“Every year we set out to bring unique films with new, provocative and inspiring ideas, accompanied by their filmmakers which add a certain pizzazz to our five-day festival,” said Executive Director Kevin McNeely. “We are thrilled to present fresh films that have not been seen at many of the world’s festivals, unique entertainment and celebrities, all adding to the mix of our welcoming and entertaining festival.”
This year SIFF will honor actor and director Meg Ryan with a SONOMA SALUTE AWARD at a Tribute event on Thursday, March 31. Beginning with a special screening of Ryan’s directorial feature film debut, Ithaca, the Tribute will follow with a Conversation moderated by Eliot Kotek, filmmaker and publisher of Beyond Cinema Magazine, and a presentation of the award. Meg Ryan’s comedic appeal was widely recognized in her first Golden Globe-nominated performance as Sally Allbright in When Harry Met Sally. She went on to star in Nora Ephron’s hit romantic comedy Sleepless in Seattle, opposite Tom Hanks. Her last collaboration with Ephron and Hanks was the romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail. Other distinctive dramatic roles have been in Courage Under Fire, When A Man Loves A Woman, and Promised Land. Her more recent films that showcase her powerful dramatic portraits include: Serious Moonlight, In the Land of the Women, Kate & Leopold, The Presidio, and the forever popular Top Gun. Ryan has gone on to distinguish herself as one of Hollywood’s top actresses starring in over 40 films. SIFF has the pleasure to screen her directorial film debut: Ithaca written by Erik Jendersen and based on a novel by William Saroyan and starring Tom Hanks, Ryan, Jack Quaid and Sam Shepard.
“We are honored to screen Ithaca, Meg’s directorial film debut,” commented McNeely. “She is a critically-acclaimed actress whose films reflect a wide range of dynamic roles that make her a unique talent in the motion picture industry. We are thrilled she will be a part of our 19th festival!”
Opening this year’s festival is Joachim Trier’s Louder Than Bombs, which stars Amy Ryan, Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne and Rachel Brosnahan. A few years after a war photographer’s death in a car crash, her husband, Gene (Byrne), and two sons Jonah (Eisenberg) and Conrad, have to reopen old wounds when a retrospective of her work is being held at an art gallery. Just like how a photograph’s meaning can be altered by framing and depth of field, so too can these three men’s memories and feelings offer a unique perspective on their wife or mother. The opening night festivities will take place at the historic Sebastiani Theatre on Wednesday, March 30.
SIFF concludes with The Sense of Wonder, a romantic comedy directed by French director Éric Besnard. At the heart of the Drôme Provencale, Louise (Virginie Efira) raises her two children while trying to preserve the family farm. One evening she almost crushes a stranger with her car. She takes care of him, even though he’s not really wounded. It turns out that he has mental disorders and that they can help each other much more than they thought. The festivities will come to a close with a party in the Backlot Tent featuring music by the Grateful Blue Grass Boys Band.
Festival Highlights & Local Offerings
As the Sonoma International Film Festival has grown over these past 19 years, it has established itself as a destination festival as well as continuing to expand and broaden its scope for filmmakers and guests alike. Every film has been selected for the integrity of the storytelling, dedication to the filmmaking craft and always keeping the audience in mind.
Complementing its diverse and truly international program of independent cinema, SIFF offers a unique blend of world-class cuisine from local artisans and exceptional wine from Sonoma vintners, making for an epicurean experience few film festivals in the world can match. Renowned filmmakers, industry leaders and celebrities have enjoyed its intimate ambiance, while many filmmakers who have premiered at SIFF return with future projects. Following are just a few special highlights the festival has to offer:
v Opening Night Reception – SIFF is thrilled and honored to begin the Film Festival libations at the Backlot Tent in the middle of the historic Sonoma Plaza. Attending filmmakers, festival sponsors and pass holders will be treated to the epicurean delights of the girl & the fig, Café La Haye, the Swiss Hotel, Della Santina, Harvest Moon and Touché Mobile Chefs, as well as bubbles by Gloria Ferrer, still wine from Madrone, Lake Sonoma, Clos Du Bois, Buena Vista Winery, Corner 103 and Petroni Winery.
v Preceding the opening night film, SIFF will present the Sonoma Salute Award to Producer/Screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen, in honor of his dedication and support of the festival. A Sonoma resident and owner of Kamen Estate Wines, Kamen has been writing screenplays for 35 years and is best known for such films as TAPS, The 5th Element, and the Karate Kid, Transporter& the Taken franchises. His next film to be released is Warriors Gate. In addition, Kamen will give a Screenwriting Master Class on Saturday, April 2, from 11:45 – 12:30 pm, in which he will talk about the mechanics of a screenplay.
v From Script to Distribution Panel, Saturday, April 2, 10:30-11:30 am - Filmmakers will be able to ask questions of these industry experts and receive invaluable information. Panel will feature this year’s jurors, listed below.
v An exciting new hospitality and party venue have been adopted for this upcoming edition of the Festival: the “SIFF VILLAGE.” The Village will add convenient facilities and new levels of fun and engagement to this annual celebration. Located at the eastern lot of Sonoma’s Veterans Hall, just off First Street East, the SIFF Village will consist of a main hospitality tent, known as “The Backlot Tent” and a new, European-style tent called “Le Tigre”, that will serve as a 110- person screening venue during the day, and at night it will be transformed into a magical space for Burlesque and Vaudeville performances.
v SIFF Village will have a food court and also welcome multiple food trucks as well as the “Feast It Forward” VIP area with their Airstream lounge. Weather permitting, there will be a variety of seating areas sprinkled around the Village. The Backlot Tent main hospitality area will feature a daily happy hour from 3 – 6pm with music, local premium wines and festive cocktails. SIFF Village will serve as a showcase for the Festival’s food and beverage sponsors, allowing Festival goers to enjoy their premium products and flavors.
v Sonoma Valley High School Student Films, Thursday, March 31 – Sonoma Valley High School Media Arts Program is in its 13th year and the student shorts will be shown Thursday morning at the Sebastiani Theatre. SRO!
v FAMILY PROGRAM, Saturday, April 2 – The Family Program will start with Everybody is a Star/Alchemia Performers and short videos by director Peter McEvilley. The Feature presentation is Oddball, the true story of how a dog saves an Australian village.
v Awards Ceremony, Saturday, April 2 (5-6pm) – Come for the announcement of this year’s Award winners at the Sebastiani Theatre.
During the evening hours, the Backlot Tent will host spirited themed parties inspired in centerpiece festival films:
v Hemingway & Havana, Thursday, March 31 (8-11pm) – In the spirit of Havana Motor Club and Papa, celebrate the food and music of Cuba. An array of empanadas and tortas cubanas provided by the girl & the fig. Sample a Cohiba cigar, sip on a Don Julio tequila and dance the night away with Freddy Clarke and the Wobbly World.
v Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, Friday, April 1 (8-11pm) – Continue the party after Yard Dog Road Shows screens. Get your groove on with the gypsy jazz band Vignes Rooftop Revival, followed by a local DJ. Sample some deliciousness from one of Sonoma’s best caterers.
v Old Hollywood, Saturday, April 2 (8-11pm) – Celebrate with the juried award winners, following the Awards Ceremony, dance, drink and eat in style. Wear your Hollywood best. Music by recording artist Roberta Donnay and local DJ.
v Closing Night party, Sunday, April 3 (8-10pm) – It’s a Wrap! One last hoorah after the closing night film, featuring music by the Grateful Bluegrass Boys.
Film Categories & Sidebars
SIFF will continue its commitment to feature exciting, culturally enlightening, and entertaining programming and sidebars. Over 100 films from around the world will be brought together to form an incredibly unique and diverse festival experience.
This year’s jury members are: David Dinerstein (producer), Mike Repsch (Breaking Glass Pictures), Ariane Rocchi (Magnolia Pictures), Steve Chagollan (Variety) for Features; James Cromwell (actor), Sir Nigel Daly (producer/director), Michael Howell (E.D. Devour Festival/Chef) for Documentaries; Leslie Vanderpool (E/D. Bahamas International Film Festival) and Lucy Walker (Academy Award-nominated director) for Short films..
Films from the following categories will be shown:
v American Indies
v Documentaries
v World Cinema
v Environmental/Social Causes
v Food & Wine
v LGBT
v Extreme Sports
v Music/Arts/Design
v Health & Wellness
v Cinema en Español
v Family
v UFO
JURIED AWARDS:
v Best American Independent Feature
v Best World Feature
v Best Documentary Feature
v Best Narrative Short
v Best Documentary Short
AUDIENCE AWARDS:
v The A3 Audience Award of $1,000 for Best Documentary
(named in honor of Amar A. Archbold, a longtime supporter and extraordinary Board member)
v The Stolman Audience Award of $1,000 for the Best American Independent Feature
(named in memory of Caroline and Ed Stolman, founders of the Sonoma International Film Festival)
v SIFF Audience Award Best World Feature of $1,000
The full list of films is below or at www.sonomafilmfest.org.
Ticket Information:
The best way to experience the Festival and have access to all films is by getting a SIFF pass. SIFF can be enjoyed at different levels: Patron, Cinema Soiree, and Cinema Pass levels. All pass holders will have access to both “Le Tigre” and the Backlot Tent in SIFF Village. For information about tickets, festival passes, prices, and benefits visit www.sonomafilmfest.org.
About the Sonoma International Film Festival:
The Sonoma International Film Festival is presented by the Sonoma Valley Film Society, a 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting independent film, supporting filmmakers around the world, and inspiring film lovers. Most films screened at the Festival have attending filmmakers and actors making for spirited Q&As. This unique five-day event offers world-class cuisine from local artisans and exceptional wine from Sonoma vintners. Renowned filmmakers, industry leaders and celebrities such as Bruce Willis, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams and Danny Glover, Demián Bichir and Mary-Louise Parker have walked the festival red carpet and enjoyed its intimate ambiance.
###
2016 SONOMA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FILM LINEUP
NARRATIVE FEATURES
All in Time, USA
Directed by Chris Fetchko, Marina Donahue
Cast: Seam Modica, Vanessa Ray, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Lynn Cohen, Joshua Burrow, Rob Bartlett
Charlie quits his job in New York to move home to Pennsylvania to manage his favorite hometown rock band, firmly believing the band’s glory days are ahead of them. His supportive girlfriend shares his love for the band, but the band’s guitarist, who has experienced the harsh reality of the music business, doesn’t share Charlie’s wide-eyed optimism. His attitude derails Charlie’s best efforts to bring the band success and sends Charlie spiraling into an emotional, financial and romantic tailspin. Charlie hits rock bottom when he loses both the band and his girlfriend, but gets some unexpected help from his elderly neighbor who sets him back on his path.
Always Worthy, USA
Directed by Marianna Palka
Cast: Amberlee Colson, Eric Edelstein, Ian Gomez, Lukas Haas
A quirky aspiring actress is determined to make her dreams come true in Hollywood, but first she’s got to overcome her biggest obstacle – herself.
Booger Red, USA
Directed by Brendt Mader
Cast: Deborah Abbott, Tim Ajro, Dakota Carrasco, Rebecca Chulew
A veteran reporter searches for the truth behind the largest child-sex ring in Texas history. On his journey through the bowels of East Texas, he’s forced to confront his own history with abuse while he discovers that the allegations at the root of his investigation might never had happened.
Coming Through the Rye, USA
Directed by James Sadwith
Cast: Chris Cooper, Stefania LaVie Owen, Adrian Pasdar, Alex Wolf, Eric Nelson
Jamie Schwartz is stumbling through disastrous relationships at a boy’s boarding school. He runs away with a local girl to the mountains of New Hampshire in search of J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye.
Fire in the Sky, USA
Directed by Robert Lieberman
Cast: D.B. Sweeney, Robert Patrick, Peter Berg, James Garner, Henry Thomas
An Arizona logger mysteriously disappears for five days in an alleged encounter with a flying saucer in 1975.
First Girl I Loved, USA
Directed by Kerem Sanga
Cast: Briana Hildebrand, Pamela Adlon, Dylan Gelula, Cameron Esposito
Seventeen-year-old Anne just fell in love with Sasha, the most popular girl at her LA public high school. But when Anne tells her best friend Clifton, who has always harbored a secret crush, he does his best to get in the way.
Her Composition, USA
Directed by Stephan Littger
Cast: Joslyn Jensen, Heather Matarazzo, Christian Campbell, Margot Bingham
A talented, artistically stuck composition student starts seeing escort clients after failing to secure her scholarship. Struck with unexpected sounds during her sexual encounters, she turns them into music and the clients into her muse.
How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town, Canada
Directed by Jeremy LaLonde
Cast: Jewel Staite, Katharine Isabelle, Lauren Lee Smith, Lauren Holly
When a famous sex columnist attempts to host an orgy with old high school acquaintances in her conservative hometown, keeping secrets becomes the least of her problems.
Ithaca, USA
Directed by Meg Ryan
Cast: Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Jack Quaid, Sam Shepard
Fourteen-year-old Homer Macauley is determined to be the best and fastest bicycle telegraph messenger anyone has ever seen. His older brother has gone to war, leaving Homer to look after his widowed mother, his older sister and his 4-year-old brother Ulysses. And so it is that as spring turns to summer, 1942, Homer Macauley delivers messages of love, hope, pain…and death…to the good people of Ithaca. And Homer will grapple with one message that will change him forever. Based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author William Saroyan’s 1943 novel, The Human Comedy, Ithaca is a coming-of-age story about the exuberance of youth, the abruptness of change, the sweetness of life, the sting of death, and the sheer goodness that lives in each and every one of us.
Jack of the Red Hearts, USA
Directed by Janet Grillo
Cast: Famke Janssen, Scott Cohen, Israel Broussard, John D’Leo
A streetwise teenage runaway scams her way into a job as a live-in caregiver of a severely autistic child. Her name is Jacquelyn but don’t call her anything but Jack. Their lives are forever changed when Jack has a positive impact on the child, and the family has one on her.
Lost and Found, USA
Directed by Joseph Itaya
Cast: Justin Kelly, Benjamin Stockham, Cary Elwes, Jason Patric
Sent to spend the summer with their uncle on a remote island, young brothers Andy and Mark learn that their eccentric grandfather once owned the island, but vanished without a trace taking with him the secret to a vast fortune.
Louder Than Bombs, Norway – OPENING NIGHT
Directed by Joachim Trier
Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Gabriel Byrne, Jesse Eisenberg, Amy Ryan, Rachel Brosnahan
A few years after a war photographer’s death in a car crash, her husband Gene (Byrne) and two sons, Jonah (Eisenberg) and Conrad, have to reopen old wounds when a retrospective of her work is being held at an art gallery. Just like how a photograph’s meaning can be altered by framing and depth of field, so too can these three men’s memories and feelings offer a unique perspective on their wife or mother. Louder Than Bombs is a familiar story told with surprising complexity and thoughtfulness, restraint and respect.
Papa, Cuba
Directed by Bob Yari
Cast: Giovanni Ribisi, Mariel Hemingway, Minka Kelly, Joely Richardson
A young Miami Herald journalist is befriended by Ernest and Mary Hemingway and witnesses Hemingway’s decline into depression and alcoholism with the backdrop of the Cuban Revolution.
Showing Roots, USA
Directed by Michael Wilson
Cast: Uzo Aduba, Maggie Grace, Elizabeth McGovern, Adam Brody, Cicely Tyson
Set in a small southern town during the premiere of the miniseries Roots, Showing Roots is about two young women – one white and one black – who forge an unlikely friendship that sparks a journey of independence, self-discovery and ultimately results in the perfect hairdo.
The Colossal Failure of a Modern Relationship, Canada
Directed by Sergio Navarretta
Cast: Krista Bridges, Enrico Colantoni, David Cubitt, Brooke Palsson
Cat has been cheating on her long-term partner with his boss, Richard. She is understandably guilt-ridden and breaks it off. She decides to join Freddy on a work-related trip, but things quickly go awry when she learns Freddy’s boss has decided to join them.
The Great and the Small, USA
Directed by Dusty Bias
Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Ritchie Coster, Ann Dowd, Louisa Krause
Scott is living on the streets and trying to find his way back into society while on probation for petty crimes. He attempts to navigate his complex relationships with his two-bit criminal of a boss, an enigmatic detective and his ex-girlfriend.
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES
10 Billion What’s on Your Plate, Germany
Directed by Valentin Thurn
By 2050, the world population will grow to ten billion people. In the middle of the heated debate about food security comes this broad and analytic look into the enormous spectrum of global food production and distribution – from artificial meat, insects, industrial farming to trendy self-cultivation.
A Line Across the Sky, USA
Directed by Josh Lowell, Peter Mortimer
The Fitz Roy Traverse is one of the most sought-after achievements in modern alpinism: a gnarly journey across seven jagged summits and 13,000 vertical feet of climbing. Who knew it could be so much fun? Join Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold on the inspiring – and at times hilarious – quest that earned the Piolet D’or.
André Villers: A Lifetime in Images
Directed by Marketa Tomanova
An intimate portrait of French photographer and visual artist Andre Villers, who as a young man met and befriended Pablo Picasso in the South of France. Through Picasso, Andre photographed some of the most famous European artists of the 20th century.
Big Voice, USA
Directed by Varda Bar-Kar
A high school’s choir director’s passion for choir fuels his desire to exceed all expectations. Following a series of competitive auditions, Mr. Huls convenes his dream choir ensemble only to discover that these 32 teenagers are the most unwieldy group he has ever taught.
Chasing the Win, USA
Directed by Chris Ghelfi, Laura Sheehy
After a surprising victory at the Dubai World Cup, a rookie trainer and small-time owner are invited to compete around the world with their imperfect racehorse as they try to find their place in the sport of kings.
Colin Hay - Waiting for my Real Life, USA
Directed by Nate Gowtham, Aaron Faulls
This tells the story of Colin Hay’s personal and artistic journey from the heights of superstardom with Men At Work, to the depths of obscurity, to finding salvation through song as a solo artist.
Cooking up a Tribute, USA
Directed by Ben Knight
In their quest to innovate, the Roca brothers, co-owners of El Celler De Can Roca, closed the restaurant for five weeks to tour the world with the entire staff and design 57 new dishes paying tribute to local food traditions and ingredients and the power of global food culture.
Gordon Getty: There Will Be Music, USA
Directed by Peter Rosen
About composer Gordon Getty, the son of J. Paul Getty, the richest man in the world. He was the head of a family dynasty known for scandal: suicides, drug overdoses and kidnapping. All suffered from the curse that comes with great wealth.
Harold and Lillian, USA
Directed by Daniel Raim
Harold and Lillian eloped to Hollywood in 1947, where they became the film industry’s secret weapons. Nobody talked about them, but everybody wanted them. Theirs is the greatest story never told – until now.
Havana Motor Club, Cuba
Directed by Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt
As a fifty-year ban on racing is lifted, Cuba’s top underground drag racers prepare their American classics to compete. The vast changes sweeping Cuba are evident in these drivers’ hopes and struggles, as they gear up for the first official race since the Revolution.
In Search of Balance, USA
Directed by Adam Pfleghaar
Exploring a vision of health, science and nature that recognizes the importance of the interconnections between us, the food we consume, how we produce that food and the natural world at large including the mysterious, invisible world of the human microbiome.
Jack London, USA
Directed by Chris Million
By turning his globe-trotting adventures into classics like The Call of the Wild, Jack London became the nation’s highest-paid author and first mass-media celebrity, in the process of documenting the vast cultural and societal changes sweeping early Twentieth Century America.
Kampai, For the Love of Sake, Japan
Directed by Mirai Konishi
A British sake brewer, an American journalist and a young president of a century-old sake brewery in Japan join together to explore the mysterious world of sake, or Japanese rice wine. The film illustrates how these unique individuals who have been fascinated with this extraordinary beverage of Japanese origin meet the challenges of the current sake industry, investigating the rich, complex and spectacular world of sake.
Pumped Dry, USA
Directed by Ian James, Steve Elfers
Around the world, supplies of groundwater are rapidly vanishing. As aquifiers decline and wells begin to go dry, people are forced to confront a growing crisis. USA Today and The (Palm Springs) Desert Sun investigate the consequences of groundwater depletion.
The C Word, USA
Directed by Meghan O’Hara
A personal, important, surprising and funny documentary about the industries of death that give us cancer, and the unheralded science of prevention.
The Last Man on the Moon, USA
Directed by Mark Craig
When Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan stepped off the moon in December 1972, he left his footprints and his daughter’s initials in the lunar dust. Only now is he ready to share his epic but deeply personal story of fulfillment, love and loss.
The Messenger, Canada
Directed by Su Rynard
An artful investigation into the causes of songbird mass depletion and the compassionate people who are working to turn the tide. The film takes viewers on a visually stunning journey revealing how the problems facing birds also pose daunting implications for our planet and ourselves.
The Nature of Modernism: E. Stewart Williams, Architect, USA
Directed by Jake Gorst
In the desert of Palm Springs, Frank Sinatra looked to build a Georgian-style house but was convinced to explore the benefits of modernism by E. Stewart Williams. The two had no idea how far-reaching and influential that decision would prove to be. The house was the first in a string of mid-century modernist gems that still define the look and feel of the Coachella Valley today.
Travis: The True Story of Travis Walton, USA
Directed by Jennifer W. Stein
In November of 1975, seven Arizona loggers encounter a UFO and one goes missing, igniting a firestorm of controversy aimed at the logging crew. This film provides an accurate in-depth coverage of how this event changed their lives forever.
Women He’s Undressed, Australia
Directed by Gillian Armstrong
Orry-Kelly was a Hollywood legend, his costume designed adored by cinema’s greatest leading ladies – but in his native country of Australia, his achievements remained unknown. Now acclaimed director Gillian Armstrong is bringing the legend home and celebrating the life of this extraordinary Aussie.
Yard Dog Road Shows, USA
Directed by Flecher Fleudujon and Zebu Recchia
Three friends accidentally formed a jug band while trying to make a short movie and that jug band transformed into a fifteen-piece theatrical show traveling the world.
WORLD CINEMA FEATURES
Between Sea and Land, Columbia
Directed by Manolo Cruz, Carlos del Castillo
Cast: Manolo Cruz, Vicky Hernandez, Viviana Sema, Jorge Cao, Mile Vegara
Alberto lives on a swampy marsh adjacent to the Caribbean Sea. Afflicted with a neurological disorder that confines him to his bed, his mother Rosa lovingly protects and takes care of him. But the life he imagines with his would-be sweetheart feels just as close-yet-out-of-reach as the sea he looks upon.
Dias Santana, South Africa
Directed by Chris Roland, Maradona Dias Dos Santos
Cast: Paulo Americano, David O’Hara, Hakeem Kae-Kaxim, Neide Van-Dunem Vieira
When Dias and Matias discover the man who murdered their parents 35 years ago, one seeks justice, the other revenge. The only thing standing in their way is each other.
Happy 140, Spain
Directed by Gracia Querejeta
Cast: Maribel Verdú, Antonio de la Torre, Eduard Fernández, Nora Navas
On her 40th birthday, Elia gathers together a few select relatives and friends at a luxury country house to tell them some extraordinary news: she has won a jackpot of 140 million Euros! Watch how happiness turns to greed.
La vanité, Switzerland
Directed by Lionel Baier
Cast: Patrick Lapp, Carmen Maura, Ivan Georgiev
David Miller is sick and has decided to end it all. But despite choosing the place, the date and the method, nothing goes according to plan. Does death lie at the end of this night which is supposed to be his last? Based on a true story, vanity isn’t simply just a deadly sin.
Last Cab to Darwin, Australia
Directed by Jeremy Sims
Cast: Michael Caton, Jacki Weaver, Emma Hamilton, Mark Coles Smith, Ningali Lawford
Rex is a loner, and when he’s told he doesn’t have long to live, he embarks on an epic drive through the Australian outback from Broken Hill to Darwin to die on his own terms; but his journey reveals to him that before you can end your life, you have to live it, and to live it, you’ve got to share it.
Les Mauvaises Herbes (Bad Seeds), Canada
Directed by Louis Bélanger
Cast: Alexis Martin, Gilles Renaud, Emmanuelle Lussier-Martinez, Luc Picard
Jacquest Thériault, an actor with big gambling debts, takes refuge in the country where he is found by Simon, a sly, uncouth farmer. Simon forces a “reasonable association” between the two. The men end up becoming friends and begin to grow cannabis. They meet Francesca, a young Hydro-Québec employee who embraces their project. During the winter harvest, they learn to live together with a degree of happiness. Yet a threat from the outside comes to disturb this delicate balance.
My Big Night, Spain
Directed by Álex de la Iglesia
Cast: Mario Casas, Blanca Suárez, Raphael, Hugo Silva, Carolina Bang
Chaos ensues during a TV network’s New Year’s Eve special. The hosts are bickering, a crane wipes out an extra, a pop star is duped by a semen-thief, and a legendary diva is stalked by an armed and angry failed songwriter.
Oddball, Australia
Directed by Stuart McDonald
Cast: Shane Jacobson, Alan Tudyk, Sarah Snook, Deborah Mailman, Frank Woodley
With persistent fox attacks threatening to close down the main tourist attraction of a small town in southern Australia, an eccentric chicken farmer teams up with his granddaughter to save the penguins using a very odd method: his rambunctious, troublemaking sheep dog.
Standing Tall (Le Tête Haute), France
Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot
Cast: Catherine Deneuve, Rod Paradot, Benoît Magimel, Sara Forestier, Diane Rouxel
Malony has been in conflict with the school and with the law since he was six. Some are convinced that they can save him from the spiral of revolt and violence in which he seems to be caught for the rest of his days.
Sunset Song, UK
Directed by Terrence Davies
Cast: Agyness Deyn, Kevin Guthrie, Peter Mullan, Ian Pirie, Niall Greg Fulton
The daughter of a Scottish farmer comes of age in the early 1900s. Family trauma merges into global catastrophe as the First World War devastates her village. Based on the novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbons.
Taj Mahal, France
Directed by Nicolas Saada
Cast: Stacy Martin, Gina McKee, Alba Rohrwacher, Louis-Do de Lencques, Frédéric Epaud
One evening, 18-year-old Louise, alone in her hotel room at Taj Mahal Mumbai, hears strange noises out in the corridor. Within minutes, she realizes that a terrorist attack is underway. Louise must spend a long night alone. She will never be the same again.
The Parisian Bitch Princess of Hearts, France
Directed by Eloïse Lang, Noémie Saglio
Cast: Camille Cottin
A young woman, unsatisfied with her social class, decides to marry someone rich and powerful to be able to stop working and have whatever she wants for the rest of her days. This movie is entirely shot with hidden cameras.
The Sense of Wonder, Norway – CLOSING NIGHT
Directed by Éric Besnard
Cast: Virginie Efira, Benjamin Lavernhe
At the heart of the Drôme Provençale, Louise raises her two children while trying to preserve the family farm. One evening she almost crushes a stranger with her car. She takes care of him, even though he’s not really wounded. It turns out that he has mental disorders and that they can help each other much more than they thought.
The Violin Teacher, Brazil
Directed by Sérgio Machado
Cast: Lazaro Ramos, Elzio Vieria, Kaique Jesus, Sandra Corveloni
The movie tells the story of Laerte, a talented violinist who after failing to be admitted into the Osesp orchestra, is forced to give music class to teenagers in a public school in Heliopolis. His path is full of difficulties, but the transforming power of music and the friendship arising between the professor and his students opens the doors into a new world.
The Wave, Norway
Directed by Roar Uthaug
Cast: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Thomas Bo Larsen, Fridtjov Såheim, Arthur Berning
Based on the fact that mountain pass Åkneset, located in the Geiranger fjord in Norway, one day will fall out and create a violent tsunami of over 80 meters that will crush everything in its path before it hits land in Geiranger. A geologist gets caught in the middle of it and a race against time begins.
Viva, Cuba
Directed by Paddy Breathnach
Cast: Jorge Perugorr, Luis Alberto Garcia, Mark O’Halloran, Héctor Medina. Luis Manuel Alvarez
When everything is for sale, what’s the value of love? Jesus does make up for a troupe of drag performers in Havana, but dreams of being a performer. When he finally gets his chance to be on stage, a stranger emerges from the crowd and punches him in the face. The stranger is his father Angel, a former boxer, who has been absent from his life for 15 years. As father and son clash over their opposing expectations of each other, Viva becomes a love story as the men struggle to understand one another and become a family again.
SHORT FILMS
142 Miles From Monday, USA, directed by Alex Witkowicz
A Child For Sale, USA, directed by Fiona Bock, Eric Paul Fournier
A Man Wakes Up, USA, directed by Voki Kalfayan
An Apprentice, USA, directed by Shane Harper
Avaatara, Lebanon, directed by David Lama
Bernie & Rebecca, USA, directed by Melissa Kent
Bottomless, USA, directed by Veronique Vanblaere
Chapa (The Grill Man), Brazil, directed by Golts
Come Away With Me, USA, directed by Ellen Gerstein
Cooking Up a Storm, USA, directed by Tim Wilson
Dear Governor Brown, USA, directed by Jon Bowermaster
Denali, USA, directed by Ben Knight
Eye for an Eye, USA, directed by Antoneta Kusijanovic
Hand Over Hand, USA, directed by Padraic Lillis
Lobster Fra Diavolo, USA, directed by Oriana Oppice
Lower Piddle, USA, directed by Keith English
LunaFest, USA – A collection of six short films by, for and about women.
Mermaids on Mars, USA, directed by Jon V. Peters
Merry Xmas, USA, directed by Boman Modine
Mindful Vineyards, USA, directed by Chris Jordan-Bloch
Mothers for Justice, USA, directed by Erik Ljung
Nature Rx (Parts 1,2,3), USA, directed by Justin Bogardus
Opt Out, USA, directed by Steve Utaski
Parent Teacher – The Musical, USA, directed by Austin Klinger
Passing Orion, Canada, directed by Sean Thonson
Phone Life, USA, directed by Ivan Cash
Pulp Free, USA, directed by William Papadin
rated, USA, directed by John Fortson
Reservations for Three?, USA, directed by Steven Bennett
Reset, Canada, directed by Jeremy Lutter
Rosa, USA, directed by Sean Kusanagi, Hanah Gregg
Sanjay’s Super Team, USA, directed by Sanjay Patel
Shift, USA, directed by Rachel Lincoln, Amelia Rudolph
Sonoma, USA, directed by Timothy Wetzel
Stalker Breakup, USA, directed by Thomas Michael
Stealth, USA, directed by Bennett Lasseter
The Art of Flying, Netherlands, directed by Jan van Ijken
The Burden, USA, directed by Roger Sorkin
The Cannoli, USA, directed by Stephen Donnelly
The Denver Bread Company, USA, directed by Gareth Burghes
The Firefly Girls, USA, directed by Katie Micay
The Lake, Canada, directed by Michael Buie
The Loneliest Stoplight, USA, directed by Bill Plympton
The Man Who Shot Hollywood, Canada, directed by Barry Avrich
The Mountain King, USA, directed by Peter Brambl
The Offer, Canada, directed by Winnifred Jong
The Story of Percival Pilts, Australia, directed by Janette Goodey and John Lewis
Writing on Stone, Canada, directed by Gillian Armstrong