FILM:
A Woman in Berlin (Eine Frau in Berlin)
Adapted from German journalist Marta Hillers's best-selling diary and published anonymously in 1954, A WOMAN IN BERLIN depicts the end of World War II—and all the compromises it required for survival. It is April 1945, and the Red Army is invading Berlin. A photographer and journalist (eloquently played by award-winning actor Nina Hoss) becomes the victim of a traumatic sexual assault at the hands of the occupying soldiers. In her desperation to find some kind of protection for the German women left behind in this war-torn city, she meets a Soviet officer named Andrej, with whom she soon develops a powerful and forbidden relationship. This is a captivating love story about a “deal with the devil” and the treacherous dilemmas that women must navigate in times of war.-Candace Schermerhorn
FILM:
The Country Teacher (Venkovský ucitel)
Though Petr may teach his young students that if we don't understand nature, then we can't understand ourselves, he may not realize how much he still has to learn about himself. Leaving his parents and a loveless relationship behind, Petr moves to the country and soon befriends Marie and her teenage son Lada on their farm. Before long an intense unrequited desire forms: Marie's for Petr and Petr's for Lada. In a country rife with homophobia, Petr's unwelcome advances toward Lada create a devasting rift between them and alters Petr's life forever. Using beautiful, long, fluid shots, THE COUNTRY TEACHER is an incredibly powerful and moving film about people who only want love, but who are too afraid and unsure to seek it for themselves or to accept it when they find it. -Ryan Hedge
FILM:
The Ghost (Domovoy)
US PREMIERE Anton is a successful suspense writer bored with his work. He lacks inspiration and is close to giving up writing altogether. Things change when an unexpected visitor approaches Anton at a book signing and asks him if he's ever really murdered a man. Anton thinks nothing of it until he witnesses the stranger murder a victim outside the bookstore. Both frightened and inspired, Anton makes contact with this stranger who offers him an inside look into the life of an assassin. Will Anton find the inspiration he seeks, or will this Faustian deal come back to haunt him as he gets deeper into the assassin's life? -Vince Palomarez
FILM:
Kabuli Kid
US PREMIERE The ancient and historic crossroads, Kabul, Afghanistan, is a city with a vibrant daily life while tanks and planes rumble in the background. This is the lovingly-told story of ordinary people living ordinary lives in a devastated city. There have been thirty years of war—thirty long, wounded years. Khaled, the father of four daughters, is a taxi driver. One day his fare is a burkha-clad woman, with only her bare hands and ankles visible. Khaled exclaims that the Taliban is gone now and she should not hide herself. When she gets out of the cab, she leaves her infant son behind. Surely, this is a mistake! Khaled and his friends comb Kabul, going to the police, an orphanage, and the radio station. As they search, they reveal the truths of their lives. KABULI KID is poignant and compassionate without being moralizing. It is an unforgettable film. -Betsy R. Cramer
FILM:
Landscape No 2
US PREMIERE While stealing a priceless painting, common thief Sergej's greed gets the best of him when he mistakenly takes a mysterious document that refers to some shady dealings near the end of World War II. Thinking nothing of it, Sergej goes about his normal life of cheating and lying to those who love him. Little does he know the document in his possession is something the owner does not want made public. The owner will do whatever it takes to recover the painting and the document. Will Sergej realize the danger coming his way or will his selfishness send him to his doom? -Vince Palomarez
FILM:
Lost Islands (Iim avudim)
US PREMIERE Set in 1983, this Israeli film is a coming-of-age story not just for the two brothers who are the emotional center of the film, but also for their family and perhaps even for Israel. When we first meet the brothers, life is simple. Their days are passed enjoying old TV shows, heading off on family road trips and living in a world chock-a-block full of eighties American pop songs. But this glossy nostalgia is short-lived. All too quickly a love interest and familial loyalty divide the inseparable brothers. The naive images of youth are shattered when a son realizes his father is far less than perfect and when one son's sense of honor and national duty is put to test by the reality of war.-Joe Palladino
FILM:
The Man Who Loved Yngve (Mannen som elsket Yngve)
US PREMIERE November, 1989. Seventeen-year-old Jarle Klepp and his friends escape the grey tedium of their small Norwegian town through their hardcore punk band, "Mattias Rust Band." Jarle has it all—the best girlfriend and the coolest friends, and he basks in the recognition fueled by his band. But things take a turn when Yngve, a new boy, arrives at school. Jarle's world is turned upside down and he finds himself choosing between the girl everyone envies him for and a boy whose life and passions counter his own. Based on the best-selling book by Tore Renberg, first time feature-helmer Stian Kristiansen delivers a sparkling, dramatic coming-of-age story, with music from some of the leading rock bands from the period.-Candace Schermerhorn
FILM:
Racketeer (РЗKETИР)
US PREMIERE RACKETEER reveals the unbridled capitalism that arose after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Sayan Bekarimov, a young aspiring boxer, is faced with few alternatives in the dismal post-Soviet environment. He has a chance for success when he is recruited by Ruslan, a local protection racketeer. Abandoning all he has worked for and the vision for his future, Sayan proves his worth through his boxing skills. With time and savvy he becomes a valuable asset to Ruslan's ring. The film unfolds through the voice of young Sayan, taking us through his climb in the brotherhood of gang culture where trust is a myth. Sataev's first feature is a window into urban Kazakhstan and life in the rackets. -Candace Schermerhorn
FILM:
Tandoori Love
US PREMIERE TANDOORI LOVE is a spirited, multicultural love story set in the majestic Swiss Alps. Members of an Indian film crew producing the latest Bollywood extravaganza experience a clash of cultures and culinary tastes when they encounter the unassuming and peculiar folks populating the surrounding mountainous region. Markus, the proprietor of a failing local eatery, hires the film's cook, Raja, to lend his exemplary talents and delectable dishes to the restaurant's menu, but Raja's presence at the restaurant means that somewhere nearby a spoiled film starlet isn't getting her home-cooked meals. Things heat up when Markus's fiancée, Sonja, is tempted by more than just Raja's cooking. While Sonja is torn between suitors, a bevy of quirky characters live out stories of their own in this song-filled romance. -Joe Stussi
FILM:
Tears for Sale (Carlston za Ognjeka)
US PREMIERE One of the region's most expensive productions ever, TEARS FOR SALE is an erotic and darkly funny journey into Serbian folklore and tradition. It's an allegorical fantasy about the Balkan nightmare seen through female eyes, in which meaningful lives are remade from scratch and the joys of life must be celebrated, even in the hardest of times. Working with a sweeping score by Wong Kar-wai's composer of choice, Shigeru Umebayashi (IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE), Stojanovic crafts a world of black-and-white magic where bats and butterflies flap their wings together, the local bar serves spider brandy that summons waltzing ghosts, and a vineyard bears a harvest of landmines. Dance into the night in the lusty caress of Pokrp's widows as they take delight in understanding and experiencing true love.-Colin Geddes
FILM:
Tiramisu
US PREMIERE In the latest film from Oscar-nominated Dutch writer-director Paula van der Oest (ZUS & ZO), an aging theatre diva Anne (Anneke Blok, one of the three scheming sisters from ZUS & ZO), and a prudish bookkeeper, Jacob, find themselves at a crossroads. Anne is forced to face the consequences of serious debt and the possible foreclosure on her treasured houseboat, while Jacob gets a taste of a lavish lifestyle through Anne's crowd of colorful, theatrical friends. Anne refuses to go to ex-husband Lex (Gijs Scholten van Aschat) for a bailout and struggles to find a way to preserve her home for herself and her daughter. A tender and surprising shift overtakes these two lives as Anne comes to terms with giving up and Jacob becomes determined to help her hold on.
FILM:
Treeless Mountain
US PREMIERE So Yong Kim's TREELESS MOUNTAIN is a subtle film, a gorgeous movie and a well-crafted story. Filmed through the perspective of its young protagonists, six-year-old Jin and her toddler sister, Bin, it is a portrait of the girls' emotions after being abandoned by their mother and left in the care of a cruel alcoholic, Big Aunt, after being evicted from their apartment. When their Mother leaves, she gives the girls an empty piggy bank and instructs them to fill the bank with coins they earn, promising to return when the bank is full. We experience the sisters' bond that keeps their wonder and sense of family alive, allowing us to find hope in an otherwise tragic situation.-Nanci Herbst
FILM:
Zift
US PREMIERE After spending time in jail for a wrongful conviction for murder, Moth reenters a society that has drastically changed around him. Everything and everyone he once knew has been turned upside down. Lost in this new world, Moth seeks to rekindle old relationships while avoiding the grasp of dirty cops on the lookout for a unique diamond that has been missing since Moth was put in jail. Featuring a dense story loaded with suspense and twists at every turn, ZIFT is a film that harkens back to classic film noir movies of the 1950s in both style and structure. -Vince Palomarez
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