Selected Movies 2009

AWARDS 2009

FILM SCHEDULE 2009 (PDF 418 KB)

SPECIAL TRIBUTE to the New Russian Cinema

+++THE SCREENING OF THE RUSSIAN FILMS TAKES PLACE AT THE HOTEL METROPOLE MONACO – ALL OTHER FILMS AT THE FAIRMONT HOTEL+++

FEATURE NARRATIVES

Tolga Örnek

Opening Gala Film
DEVRIM ARABALARI (Cars of the Revolution) Directed by Tolga Örnek with Haluk Bilniger, Onur Unsal & Vahide Gördüm
Turkey 2008 – Drama/True Story – 120mn
The film: “Cars of the Revolution”, based on a true story, is the emotional saga spanning 130 days behind the first car produced in Turkey in 1961, a year after the military seized power. The film revolves around seven engineers and their families who believed that a car could be manufactured in Turkey; and by doing so a country’s destiny could be changed for the better. One of the best period movies Turkish cinema ever produced, with its fascinating screenplay, and skillful portrayal of the characters. More info

Closing Gala Film – WORLD PREMIERE
THE STEAM EXPERIMENT, Directed by Philippe Martinez with Val Kilmer, Armand Assante, Eric Roberts & Megan Brown
USA 2009 – Thriller
The film: The chaotic and primal nature of man truly comes to the forefront in The Steam Experiment as the actors bring forth performances that erupt with emotion and explore the psychology of disturbing human behavior. The film addresses this relationship in a chilling exposé of an isolated incident which is both suspenseful and thought-provoking. The juxtaposition of this event along with the separate perspective of its investigation engages the audience in a fashion reminiscent of films from the great Alfred Hitchcock. – Philippe Martinez, Director/Producer

Tribute to Producer Park Keon-seop
NAMBUGUN, Directed by Chung Ji-young – Prod. Park Keon-seop With Sung-kee Ahn
South Korea 1990 – War Drama – 159mn

Park Keon-seop

The film: Nambugun was one of these movies you discover thanks to DVD. Produced in South Korea in 1990 – when I first saw the DVD at the Video Store I was intrigued by the Title. When I screened it, I was ecstatic by my discovery. Nambugun (North Korean Partisans) is one of the best war movies from South Korea or otherwise. The Story takes you on the other side of the Korean War, to the Communist point of view. A reporter from North Korea Tae Lee is ordered to join the North Korean Forces. More info

JUMP directed by Joshua Sinclair, Written by J. Sinclair & Ryan James – Produced by Lilly Berger with Patrick Swayze. Martine McCutcheon, Ben Silverstone, Heinz Hoenig & Stephanie Powers.
The film: Austria 1928. Philippe Halsman is arrested due to patricide suspicions. His lawyer (Patrick Swayze) is able to get a reprieve for the misdemeanant with help from prominent intercessors like Sigmund Freud, Albert Einstein and Thomas Mann. Halsman later emigrates to New York. For his covers on LIFE magazine, and JUMP Photos
of Audry Hepurn, Marilyn Monroe and many other celebrities of his time he becomes world-famous even still legendary today. The film is based on a true story.
Austria 2008 – Drama – 118mn
OPENING NIGHT GALA OF THE LOS ANGELES JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (April 2009)

An MCFF event of Daryush Shokof’s fabled cult movie screened for the first time:
SEVEN SERVANTS Directed by Stefan Jonas & Daryush Shokof with Anthony Quinn (in his last Screen appearance), David Warner & Alexandra Stewart
Germany 1996 – Drama/Fantasy – 90mn
The film: Daryush Shokof’s fabled surreal film Seven Servants is now available for the first time. Starring Anthony Quinn with David Warner, Sonja Kirchberger, Audra McDonald, and Alexandra Stewart, Seven Servants is based on a dream by Iranian film maker Shokof. A wealthy, elderly man (Quinn, in his final performance) attempts to unite the races until his last breath by hiring four young men from the four corners of the world to reinvigorate him. They become a nucleus of a single, living organism with ten arms and ten legs that moves, eats, dances, and laughs together…

LOVE HEALS ALL WOUNDS aka ABSOLUTE EVIL Directed By Ulli Lommel Produced by Nola Roeper with Rusty Joiner, Carolyn Neff & Chris Kriesa
USA 2009 – Drama – 89’45“mn
Synopsis: Savannah (CAROLYN NEFF) and Cooper (RUSTY JOINER), madly in love with each other, share a traumatic experience from several years back when Savannah was still a child. But just as they seem to have conquered their inner demons, the past catches up on them. Pursued by enigmatic gang leader Raf (DAVID CARRADINE) and his plans of retaliation and murder, Savannah finds herself caught between absolute passion and absolute evil… ABSOLUTE EVIL pits newcomers Carolyn Neff and Rusty Joiner against veteran actor David Carradine (KILL BILL) and Fassbinder icon Ulli Lommel, who also wrote and directed.

BOPPIN’ AT THE GLUE FACTORY , Directed by Jeffrey Jay Orgill With Henry Dittman & Conrad Roberts
USA 2009 – Comedy – 81mn
Synopsis: A junkie nurse stumbles into his dream job – running the graveyard shift at a convalescent home. He quickly becomes a model employee and the old folks’ best friend. But just as his drugs run out, the management starts closing in, an old black jazzman discovers his secret and makes him a sweet deal… with heavy consequences.
World Premiere

CHARLIE VALENTINE Written & Directed by Jesse V. Johnson Executive Producers Edward Robin, Alan Robin, Bill J. Gottlieb, Robin Dill Produced by Ted Warren & Ray Cavaleri Starring Raymond J. Barry, Michael Weatherly, James Russo, Steven Bauer, Maxine Bahns, Keith David, Matthias Hues & Tom Berenger
USA 2009 – Drama – 96’
The film: “Charlie Valentine was a gangster, a gunfighter, a womanizer and a pretty fine chef… He was also the most dangerous, irresponsible scoundrel you ever met.”
Stylistically: This movie is my love letter to the French crime thrillers of the 1960’s and the “noir” movies of Hollywood’s Golden age. Story-wise: Charlie Valentine rejoices in the notion that within even the very darkest heart, there exists the capacity for change.

EAGLE FLUTE Directed by Tao Jiang with Yuan Guo, Huaiyang Qiu & T. Jiang
China 2009 – Drama – 87mn
EUROPEAN PREMIERE
The film: A nomadic Tibetan family raises a little girl, only because of a promise with a stranger. However when the girl is ready to marry with a young man, the family believes that they have no right to decide for the girl’s future. The girls starts a journey to find her parents.

GIUSEPPE E CALOGERA Director Michael Frank with Ilaria Liberatore & Rosaria Russo
Italy 2008 – Drama – 77MN
The film: Giuseppe, a young woman from Matera has been forced to endure life with a boy’s name. She yearns to become a mirror image of her older sister Calogera who ran away to Sicily several years before. Calogera has become disillusioned with the exotic Sicilian lifestyle she escaped to. She misses Giuseppe and the simple life of Matera and desperately wants to return home. Both sisters embark on a journey across southern Italy in search of each other, encountering challenges and haunting coincidences along the way.

NILOOFAR Directed by Sabine El Gemayel with Amir Aghai, Mobina Aynehdar & Nayereh Farahani
France/Iran 2008 – Drama – 82mn
The film: NILOOFAR Directed by Sabine El Gemayel Produced by Jean Bréhat, Rachid Bouchareb and Fereshteh Taerpour (France-Iran-Lebanon 2008 – 35mm- 87mins)
Shot entirely in Iran in 2007, Niloofar poetically focuses on a young Iraqi girl just entering puberty. This new phase in her life marks her entry into the circle of women, which brings with it new cultural obligations that leave little room for her own personal quest.

THE BABY FORMULA Director Alison Reid with Angela Vint, Megan Fahlenbock & Rosemary Dunsmore
Canada 2008 – Comedy – 81mn
The film: Until recently, it has been impossible for gay couples to conceive of the idea of being able to combine their genetics and have their own biological children. When I read an article about some science that made it possible to create offspring from two female mice, it resonated with me, and inspired me to make this film. The film follows a lesbian couple through their pregnancies as if they are the first women in the world giving birth to each others babies. The two actresses I cast were both pregnant in real life, and this resulted in some incredible experiences in shooting the film. – Alison Reid, Director/Producer

THE HIDE, Director Marek Losey with Alex MacQueen & Phil Campbell
GB 2008 – Thriller – 82mn
The film: The Hide is Marek Losey’s stunning debut feature; a dark psychological thriller that premiered to rave reviews at the Dinard Film Festival. Roy Tunt sequesters himself away in a timbered bird hide on a remote stretch of marsh awaiting a visit from the elusive Sociable Plover – a very rare sighting indeed. Armed with a packed lunch, flask of Bovril and a framed photograph of his ex-wife for company, Roy watches and waits…..Unbeknownst another visitor is on his way.

THE MORGUE, Directed by Gerson Sanginitto & Halder Gomes Produced by Carina Sanginitto & G. Sanginitto with Bill Cobbs, Lisa Crilley, Chris Devlin & Heather Donahue
USA 2008 – Thriller – 84’
The film: Trapped between the physical world and the afterlife, between dusk and dawn; strangers, brought together through a series of unusual events, are an enigma to themselves and go mysteriously unnoticed by others. In their futile attempt for survival, they latch on to each other at a desolate mortuary in hopes of making it through the night. There is an astonishing twist in this INTENSE psychological thriller…more is happening at the Morgue than meets the eye.
EUROPEAN PREMIERE

THE PRINCE OF BROADWAY Directed by Sean Baker – Produced by Darren Dean
with Prince Adu & Karren Karagulian
USA 2008 – Drama – 99mn
The film: Manhattan’s wholesale clothing district, located on Broadway between 25th and 30th streets, is the most colorful and vibrant part of the city. Even though I’ve lived in Manhattan for close to 20 years, every time I enter the district, I feel as if I am experiencing the city for the first time… almost through the eyes of a child. I was quite aware of the feeling that the district gave me and realized that placing a child in the center of this chaos would not only be dramatic but hopefully get the audience to experience the area the way that I do.

TOMBEE D’UNE ETOILE Written & Direted by Xavier Deluc with Katia Djafri – Produced by Clavis Films & Simon Shandor with Thomas Sagols, Rona Hartner, Jean-Louis Tribes, Catherine Wilkening & X. Deluc.
France 2008 – Comedy Drama – 82’
The film: Jaco, 25, has just been released from jail and is heading to the heart of Ardèche. He wants to find Antoine, the policeman who arrested him, and above all, to make it up with his sister Isabelle, who never saw him again after his arrest.
PRIX DÉCOUVERTE au FESTIVAL DE SARLAT (2008)

UNE CHANSON DANS LA TETE (Melodrama Habibi) Directed by Hany Tamba avec Patrick Chesnais & Julia Kassar
France/Liban 2008 – Comedy – 98mn
The film: In the 1970’s, Bruno Caprice was a one-hit wonder with his first and only single, “Quand tu t’en vas.” Now completely out of the limelight, he earns a living as a receptionist in a Parisian luxury hotel. An unexpected phone call changes his life: a rich Lebanese businessman wants him to come sing in Beirut, for his wife’s birthday. There he discovers that his song has not been forgotten.

FEATURE DOCUMENTARIES

BLOODLINE Directed by Bruce Burgess, Produced by Rene Barnett & B. Burgess
USA 2008 – Documentary – 113mn
The film: This controversial documentary follows the three year investigation by filmmaker Bruce Burgess and his American producing partner, René Barnett, into the so-called Bloodline conspiracy made popular by The DaVinci Code and the secret society known as the Priory of Sion which is said to be behind it all.

KRISIS – Directed by Helene Cristini and Judy Lacroix
Monaco 2009 – Documentary – 27’47”
Q & A with Director Helene Cristini
The film: The documentary ‘Krisis’ illustrates Edgar Morin’s and other wise philosophers’ ideas that in order to provide solutions to structural problems whatever they are, one first needs to undertake an inner transformation. Therefore, this documentary presents interviews with ‘enlightened’ persons: Sister Emmanuelle, Lytta Basset, pastor and Protestant theologian, the ancient chief Rabbi of France René Samuel Sirat, H.S.R Prince Hassan of Jordan, the first Minister of the Tibetan Government in Exile Kalun Tripa, Veer Bhadra Mishra, High Hindu priest and director of the Ganga Action plan N.G.O., Jacqueline de Romilly officer of the ‘Académie Française’, writer and specialist of the Ancient Greek Philosophy, the international scientist William Dab along and last but not least H..S.H Prince Albert II.

CHARITY, Director Yannick Carbonnaux (World Premiere)
France 2008 – Documentary – 60m
The film: Most people romanticize of life as a charity volunteer. However very few people know the reality of what life is really like as a volunteer in a foreign country.“Charity” is the journey in India of a European medical crew. They are all young, vibrant and enthusiastic individuals, but this is also their first experience of life as a volunteer. Quickly their enthusiasm and excitement dwindles and doubts begin to set in as the enormity of their task becomes apparent …. Yannick Carbonnaux, Director/Producer

FORGOTTEN FACES, Directed by Len Rosen, Produced by Lilly Berger
Canada 2008 – Documentary – 57’
The film: Filmed on the streets of Toronto, Canada, “Forgotten Faces” seeks to open the eyes, ears and hearts of the viewer towards homelessness. It does not attempt to show homelessness in any negative form, but does seek to warn its viewers that homelessness, if not treated early on, can give birth to very serious and many times terrifying circumstances. With no film crew, and equipped with only a video camera, filmmaker Len Rosen sets out to provide viewers with a virtual look at homelessness in a truly raw form. “Forgotten faces are forgotten lives. No one should be homeless.” – Director, Len Rosen
WORLD PREMIERE

L’ODYSSEE CLIMATIQUE DU SOUTHERN STAR Director Thierry Robert
France 2008 – Documentary – 52mn
The film: A l’occasion de l’Année Polaire Internationale, Olivier Pitras, premier navigateur français à avoir traversé l’Océan Glacial Arctique à la voile, et son équipage, embarquent à bord du voilier polaire Southern Star pour un an d’expédition autour de l’Amérique du Nord. Une aventure humaine hors du commun qui nous emmène au cœur des problématiques liées aux bouleversements actuels du climat. – Thierry Robert, Director / Paco Fernandez, Producer.
World Premiere

RETURN TO VIETNAM, Director Charles Domokos (European Premiere)
USA 2008 – Documentary – 60m
Director’s Statement: Shot in Vietnam, uncensored by Vietnamese authorities; additional interviews filmed in California. This is a film about extraordinary Americans making a difference in our unsettled world. It’s the story of former American and Canadian soldiers returning to China Beach, Vietnam to build the Hoa Hai rural health clinic, working alongside former enemies a few miles from where U.S. marines first landed in Vietnam in 1965. The returning ex-soldiers also set up free health care for Vietnamese to help better the lives of Vietnam’s impoverished children. Volunteer U.S. doctors accompany the former soldiers on this 10th anniversary “reconciliation trip.” Return to Vietnam is a story of true courage, as the Americans come to terms with the past, and turn painful memories, into positive acts that make a difference.

SOLDIERS OF PEACE Directed by Tim Wise Written by Steve Killelea & T. Wise
Narrated by Michael Douglas
USA 2008 – Documentary – 85’
The film: Stories from 14 countries around the world help reveal the astonishing and astonishingly little-known fact that the number of wars across the world is in fact dropping. Dramatically. We are actually in the grip of an outbreak of peace. Away from the cameras, ordinary people everywhere are taking amazing steps to force peace out of trouble and violence… In a way, this film is a call to action for us to start focusing on peace. Peace must come from within, and we cannot rely on our Governments to act for us…People will be inspired to act after seeing this film.- Tim Wise, Director
EUROPEAN PREMIERE

THE BATTLE OF LOCAL 5668, Producer & Director Shawn Bennett; Associates Producers Miye Bennett & Mic Molinaro Wriiten by S. Bennett & Kevin Jones (European Premiere)
USA 2007 – Documentary – 54mn
The film: The Battle of Local 5668 is an in depth, straight journalistic account told by the men and women who were directly involved in the dispute. It is the story of man against machine, David vs. Goliath, the human soul against the gears of the ever growing evil corporation. Even with 10 years reflection, the passion and tenacity of the steelworkers in the small town of Ravenswood WV still shocks and amazes.
54 min. Color.

THE ONE MAN VILLAGE (Semaan Bil Day’ia) Directed by Simon El Habre Produced by S. El Habre, Jad Abi Khalil & Irit Neidhardt
Lebanon 2008 – Documentary – 86mn
The film: Semaan is leading a quiet life on his farm in the small village Ain el-Halazoun in the Lebanese mountains. The hamlet was completely emptied and destroyed in combats during the civil war in Lebanon between 1975 and 1990. Today, many years after an official reconciliation, its inhabitants which are all from one family regularly go back to the village to cultivate their plots of land or visit their houses and always leave before sunset. In his comforting and humorous film Simon El Habre observes the life in his quasi ghost village and tries to reflect on the collective and individual memory in a country that seems to live in a collective amnesia and is vulnerable to a new civil war.

THEY CAME TO PLAY Directed by Alex Rotaru – Produced by Lori Miller
USA 2008 – Documentary -91mn
The film: THEY CAME TO PLAY is an uplifting feature-length documentary about The Van Cliburn International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs which portrays several multi-talented amateur pianists striving to balance their work, home, and musical lives, and then follows them to the competition for a week of intense competition, music and camaraderie.

TJUKURRPA, THE DREAMTIME Director Hugues Philippart
France 2007 – Documentary – 52mn
The film: In the North Territory, Indigenous tourism helps to reconcile the two different Australian peoples : the Europeans want to be forgiven for the tragic colonial period ; the aborigines try to preserve their ancient roots from the present and the future.
Producers Armen Bedrossian, Xavier Frequant et Hugues Philippart
WORLD PREMIERE

TROIS MINUTES TRENTE Directed by Isabelle Saunois
France 2009 – Documentary – 52mn
The film: Poisson-scie, barracuda, vrille ascendante ou descendante, flamant rose, rétropédalage… Ce sont les figures et gestes qu’Apolline et Lila vont répéter des heures durant pour tenter d’atteindre leur rêve, une place en finale aux Jeux Olympiques de Beijing en épreuve duo de natation synchronisée. Le film les suit dans cette aventure. – Isabelle Saunois, Director / Paco Fernandez, Producer.
World Premiere

SHORT FILMS

STUDENTS:

CALIFORNIA KING Writer/Director Eli Akira Kaufman with Monique Curnen & Don Hany
USA 2008- Comedy – 21mn – The film: Love is often found in the most unlikely places. In fact, it seems more the rule than the exception. In California King, a womanizing mattress salesman, who employs faux physics to get female customers into bed, falls for a skeptical insomniac who knows her science better than her heart. Of course these lovelorn characters deserve nothing less than each other. French Premiere

MY LEIDI’S RING Directed by Susana Djurovic
Colombia 2008 – Comedy – 16’40mn
The film: The perfect proposal: a surprise. Surprise is what was in store for Brian when he arrived to Colombia and realized that English was not enough to get him to his fiancée. A jeep ride, a Leidi, and a language were the only things keeping him from getting where he wanted to be; or were they? A romantic comedy in the heart of Colombia.
World Premiere

NO NAME ACTRESS Directed by Su-yeon Kim
Usa 2008 – Drama – 8mn
The film: No Name Actress is a story of a woman who wants to escape from her harsh reality by thriving to become an actress. Through her journey to discover her true identity, the film explores the importance of being who you are. – Su-Yeon Kim, Director/Producer, World Premiere

SOTTO IL MIO GIARDINO Director Andrea Lodovichetti with Stefano Bottone, Alessandra Pellegrino & Katia Nani
Italy 2007 – Thriller Drama – 19mn
The film: It is a story abou Marco, a 10-year old boy who has a passion for insects, is convinced that his neighbour has killed his wife and has buried her under his garden, the evidence being a large ant -nest he has been carefully examining for a while. He thus decides to carry out some investigations; he only reveals his thoughts to his little friend, Sara…“…you can fool everyone, you can fool your neighbours, you can fool the police… but you can’t fool the ants!” I was well aware of the risks I could face filming a movie whose main characters were two 8 years old kids, but I decided to try thi s experiment accepting all the responsibilities. I cannot properly say that the production was against it, but they invited me to be careful in presenting a movie with children as final diploma test at Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. A thing that I have always repeated to Stefano and Alessandra was that they were in my hands, and I was in theirs.

TOY SOLDIER Directed by Sa Chiaravanond’s
Thailand 2008 – Drama – 15mn
The film: Toy Soldier is a powerful story about a 10 year old boy from Ayudya Province in Thailand who journeys into Bangkok to search for his mother, only to find that she works in the red light district. He attempts to save her by means of an ultimate sacrifice.
World Premiere

WINNING THE PEACE Directed by Eli Akira Kaufman with Don Hany, Yasmine Delawari & Chris Grove.
USA 2008 – War Drama – 18mn
The film: Winning the Peace, Directed by Eli Akira Kaufman, (USA, 2006 – 18 min) is the story of an Iraqi American Marine on a personal crusade to redeem his place of birth. Following Aristotle’s rule of thumb that tragedy must befall “noble” men, our hero believes strongly in America’s mission in Iraq. His actions around his men belie a deeper belief in the righteousness of his duties beyond professional soldiering. Ultimately our hero’s moral imperative to torment the wicked and save the aggrieved proves untenable. He fails and as we watch him, his failure is our failure, the failure of our belief in brutality as a means to an end. He must confront the reality of this “good war” and in his despair we recognize our tragic bind in the Middle East.
French Premiere

6 SHORT MOVIES FROM NDU (Notre Dame University, Lebanon)

Notre Dame University Students’ Film Festival Winners

The Tape Directed by Marc Sayegh with Issam El Achkar & Wissam Ayoub
Lebanon 2008 – Comedy – 17’30” (USEK: Holy Spirit University)
Synopsis: Hani a 12 year old decides to watch a pornographic film. The electricity breaks off and the tape gets stuck in the VCR…The father walks in to find the VCR destroyed… The father scolds Hani and takes the VCR to the repair shop. Hani starts off with his different attempts to regain the tape before his father finds out…

Suspended Voices Directed by Rana Mouallem with Lamia Iskandarani & Souraya Zakhariou
Lebanon 2008 – 22mn (ALBA: Academie Libanaise Des Beaux Arts)
Synopsis: As a result of the occupation of the South Lebanon, a displaced family tries to recreate a world to re-live its past in the present.

Happy Birthday Directed by Lea-Maria Cremona with Betty Taoutel & Issam Aboukhaled
Lebanon 2008 – Drama – 18mn (Saint Joseph University)
Synopsis: Lucia a sixty year old woman waits for her family to celebrate her birthday.
Walid‘s gift comes in the person of a mysterious girl.
Baptist, a lonely 50-year-old man, is seeking for his mother’s dog on her birthday.
Maria runs through the whole town searching desperately for a cake.
One night, four birthdays, the same feeling of deception…

Notre Dame University Students

Cain’s Remorse Directed by Andrew J. Hachem with Tony Kahoush & Salim Habr
Lebanon 2009 – War Drama – 21’48”
Synopsis: The story revolves around the war between “Fateh el Islam” terrorist organization and the Lebanese Army at Nahr al Bared; a Palestinian refugee camp at the northern side of Lebanon. Throughout these fights, Fathi, a man from the fundamentalist organization, visualizes his past in recurrence to what he is living in the present, in the midst of all what is going on; from fighting, to sniping, and bombardments. Surrounded by the influence of many Fundamentalist Muslim “brothers” around him, Fathi has one last chance to discover the true meaning of a brother.
World Premiere

Blue Line Directed by Salim Habr with Joey Karam & Mohammad Reda
Lebanon 2009 – Drama – 19mn
Synopsis: The story is happening in South Lebanon during the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel.
It speaks about a woman who captures an Israeli soldier.
World Premiere

Civil But Not Civilized Directed by George Tarabay with Raymond Saliba & Pascale Harfouche
Lebanon 2009 – Black Comedy – 16’30”
Synopsis: In 1989, during the Lebanese Civil war, 2 kids experienced a unique adventure while running away from the city to the mountains with their grandfather and parents, while unexpected events stuck their way. A comedy and tragedy melt in childhood’s memory.
World Premiere

All the above Movies World Premiere

SHORTS FROM DONGSEO UNIVERSITY, PUSAN, SOUTH KOREA
(IM KWON-TAEK COLLEGE OF FILM & PERFORMING ARTS)
Grand Prix at Kim-hae Art & Sports Center Film Festival

SWEETROOM Directed by Yang Yeog Jin with Kim Ha-na & Son Yung-in
South Korea 2008 – Drama – 17mn
Director Statement: It’s a journey into people’s heart and imagination.

SHE Directed by Keum Kang-soo with Kim Ji-eun & Lee Jae-wook
South Korea 2008 – Drama – 9mn
Director’s Statement: I’d like to show the man’s muddle of his sexual identity and feeling.

WELCOME Mrs SOON -JA Directed by Sim Ran-hee with Lee Jae-ryoun & Park Sun-young
South Korea 2008 – Comedy – 15mn
Director’s Statement: In the smallest community which is called “family”, what are we to each other? I wanted to define the meaning of the word “Family” through humour.

Critic’s Choice at Kim-hae Art & Sports Center Film Festival
1592 Directed by Lee Jung-wan with Sung Wan-yong & Ra Se-hum
South Korea 2008 – Drama – 19mn
Director’s Statement: What if? What if a Japanese Samurai and a Korean Soldier for National Independence meet during the Japanese Occupation of Korea. These 2 men meet during 3 days – what happens? The subject intrigued me so much I wanted to make a movie out of this!

Award of Excellence at Kim-hae Art & Sports Center Film Festival

SHE WAS A MINER Directed by Kim Nam-ri with Kim Chun-nyo & Kim Ok-hee
South Korea 2008 – Drama – 18mn
Director’s Statement: I was always curious to know what old women Coal Miners would say after a life spent in the coal mines – and now ending their lives in hospitals. I wanted to catch their sincerity.

All the Above Shorts World Premiere
Total 78mn

NON STUDENT SHORTS:

DA MARIACHI Directed by Nadine El-Khoury Produced by Hanna Hajjar
USA 2008 – Comedy – 4’41”
Synopsis: An American guy is in love with a Latina Girl, but doesn’t speak Spanish, yet he wants to serenade her the Mariachi way, so he asks a Spanish friend of his to do the translation. The situation goes astray when the friend starts translating as he pleases, then taking over by trying to romance the girl, the two friends split, and the girl is lost between the two guys.
World Premiere

DEAD CELL (Cellule Morte) Director Lou Ma Ho with Mai Anh Le & Thierry Pietra
France/GB 2008 – Drama – 32mn
The film: A young women awakes in a cell. She has done nothing wrong to be there. She will discover that she is only guilty to have done nothing.

DEFILED Directed by Tanya Boyd
USA 2009 – 13mn
The film: DEFILED, was shot entirely in Los Angeles, California, in 2008. The film is about a young mother’s decision for her five-year old daughter’s ‘right of passage,’ a ritual that’s usually performed by the village elder, in unsanitary conditions, and without any type of anesthesia. That being said, the young mother decides to take her daughter to the local clinic where trained professionals, in sanitary conditions, will operate instead. Unfortunately, in trying to do what’s best, something goes terribly wrong. World Premiere

FEELING NORTH KOREA Directed by Wang Peng – Produced by Yennie Hao
China 2005 – Docu – 13mn
The film: Random shoots were taken during the director’s three days visit in North Korea
World Premiere

HOLODOMOR, Ukraine’s Genocide of 1932-33 – Directed by Bobby Leigh
USA 2008 – Documentary – 20’42”
The film: Joseph Stalin and his henchmen executed ten million people within 17 months in Ukraine in 1932-33 by starvation. This genocide has been kept a secret for the past 7 decades. This documentary film uncovers this secret. This story needs to be told in remembrance of the 10 million lives that were lost and in hopes that something like this will never repeat anywhere in the world.
The voices of all those innocent souls who needlessly perished will finally have a chance to be heard. The world needs to be told the story of this tragedy which is hardly known and that has been suppressed for over the past 75 years. The time has come for the world to learn the truth.

LE TONNEAU DES DANAIDES (The Danaides Barrel) Directed by David Guiraud with Benoit Rabille & Sandrine Pottier
France 2008 – Fantasy – 13mn
The film: In the desert, a man is buried to his neck in the sand. A woman, naked under red veils, walks away without paying any attention to him…

MIRASLAVA Directed by Roberto Santaguida
Canada, 2007 – 7’25”
The film: “Miraslava” is a documentary film that explores how communal suffering, spiritual or economic, can tear down the walls that formerly confine each man in his own interests. It is also an examination of the often over-looked beauty and disgust of the everyday – in the midst of a throbbing, overcrowded city.

ONLY IN PARIS Director Cary Cremidas with Judi Beecher & Jean-Bertrand Aschraf
USA 2009 – Romantic Comedy – 13mn
The film: “Only in Paris” is the story of an American woman who finds out her fiancé is cheating on her. To prove to him and herself that she is “Sexy” she tries to find the “hottest” man in Paris and in a cat and mouse chase follows him all over Paris. Does she get her man? – Judi Beecher – Producer
World Premiere

PASSING THROUGH Directed by Wang Peng – Produced by Yennie Hao
China 2006 – Docu – 12mn
The film: As the artist walking through the streets of Beijing, a thin thread coming out of his back, causing unexpected confusion behind him.
World Premiere

PIE & COFFEE Directed by DJ Holloway Produced by Sun Kim, Johnny Byul Lee & James Monegan with Doug Jones & Trip Hope
USA 2008 – Drama – 20mn*The film:*An ignored homeless man (Doug Jones) preaches in front of a corporation as people start their work day. Will the seed of his message be wasted, or will it take root?
European Premiere

SHY Written & Directed by April Rouveyrol with Harry Brockington IV, Javi Moreno & Mimi Fuenzalida
USA 2008 – Drama – 13mn
The film: SHY tells the story of an isolated boy who braves his urban neighborhood to find his independence. Lewis, an agoraphobic twelve-year-old African-American boy, lives in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles with his grandmother. His mother disappeared years ago and Lewis has not gone out since. When Lewis’ grandmother dies, he finally ventures outside. While wandering the streets, he is oblivious to the agitated urban life around him and meets sixteen-year-old Javi, who is in the process of robbing a market. Lewis and Javi forge an unlikely friendship as two troubled kids trying to figure things out.

THE FLOWER Directed by Hye Rin Kim
USA/Japan 2008 – Documentary – 14mn
The film: “The Flower” is about Japanese history of martyrdom. In 1614, Christian persecution began till 1873, with thousands of believers becoming martyred over three centuries. Our Lord remembers the tears and blood of martyrs. That is why He calls Japan a “flower”. This film is about God’s tear.
European Premiere

THANKSGIVING IN INDIA Directed by Peter Yunho Chung
USA 2008 – Documentary – 16mn
The film: Shot in the neighborhoods surrounding New Delhi – India, Thanksgiving in India is about the restoring of dignity and humanity to the lowest of the low in India. For 3000 years, India has been bound by a rigid system of social and religious hierarchy called caste. Sunil Sardar and his ministry battle against the remains of that system with Love.
European Premiere

WHERE IS SHE? …BRAZIL!, Film by Christopher Kriesa
USA/BRAZIL 2009 – Documentary – 38mn
Director Statement: A look at the beauty of beaches of Northeastern Brazil and the warmth and playfulness of its people.
WORLD PREMIERE