“Dreams” To Race In SILVERDOCS’ Competition
by Peter Knegt (May 20, 2009)
STERLING WORLD FEATURE COMPETITON ANOTHER PLANET (MASIK BOLYGO) / HUNGARY, 2008, 96 minutes (Director: Ferenc Moldovanyi)—This powerful globe-spanning film introduces us to children who are struggling to survive as trash scavengers, soldiers and sex workers. The children speak plainly to the camera about their work, resulting in a film that lands like a hard punch. ANOTHER PLANET offers a rare opportunity to open your heart to another—often forgotten—world. East Coast Premiere. BLOOD TRAIL / UNITED KINGDOM/USA, 2008, 79 minutes (Director: Richard Parry)—Follow war photographer Robert King for 15 years as he works war zones worldwide. Along the way, the brutality of the subject steadily takes its toll on King. We rely on war reporters to take us where we never want to go, but rarely do we consider the costs. East Coast Premiere. COOKING HISTORY / AUSTRIA/SLOVAKIA/CZECH REPUBLIC, 2009, 88 minutes (Director: Peter Kerekes)—This innovative film re-imagines Europe’s troubled past through the unheralded culinary workers who “catered” some of the pivotal armed conflicts of the modern era. Punctuated by recipes, cooking demonstrations and sometimes-fanciful interviews, this record of the quotidian details of military cuisine underscores the futility—and unfortunate persistence—of ethnic and political warfare. US Premiere. DANCING WITH THE DEVIL / UNITED KINGDOM, 2009, 102 minutes (Director: Jon Blair)—This gripping film by Oscar winner Jon Blair offers an intimate look at the running battle between police and drug lords in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. In the midst of staggering violence, Pastor Dione dos Santos tries to broker peace among all parties. World Premiere. HUNTING DOWN MEMORY (JAKTEN PA HUKOMMELSEN) / NORWAY, 2009, 80 minutes (Director: Thomas Lien)—Imagine waking up in a foreign country and not knowing who you are, what you’re doing there or how you even got there in the first place. For 27-year-old Oyvind Aamot, finding his way home turns out to be only the beginning of yet another journey. US Premiere. MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN / UNITED KINGDOM, 2009, 90 minutes (Director: Lucy Bailey)—Told through the lens of 74-year-old white farmer Michael Campbell and his family, the film explores Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s deeply controversial land seizure program, which was intended to redistribute white-owned land to poor black Zimbabweans. Instead it has led to an increase in poverty, hunger, violence and intimidation among the majority of the country’s citizens. US Premiere. PARTLY PRIVATE / CANADA, 2009, 82 minutes (Director: Danae Elon)—Elon faces the question “To cut or not to cut?” in this charming, heartfelt and highly personal documentary. Elon travels from her home in New York to Washington, DC, Israel, Turkey, Italy and back again in search of guidance, as she and her husband address the question of whether to circumcise their sons. Along the way, she consults rabbis, doctors, priests, parents, activists and Buster, a slightly cracked anti-circumcisionist on horseback.
|
AFI Fest
AFI Fest '09
BROKEN EMBRACES
A Film By Almodovar, Starring Penelope Cruz Opens New York 11/20, Opens Los Angeles 12/11 Opens additional cities 12/25 Where is it opening by you? www.sonyclassics.com/brokenembraces/dates.html "Astonishing! A Masterpiece!" Jeffrey Lyons, KNBC Weekend Today "Cruz with Almodovar makes BROKEN EMBRACES soar!" Richard Corliss, TIME Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar www.brokenembracesmovie.com www.facebook.com/brokenembracesmovie |
||||||
