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January 18 to 28, 2007
Counting Down:
This year’s spectrum section as a promising mix of world preems and is perhaps a stronger selection than what was offered same time last year and sadly the highlight of the section finds the last film from actor/director Adrienne Shelly.
“Angel-A” (France), directed and written by Luc Besson, a fairy tale about a man who gets a new lease on life after he rescues a beautiful young woman from a suicide attempt in the Seine River.
“Bugmaster” (Japan), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and written by Sadayuki Murai, derived from an ancient legend and based on a famous Manga about an itinerant, mystical doctor who cures people from a plague caused by supernatural creatures called “Mushi.”
“Dark Matter” (U.S.), directed by Chen Shi-Zheng and written by Billy Shebar, inspired by real events, about a brilliant Chinese astronomy student whose dreams are challenged when he takes up studies for his Ph.D. in the U.S. Stars Meryl Streep,Liu Ye, Aidan Quinn, Blair Brown, Bill Irwin, Rob Campbell, Joe Grifasi and Eric Avari. World premiere.
“Dedication” (U.S.), the feature directorial debut by actor Justin Theroux and written by David Bromberg, a comic drama about the problems of a socially disfunctional children’s book author forced to work with a female illustrator after he loses his long-time collaborator and only friend. Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, Tom Wilkinson, Dianne Wiest, Bob Balaban, Martin Freeman, Christine Taylor, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Bogdanovich and Amy Sedaris head the cast. World premiere.
“Delirious” (U.S.), directed and written by Tom DiCillo, about the odd dynamics in the relationships among a two-bit paparazzo, a young homeless man and a female pop star. Toplines Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman and Gina Gershon.
“The Devil Came on Horseback” (U.S.), a documentary directed by Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern (“The Trials of Darryl Hunt”), centered on a U.S. Marine’s attempt to stir public interest in the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. World premiere.
“Expired” (U.S.), directed and written by Cecilia Miniucchi, about the curious love affair between a lonely meter maid and a disturbed fellow parking officer. With Samantha Morton, Jason Patric, Teri Garr and Illeana Douglas. World premiere.
“Fay Grim” (U.S./Germany), directed and written by Hal Hartley, a sequel to “Henry Fool” eight years on about a single mother who is drawn into a perplexing world of international espionnage. Stars Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burrows, Liam Aiken and Thomas Jay Ryan.
“Fraulein” (Switzerland), directed and written by Andrea Staka, which looks at how a tough Zurich restaunteur from the former Yugoslavia becomes unsettled by a younger, free-spirited woman who arrives after the Balkan War. With Mirjana Karanovic and Marija Skaricic.
“The Go-Getter” (U.S.), directed and written by Martin Hynes (“The Big Split”), a road movie about a teen’s trip in a stolen car to find his long-lost brother. Features Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone. World premiere.
“The Great World of Sound” (U.S.), directed by Craig Zobel (“Surfacing”) and written by George Smith and Zobel, about a man who gets something different than he bargained for when he answers an ad to train as a record producer. With Pat Healy, Kene Holliday and Rebecca Mader, and produced by David Gordon Greene. World premiere.
“If I Had Known I Was A Genius” (U.S.), directed by Dominique Wirtschafter and written by Markus Redmond, with the latter appearing as a young African-American man who discovers he has a high IQ and tries to forge a new life for himself while also struggling with his dysfunctional family. World premiere.
“Interview” (U.S.), directed by Steve Buscemi and written by Buscemi and David Schechter, a remake of a film by the late Theo Van Gogh, about the dark secrets that surface when a political journalist is assigned to interview a glamorous television actress. Buscemi stars with Sienna Miller. World premiere.
“Low and Behold” (U.S.), directed by Zack Godshall and written by Godshall and Barlow Jacobs, which looks at an insurance adjuster in post-Katrina New Orleans. With Jacobs, Robert Longstreet and Eddie Rouse. World premire.
“La Misma Luna” (The Same Moon) (U.S.), directed by Patricia Riggen (“Family Portrait”) and written by Ligiah Villalobos, the story of a Mexican boy who, upon the death of his grandmother, struggles to join his mother in Los Angeles. Features Adrian Alonso, Kate dei Castillo, Eugenio Derhez and America Ferrara. World premiere.
“Miss Navajo” (U.S.), directed by Billy Luther, a documentary exploration of the role of women in Navajo culture as seen through one young woman’s preparation for the Miss Navajo National Pageant. World premiere.
“Red Road” (U.K.), directed and written by Andrea Arnold, a raw, disturbing drama about a female surveillance officer in Glasgow who eventually confronts a man she observes on her video screens. Winner of the Prix du Jury in Cannes. Katie Dickie, Tony Curran, Martin Compston and Natalie Press topline.
“Reprise” (Norway), directed by Joachim Trier and written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, which focuses on the life experiences of two competitive aspiring writers in their twenties.
“Save Me” (U.S.), directed by Robert Cary (“Anything but Love”) and written by Craig Chester, Alan Hines and Robert Desiderio, which investigates the difficulties a young man has when he enters a Christian-run ministry to try to cure his “gay affliction.” With Chad Allen, Robert Gant, Judith Light and Stephen Lang. World premiere.
“Tuli” (Philippines), directed by Auraeus Solito and written by Jimmy Flores, about the alternate life created by a young girl from a remote Philippines village after being forced into an arranged marriage.
“The Unforeseen” (U.S.), directed by Laura Dunn, a documentary about the battle between a Texas farmer planning a large subdivisions in pristine hill country and environmentalists who feel enough is enough. World premiere.
“Waitress” (U.S.), directed and written by the late Adrienne Shelly, her third feature as a director, about a pregnant, unhappily married waitress in the South who may have one last shot at happiness. Stars Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto and Andy Griffith. World premiere.
“Wonders Are Many” (U.S.), in which vet docu filmmaker Jon Else looks at the collaboration between John Adams and Peter Sellars on their opera about Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, while also examining the complex birth of nuclear weapons. World premiere.
“Year of the Fish” (U.S.), directed and written by David Kaplan, a contempo Cinderella story set in the underbelly of New York’s Chinatown rendered in rotoscope animation. World premiere.
Angel-A – Luc Besson
Bugmaster – Katsuhiro Otomo
Dark Matter – Chen Shi-Zheng
Dedication – Justin Theroux
Delirious – Tom DiCillo
The Devil Came on Horseback – Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern
Expired – Cecilia Miniucchi
Fay Grim – Hal Hartley
Fraulein – Andrea Staka
The Go-Getter – Martin Hynes
The Great World of Sound – Craig Zobel
If I Had Known I Was A Genius – Dominique Wirtschafter
Interview – Steve Buscemi
Low and Behold – Zack Godshall
La Misma Luna (The Same Moon) – Patricia Riggen
Miss Navajo – Billy Luther
Red Road – Andrea Arnold
Reprise – Joachim Trier
Save Me – Robert Cary
Tuli – Auraeus Solito
The Unforeseen – Laura Dunn
Waitress – Adrienne Shelly
Wonders Are Many – Jon Else
Year of the Fish – David Kaplan
