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER
It’s the Christmas holidays, and a lonely young woman goes on a
personal ad date with one of Santa’s elves.
* FINE LINE
The story of Clarence, a teenager whose sexual fantasies with his
stepmother start to blur with reality.
* THE CORNFIELD (LA MILPA)
Angela reminisces over her youth, times when myths, sensuality,
war and pain were everyday occurrences.
* DON’T WORRY BE HAPPY! (NJOTTU LIFSINS!)
A baby girl is pulled from her home into a beautiful television
program about baby swimming.
* LILLIAN & I
Year after year, Lillian teaches her music students the same
boring piano scales, neglecting her own playing. Until one day,
Lillian’s piano can’t take it anymore ...
* SUDDENLY IT RAINED
A subtle and poetic film about two would-be lovers as they share a
moment together window-shopping downtown.
* DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS
An amazingly deep social commentary masquerading as a simple story
about the bond between a homeless man and a monkey.
* THE DREAM DOCTOR
A woman unfulfilled by her life discovers in her dreams what she
had yet to find in reality -- the courage to recognize what makes you
happy, and the confidence to build your life around it.
* DREAMING IN BLACK AND WHITE
Chris Jones, a black man lost on a desolate road, finds himself in
a mysterious diner amid a pocket of life seemingly from another era.
IN SMOG AND THUNDER
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Sean Meredith
* SCREENWRITERS: Sandlow Birk, Paul Zaloom
* CAST: Paul Zaloom, Mark Ritts, Meagan Fay, Kit Pongetti, Huell
Howser
* RUNNING TIME: 46:00
A mockumentary about a California civil war set in a vaguely
recent past. California is teetering on the edge of doom. Animosity
between Los Angeles and San Francisco has grown out of control. War
is looming in the hearts of men and women from Petaluma to Pacoima.
Then, in early May, General Juan Gomez de Los Angeles leads his
Southern troops in an offensive against the Bay Area. Once the Battle
of San Francisco begins, there is no turning back.
3:30 p.m.
DON’T TEMPT ME
Edwards Island -- Gold
Spain 2001
* DIRECTOR: Agustin Diaz Yanes
* CAST: Victoria Abrio, Penelope Cruz
* RUNNING TIME: 95:00
Times have been tough for Heaven, with Hell winning the battle
between good and evil. So when Heaven’s managers have the opportunity
to win the soul of a boxer and shift the balance of power, they send
Lola Nevado, their best angel, to do the job. When Hell’s managers
get wind of this, they counter by sending their most experienced
operative to Earth, Carmen Ramos. The battle between Heaven and Hell
is on.
THE NAZI OFFICER’S WIFE
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Liz Garbus
* SCREENWRITER: Jack Youngelson
* RUNNING TIME: 96:00
The film looks at the extraordinary life of Holocaust survivor
Edith Hahn Beer. Based on her memoir of the same name, it tells the
story of Edith’s journey from idealistic Jewish law student, to
enslaved prisoner of war, to disguised German hausfrau, to empowered
judge in post-war Germany. After being forced to work as a slave
laborer, Edith was able to successfully conceal her Jewish identity,
eventually marrying a Nazi officer who never betrayed her secret.
After the war, Edith was able to reclaim her life as a lawyer and a
judge.
4 p.m.
WANT
Lido Theater
United States 2002
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Michael Wohl
* SCREENWRITER: Michael Wohl
* CINEMATOGRAPHER: Robin McLeod
* CAST: Barry Alan Levine, Olin Hyde, Gillian Chadsey, Joan
Bernie, Michael Wohl
Attended by Director
* RUNNING TIME: 95:00
Tired of hopping from one small-time job to the next, Trey
resolves to start his own Web company. It’s not long, however, before
he discovers the danger and emptiness of his new success and soon
finds his family ties as well as his own life threatened.
4:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S13): LIFE IS SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* HOPE
A supernatural thriller that tells the story of one man’s struggle
to confront the demons of his past.
* SWAT!
A guy. A fly. War.
* WHEN THE KIDS ARE AWAY
Discover the secret lives of stay-at-home mothers in this short
musical adventure.
* god@heaven
The story of a little boy who sends an e-mail to God.
* INCHES
Encountering problems in bed, two lovers seek unorthodox solutions
to rekindle their relationship.
* AS VIRGINS FALL
Amid sex, drugs and the Vietnam War, a privileged teenage girl is
about to learn that no one is safe.
* TOM HITS HIS HEAD
Tom hits his head. Tom needs help.
5 p.m.
QUEST FOR THE GRAIL
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: DJ Kadagian
* CAST: Robert Bly, Richard Rohr, Gioia Timpanelli
* RUNNING TIME: 65:00
Join our dynamic trio of poet, storyteller and theologian as they
unearth the essence of the Western spiritual journey as expressed in
Wolfram Van Eschebach’s Parzifal, one of the most told and retold
stories in western culture and part of the fabled Grail legends.
Quest for the Grail not only attempts to reconnect the viewer to the
journey of the spirit, but to reintroduce the most powerful tool
utilized throughout human history for that very purpose.
5:30 p.m.
TRUTH AND DARE
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2003
* DIRECTOR: Alpesh Patel
* SCREENWRITER: Alpesh Patel
* CAST: Adrian Rimante, Abigail Spencer, Josh Waters, Jason
Ligget, Max Gail
Attended by film representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 86:00
Best friends throw a party on their graduation night in a last
ditch effort to be cool. The senior jocks steal their beer and take
it to the party of the popular crowd. The friends then scheme to get
it back and in the process take revenge on those involved in the
theft. While pulling their pranks, they are separated, one ending up
with a girl who never knew he existed, the others in the trunk of a
car. As the night progresses, each learns more about himself and the
direction his life should take.
6 p.m.
DAUGHTER FROM DANANG
Lido Theater
United States 2002
* DIRECTORS: Gail Dolgin, Vincent Franco
* RUNNING TIME: 81:00
To all outward appearances, Heidi is an “all-American girl” from
small town Pulaski, Tennessee. But her birth name was Mai Thi Hiep.
Born in Danang, Vietnam in 1968, she’s the mixed-race daughter of an
American serviceman and a Vietnamese woman. Fearing for her
daughter’s safety at the war’s end, Hiep’s mother sent her to the
U.S. on “Operation Babylift,” a plan to relocate orphans and
mixed-race children to the U.S. for adoption. Mother and daughter
would know nothing about each other for 22 years. Now, as if by a
miracle, they are reunited in Danang.
6:30 p.m.
COLD WAR LOVE
Orange County Museum of Art
Canada 2002
* DIRECTOR: Wayne Abbott
* SCREENWRITERS: Dave Toms, Wayne Abbott
* CAST: Yvette McKoy
Attended by Director
* RUNNING TIME: 52:00
Yvette, a young black woman growing up in East Germany dreams of
winning Olympic Gold for her motherland. Her perfect socialist
existence is torn apart when she falls in love with Mark, a Canadian
athlete, whom she met during international competition. This
dangerous love puts her at risk with the East German secret police
and lands her in the center of the most profound event of the 20th
century -- the fall of the Berlin Wall.
7 p.m.
LIFE AFTER WAR
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States, Afghanistan 2003
World Premiere
Documentary
* DIRECTOR: Brian Knappenberger
* SCREENWRITER: Brian Knappenberger
* RUNNING TIME: 80:00
A full-length feature documenting the fight to recreate stable
life in Afghanistan after 23 years of Soviet invasion followed by a
brutal social experiment at the hands of the Taliban’s violent and
extremist regime. The struggle to rebuild war-ravaged Afghanistan is
seen through the eyes of an American woman - former NPR correspondent
Sarah Chayes. Quitting her job in mid-career, Chayes returned to
Afghanistan as a humanitarian. Knappenberger follows Chayes in this
unique story as she battles rugged conditions, limited resources and
an Afghan warlord to rebuild a small village destroyed by U.S. bombs
in the battle for Kandahar.
8 p.m.
HOW HARRY BECAME A TREE*
Irish Spotlight
Edwards Island -- Gold
Ireland, Italy, France, United Kingdom 2001
* DIRECTOR: Goran Paskaljevic
* SCREENWRITERS: Goran Paskaljevic, Stephen Walsh, Christine
Gentet-Paskaljevic
* CAST: Colm Meany, Adrian Dunbar, Cillian Murphy, Kerry Condon
* RUNNING TIME: 100:00
Ireland, 1924. Harry’s favorite son, Patrick, was killed during
the civil war. His wife, Anne, died of a broken heart shortly after.
He continues to live with his other son, Gus, in their small house on
the edge of the village of Skillet but he gradually becomes more and
more withdrawn. One gray day, Harry has an absurd idea, why not find
himself an enemy? After all, if love seems to have left him with
nothing, perhaps hate can give him back some relish for life. After
some hard thinking, he settles on George, the most powerful man in
the village and becomes obsessed with how to destroy him. This
absurdist tragicomic parable, crafted by Serbian director Goran
Paskaljevick, contains underlying similarities both Ireland and
Serbia have with nationalist struggles.
A reception will be held at Muldoon’s after the screening. $20.
Casual.
WATER BOYS*
Japanese Spotlight
Lido Theater
Japan 2001
* DIRECTOR: Yaguchi Shinobu
* SCREENWRITER: Shinobu Yaguchi
* CAST: Satochi Tsumbuki, Naoto Takenaka, Kaori Mahabe, Akira
Emoto
* RUNNING TIME: 90:00
It’s springtime in Japan and the Tadano High School swim team is
barely keeping afloat. When the pretty new coach turns up with the
charming idea of creating a top synchronized swimming team of her
own, she has a few problems to overcome. First, she’s teaching at an
all boys’ school; second, the five boys who have committed to the
team are all hopelessly bad swimmers; and lastly, she suddenly
discovers she’s eight months pregnant and due for maternity leave.
With hope, courage, and swimsuits, the team develops into a Swan Lake
in water. This enjoyable film will have you laughing at learning how
to hold your breath.
A dessert reception will be held after the screening. $10. Casual.
SHORTS (S21): A GENERATION OF SHORTS
Orange County Museum of Art
* THE PERFECT FLAW
David Roche’s wit helps him turn what some would see as his
greatest flaw into his greatest strength.
* BERTHA ALYCE
The redemption of Bertha Alyce and her daughter, Gay Block, told
through 18 years of photographs and video interviews.
8:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S24): SHORTUS DRAMATICUS
Edwards Island -- Blue
* ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN
Parting is all we know of heaven and all we need of hell.
* GOOD FRIDAY
An East Los Angeles priest struggles with his faith amid the
unremitting violence that besieges his neighborhood, and the
perpetrators of that violence -- the gang drug lords.
* OCHA CUPS FOR CHRISTMAS
In a culture where giving is tradition, she could only take.
* EARTHQUAKE
Run for the hills you fools, run for the hills!
* SOPHIE
Faced with her father’s abuse and violence toward the family,
Sophie decides to take matters into her own hands.
APRIL 10
11 a.m.
UNTOUCHABLES VS. ARYANS: THE BATTLE FOR THE SOUL OF INDIA
Edwards Island -- Blue
India 2002
* DIRECTORS: Ivan Kostka, John L. Pudaite
* SCREENWRITER: Vishal Mangalwadi
* RUNNING TIME: 52:00
A history of the caste system in India, the atrocities and
injustices suffered by the Untouchables, their expressions of pain
and protest through art and literature, and their previous political
and social movements to overturn the system. Today, the Untouchables
are fighting for their freedom and dignity by the last means
possible. They are renouncing the very religion that has
legitimatised this most ancient apartheid system in the world. They
are casting off the Hindu religion in favor of Buddhism, Islam,
Sikhism and Christianity, which is igniting a social revolution in
India.
IN THE NAME OF BUDDHA
Lido Theater
India, U.K. 2002
* DIRECTORS: Rajesh Touchriver
* SCREENWRITER: Rajesh Touchriver
* CAST: Shiju S. Sonyia R., Jothi Lai
* RUNNING TIME: 146:00
Tamil Siva is forced to escape his home country and become a
refugee in Great Britain. The film depicts his and his family’s
experiences with human rights and random violence.
SHORTS (S5): ETERNAL SHORTS
Edwards Island -- Gold
* REPOSSESSED
FOR SALE -- craftsman style, three bedrooms, two baths, set on two
acres, hardwood floors, fireplace ... HAUNTED.
* BARRIER DEVICE
A researcher for a female condom study loses all objectivity when
she realizes that one of her subjects is dating her ex.
* VENGEANCE
A man has an ulterior motive for enduring the pain and discomfort
of acupuncture.
* APSARA
In the Cambodian countryside, a convicted murderer escapes from
prison to track down his daughter who thinks he is long dead.
* THE DIM REAPER
One night a young Grim Reaper decides to be nice to his customers
for a change. Boy does he learn ...
* CHAN CHAN
When Chan Chan realizes his mother has passed away, he falls into
a state of sorrow and abandons his little sister for the night.
* LAST NIGHT WITH ANGEL
A rising Hollywood development executive seduces a high-powered
literary agent in the hopes of advancing her career.
* THE UNFORTUNATE TRUTH ABOUT LIFE
A manic rant about all that is wrong, but inevitable and
permanent, with life.
12:30 p.m.
FRANCISCA ( ... DE QUE LADO ESTAS?)
Edwards Island -- Blue
Germany, Mexico 2001
Southern California Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Eva Lopez-Sanchez
* SCREENWRITERS: Jorge Goldenberg, Eva Lopez-Sanchez
* CAST: Ulrich Noethen, Fabiola Campomanes
* RUNNING TIME: 83:00
In 1971, Helmut Busch attempts to flee his past as a Stasi
informant. He wants to go underground in Mexico, but the Mexican
secret service, lead by Diaz, recognizes and blackmails him.
Desperate to avoid extradition to East Germany, Helmut agrees to
observe a group of politically militant students. As Bruno Muller, he
becomes a professor at the University of Mexico City. The situation
becomes complicated when he gets more and more involved the very
group of young activists he is informing on, and falls in love with a
student, Adela.
1:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S2): GET INTO OUR SHORTS!
Edwards Island -- Gold
* BACKSLIDE
When it’s your first time, the eight minutes after can be an
eternity.
* LEGWORK
A day in the lives of the merciless entities who will hunt you
down until the day you die: bill collectors.
* TRYST WATCH
His girlfriend may have stood him up, but our hero has a date with
destiny when the forces of law and disorder collide.
* A FAMILY X-MAS
A dark comedy that pits two men against each other in a game of
wits on Christmas Eve.
* BOUNTY
The outlaw Mel Bishop realizes the true cost of redemption when he
seeks revenge against the man he believes betrayed him.
* LE MIME
The film from a 100-year-old camera reveals the moment that the
greatest mime found his life’s inspiration.
* 25, 5 & 3
Jim fights desperately to reunite with the now grown son that he
abandoned in his youth.
* THE BOX MAN
A disturbing stop-motion animation encounter between a man and a
cardboard box.
EVERY STEWARDESS GOES TO HEAVEN (TODAS LAS AZAFATAS VAN AL CIELO )
Lido Theater
Argentina 2002
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Daniel Burman
* SCREENWRITER: Daniel Burman
* CAST: Alfredo Casero, Ingrid Rubin, Emilio Disi, Norma
Aleandro, U Bassi
* RUNNING TIME: 98:00
Teresa is a stewardess who lives in her heaven of pantomime and
trays of frozen food. She has a fear of men, love, motherhood and
family. She prefers a life of eternal flight. Julian, a young doctor
and new widower, travels to the most southern city of the world in
order to keep a promise. Julian does know about love and pain, and
wants to escape to heaven.
2 p.m.
GIRLHOOD
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Liz Garbus
* SCREENWRITER: Liz Garbus
* RUNNING TIME: 80:00
A three year journey follows two girls through the juvenile
justice system to their home on the bleak streets of East Baltimore,
Maryland. The film provides insight into the world of young women at
risk. Girlhood tells a coming of age story about mothers and
daughters, crime and its consequences, and triumph in the face of
hopelessness.
2:30 p.m.
JUMPING FOR JOY
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2003
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Tim Nelson
* SCREENWRITERS: Tim Nelson, Forrest Baker III
* CAST: Sam Hennings, Lindsay Pulsipher, Rance Howard, Joe
Espeyez, Victoria Jackson
Attended by film representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 94:00
For a persistent teenage girl in 1964, Bobbie Dean’s goal of
becoming a champion basketball player is easier dreamed than
accomplished -- especially at a time when the line between boys and
girls sports was clearly drawn. Bobbie is an excellent player, but
when it comes to playing on a team, she can hardly follow the “girls
rules.” When Bobbie is mistaken for a boy, she thinks her dream may
have finally come true.
3:30 p.m.
MOVING ALAN
Lido Theater
United States 2002
World Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Chris Shelton
* SCREENWRITERS: Jerry Rapp, John Perry
* CAST: Marley Shelton, Mark Pellegrino, Samantha Shelton, Misha
Collins
* RUNNING TIME: 84:00
Tough girl Emily and meek, pampered Melissa have not spoken in
three years, so when Emily receives a desperate call from her sister
summoning her to Los Angeles, this is serious. Arriving at Melissa’s
lush Hollywood Hills home, Emily greets her disoriented sister and
soon discovers that her husband Alan’s naked, and apparently dead,
body is stuffed under the kitchen sink. In a fit of panic, the
sisters concoct a plan to dispose of Alan in a remote desert area.
With Alan’s body in the trunk of the car, the two sisters embark on a
journey, encountering strange and eccentric characters along the way.
THE CHINATOWN FILES
Orange County Museum of Art
United States 2001
* DIRECTOR: Amy Chen
* SCREENWRITERS: Andrea Weiss, Martin Toub
* CAST: Henry Chin, Eleanor Wong Telemaque, Maurice Chuck, Kathy
Lowe
* RUNNING TIME: 57:00
The roots and legacy of the Cold War on the Chinese American
community in the 1950’s and 1960’s are explored through first-hand
accounts of seven men and women. During the McCarthy era witch hunts,
the loyalties of more than 10,000 Chinese Americans were questioned
based on their ethnicity and alleged risk to national security. While
China remains an enigma to most Americans, the prejudice and jingoism
that has negatively affected the lives of Chinese Americans has
rarely been examined.
4 p.m.
PEACE JAM
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002 West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Dennis Flippin
* SCREENWRITER: Dawn Gifford Engle
* CAST: Richard Castaldo, Rudy Balles, Jes Ward, Shannon Myers,
Shelby Myers, The Dalai Lama, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Attended by director, producer, Richard Castaldo, Nobel Peace
Laureate
* RUNNING TIME: 71:00
PeaceJam follows five teens over a six-year period as they work
side-by-side with Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and learn how to become
leaders in their own communities. This documentary records their
transformation into people of purpose while capturing the moments
that changed their lives -- the murder of gay student Matthew
Shepard, the carnage at Columbine High School, the death of a father
who overdosed.
4:30 p.m.
CHILDREN ON THEIR BIRTHDAYS
Edwards Island -- Blue
United States 2002
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Mark Medoff
* SCREENWRITER: Douglas Sivan
* CAST: Sheryl Lee, Christopher McDonald, Joe Pichler, Tania
Raymonde, Jesse Plemons, Phyllis Frelich
Attended by director, producer, principal cast
* RUNNING TIME: 101:00
Alabama in 1947, a mysterious girl arrives in town on a hot summer
day. Lilly Jane, 13 years old and wise beyond her years, speaks for
her mute mother who is a talented seamstress. Billy and Preacher are
best friends and they find themselves both drawn to Lilly Jane.
Friendships are lost as they vie for Lily Jane’s attention in this
charming mystical film.
5 p.m.
FOUL KING (VUA BAI RAC)
Lido Theater
Vietnam 2002
* DIRECTOR: Do Minh Tuan
* SCREENWRITER: Do Minh Tuan
* CAST: Tran Hanh, Vo Hdai Nam, Nguyen Bich Ngoc, Cuong Tuc
* RUNNING TIME: 97:00
Trong is an overbearing gang chief and garbage dealer, pocketing
the profits from garbage collectors in town. His life is turned
around when he meets Thuy, a flower vendor, selling her virginity to
buy medicine for her sick mother. Trong falls deeply in love with
Thuy and brings her back to live with him at the dump. With his love
for Thuy and friendship with other impoverished people in his
community, Trong sets out to improve the living and working
conditions at the dump. All begins to work out until Trong almost
kills a young artist who is obviously attracted to Thuy. This act of
jealousy causes Thuy to leave and the remorse that follows causes
Trong to seek redemption and the respect of the entire community.
GUILTY PLEASURE: THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD OF DOMINICK DUNNE
Orange County Museum of Art
Canada 2002
West Coast Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Barry Avrich
* SCREENWRITER: Barry Avrich
* CAST: Larry King, Dominick Dunne, Grayden Carter, Griffin Dunne
* RUNNING TIME: 46:00
This is a powerful and enlightening documentary chronicling the
rise and fall and rise again of victim’s advocate and author Dominick
Dunne. The film features provocative interviews with Graydon Carter
(editor, Vanity Fair), Larry King, Dorthy Moxley, Johnnie Cochran,
Mark Fuhrman, David Carr (editor, New York Times) and legendary
Hollywood producer David Brown.
5:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S26): POLYESTER PRINCE ROAD SHOW
Edwards Island -- Gold
The SUPER SUPER 8 FILM FESTIVAL is back and has joined forces with
the POLYESTER PRINCE ROAD SHOW to proudly present the 2003 World Tour
of Super 8 Films. What began as an experiment has now gained critical
mass and become a revolutionary movement of sorts. We have brought
together an international group of filmmakers and film enthusiasts
who are committed to keeping the beauty of Super 8 filmmaking alive
and well. Now it’s time to take Super 8 filmmaking “on the road” with
all its glory and splendor.
6:30 p.m.
BETWEEN STRANGERS
Edwards Island -- Blue
Italy, Canada 2002
U.S. Premiere
* DIRECTOR: Edoardo Ponti
* SCREENWRITER: Edoardo Ponti
* CAST: Gerard Depardieu, Mira Sovino, Klaus Maria Brandauer,
Sofia Loren
* RUNNING TIME: 97:00
A probing and revealing drama interweaves the stories of three
women who, though strangers to each other, are grappling with
curiously intertwined dreams, desires and choices whose consequences
haunt their daily lives. As each story unfolds, the women find
themselves transported by the vision of a young girl. Representing an
image of a bygone childhood and a pressing reminder of lingering
desires, the young girl inspires the women to live more liberated
lives and to pursue their dreams with a newfound free spirit.
SKATING THROUGH THE SAND
Orange County Museum of Art
Israel 2002
A film by Wayne Abbott
Attended by director
* RUNNING TIME: 48:00
The cameras follow a group of young athletes who set out on a
hockey odyssey in order to realize their collective dream -- to win
respect for their nation on a surface of ice far away from home. It
follows the Israeli National Hockey Team on a quest for hockey
legitimacy at the World Group ‘C’ Hockey Championships in
Johannesburg, South Africa.
7 p.m.
THE KILL SIX
Lido Theater
Tahiti, United States, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand 2002
* CAST: Irons, Ratboy, Hobgood
A film by Josh Pomer
Attended by director
* RUNNING TIME: 50:00
Shot in Tahiti, California, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Australia and New
Zealand, The Kill Six is packed with big airs, gaping barrels, and
slashing action. Featured are surfers including CJ Hobgood, Kelly
Slater, Joel Parkenson, Tom Curren and The Irons Bros. The soundtrack
is modern punk pop and fills this film with intensity.
8 p.m.
* SEARCHING FOR PARADISE
Edwards Island -- Gold
United States 2002
* DIRECTOR: Myra Paci
* SCREENWRITER: Myra Paci
* CAST: Chris Noth, Susan May Pratt, Jeremy Davies, John Pierson,
Michele Placido, Laila Robins, Josef Sommer, Mary Louise Wilson
Attended by representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 88:00
Gilda Mattei, just graduated from high school, is infatuated with
enigmatic Hollywood movie star Micheal De Santis. With her camcorder,
she documents her fascination with him, her internal world of dreams,
and her strained though loving relationship with her dying father.
After her father dies, Gilda discovers that he was carrying a long
affair with a mysterious Italian woman. Gilda goes crazy with grief
and anger. Her crush on Micheal De Santis takes on an obsessive turn.
Posing as an Italian journalist with the same name and persona as her
father’s mistress, she succeeds in making it on to the film set where
De Santis is shooting and to a private interview with him.
8:30 p.m.
SHORTS (S4): DID SOMEONE SAY SHORTS?
Edwards Island -- Blue
* AUDIT
A young Hollywood couple undergoes a jaw-dropping IRS audit in
which they are asked to pay much more than just tax.
* COW
The sole crew member of an alien space exploration mission awakens
with a start.
* BUGGED
A peculiar visitor interrupts a loving couple in the heat of
passion and offers them a wish in return for saving his life.
* HERE WAS THE ANTHEM (AQU IBA EL HIMNO )
Two well-to-do kids are violently jolted out of their complacency
by brutal social reality.
* JON’S DAY
The beautifully drawn and visually poetic representation of the
art of skateboarding and the experiences of a 15 year-old kid.
* DROWNING
A poetic exploration of struggle that reveals that only when we
drown, can we become dry in life.
* THE WORMHOLE
A troubled boy searches for a wormhole in time in order to reunite
his family.
SMALL VOICES (MGA MUNTING TINIG)*
Closing Night
Lido Theater
Philippines 2002
* DIRECTOR: Gil M. Portes
* SCREENWRITERS: Gil M. Portes, Adolfo B. Alix Jr., Senedy H. Que
* CAST: Alessandra De Rossi, Dexter Doria, Gina Alajar, Amy
Austria, Bryan Homecillo, Pierro Rodriguez, Irma Adlawan, Alou
Crisologo, Nonie Buencamino, Tony Mabesa
Attended by film representatives
* RUNNING TIME: 109:00
Dreams are what Melinda brought with her the day she left for the
Provincial town of Malawig. The young teacher arrives to find a land
of coconut and rice fields and people barren of hope. Poverty has
made the townsfolk passive and resigned to a bitter fate, while
others fight in the mountains. Staking their lives for some kind of
change against the skepticism of the town, Melinda and the children
of Malawig join a humble singing contest. Their song awakens in
everyone a small flame of hope, a daring to dream and willingness to
fight for it. Melinda leaves the town believing that it is within
one’s power to make a difference and that within one’s self is a
voice of hope waiting to be heard.
A reception will be held after the screening. $20. Business
casual.
APRIL 11
7 p.m.
AWARDS NIGHT*
Radisson Hotel Newport Beach
Awards will be given out for a variety of categories, including
best feature, etc.
Gala event will include cocktail reception and catering. $40.
Black tie optional.
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