filmfest dc · ed contemporary filmmakers like mani ratnam, rituparno ghosh, and govind nihalani...

THE 19TH ANNUAL WASHINGTON DC INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

(202) 628-FILM • filmfestdc.org

Filmfest DCAPRIL 13 - 24, 2005

Prepare to be entertained, provoked, andinspired by extraordinary new films fromaround the globe. These magical 12 dayswill showcase a wide range of fascinatingnew cinema and transform Washington intoa filmgoer’s paradise.

This year, Filmfest DC will present FromBeijing to Bollywood, a special series offilms from India and China, two countrieswith which the United States is developingcontinually deeper relations. Representingthe best of artistic vision, diversity, andsocial concerns, these series serve toprovide a unique window into intriguingworlds. Hopefully, areas of culture previouslyunknown will be illuminated in new ways.

This is also a year of remarkable firsts. Weare initiating the Filmfest DC Capital FocusAward for selected films in a juried competi-tion. Combined with our Audience Award,the Capital Focus Award competition willspotlight films deserving of increased recog-nition. For the first time the festival hasinvited Guest Programmers—Chi-hui Yangfor the Chinese cinema series and ManjulaKumar for the Indian cinema—to assist withour film selection. They have brought addedintegrity and vitality to our programming.You will also notice tightened venue locationsand an expanded Filmfest DC for KIDSschedule to allow more DC Public Schoolstudents to attend these free programs.

We are privileged to work with an extraordi-nary assortment of people to produce thisevent each year. The support we receivefrom our steadfast partners, board members,sponsors, and numerous volunteers isevidence of our city’s energy and generosity.

We extend our endless gratitude to all whohave contributed to the festival’s success.

If you are new to Filmfest DC, we inviteyou to jump in. To those of you have whohave enjoyed this 12-day adventure before,welcome back. We are delighted to bringthese exhilarating, works from theseextraordinary countries to our screens,and invite you to join us—to be amazed,provoked and surprised.

Tony GittensFestival Director and Executive Director,DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities

1Annual International Filmfest DC 200519th

Festival Introduction

We are thrilled to welcome you to Filmfest DC, Washington's celebration ofthe best in world cinema!

Tony Gittens, Festival Director, and Shirin Ghareeb,Assistant Director

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2 Annual International Filmfest DC 200519th


Table of Contents

Opening Night .............................................4

Closing Night ..............................................5

Festival Guide ..........................................6–9

Ticket Information........................................8

Venues.......................................................9

Feature Film Descriptions..........10–21, 26–37

Film Schedule ......................................22–25

Filmfest DC for Kids .............................38–39

Cinema for Seniors....................................39

Reel Talk Panels ........................................40

Filmfest DC Staff and Special Thanks......41–42

Print Sources ......................................43–45

Sponsors ............................................45–47

Film Index .................................................48


Opening Night Wednesday, April 13

RaincoatRituparno GhoshThe Netherlands/Argentina, 2002, 86 minutes, color

Two former lovers have beenestranged for 17 years.Manoj (Ajay Devgan) andNiru (Aishwarya Rai), meetat the latter’s house in arundown south Calcuttaneighborhood at the heightof monsoon season. He’scome from his hometown inneighboring Bihar state onbusiness, while she’s alonein the house while her hus-band is out of town. Victimsof fate and circumstance,they project false appear-ances through a game ofwords, and attempt to hidethe love that is still smolder-ing. They lie to each otherthroughout the encounter,putting on fancy facadespunctuated with bright, bittersweet flashbacks to their amorous past. While the sumptuous, lengthy, andcolorful Bollywood musicals have been getting all the press lately, India also has a rich tradition of intimateand emotionally complex chamber dramas, of which Raincoat is a prime example. Making his first Hindi filmon the heels of Chokher Bali: A Passion Play (see page 8), Bengali director Rituparno Ghosh has writtencomplex yet appealing roles for Bollywood stars Devgan and Rai. Enhanced by a haunting, evocative score,this cinematic meditation on the nature of sacrifice, love, pride, and pretense will make for a memorableopening night and is the perfect entrée to Filmfest DC’s spotlight on contemporary Indian cinema.—Manjula Kumar and Eddie Cockrell

IN HINDI WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Shree Venkatesh Films. Producers: Shrikant Mohta, Mahendra Soni. Screenplay: Rituparno Ghosh.Cinematography: Abhik Mukherjee. Editor: Arghyakamel Mitra. Music: Debajyoti Mishra. Principal Cast: Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai, Annu Kapoor,Monli Ganguly, Pradip Adhikari.

Wednesday, April 13, 7:00 p.m., Lincoln Theatre, followed by gala reception, $40.00.

★ In person: Director Rituparno Ghosh■ Presented in cooperation with the Embassy of India■ Hosted by Wendy Rieger, NBC4Troupe■ Performance by Gujarati Folk Dance

Opening Night Sponsors

DirectorRituparno

Ghosh


Closing Night Sunday, April 24

Ladies in LavenderCharles DanceUnited Kingdom, 2004, 103 minutes, color

The year is 1936. On a windswept Cornwall beach, practical Janet Widdington (Maggie Smith) and hermore carefree younger sister Ursula (Judi Dench) find a young man (Good-Bye, Lenin’s Daniel Bruehl) whohas been washed ashore after a violent storm. Suffering only from a broken ankle, the boy is tended to byoutspoken housekeeper Dorcas (Miriam Margolyes) and examined by town doctor Mead (David Warner), whowants to know what the sisters plan to do with the boy. He’s Andrea Marowski, a Polish Jew who was sweptover the side of his ship during a passage to America undertaken to escape the gathering storm of Europeanwar. While Janet and Ursula host his recuperation, they discover that Andrea is a talented violinist. But justby his presence, the young man causes ripples that lead to changes in everyone’s lives. Actor Charles Dance(White Mischief, Swimming Pool) first read William J. Locke’s short story in a book he found being used asa prop on a Budapest film set. With some judicious changes and an update from the 1890s to the mid-1930s,the story becomes a distinguished directorial debut that cherishes and showcases its magnificent cast.—Eddie Cockrell

IN ENGLISH, GERMAN, AND POLISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Take Partnerships, Scala Productions. Producers: Nicolas Brown, Elizabeth Karlsen, Nik Powell. Screenplay: Charles Dance, from the short storyby William J. Locke. Cinematography: Peter Biziou. Editor: Michael Parker.Music: Nigel Hess. Principal Cast: Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Natascha McElhone, MiriamMargolyes, David Warner, Daniel Bruehl.

Sunday, April 24, 4:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas,followed by a party with live band and dancing, $15.00.


Schedule

Beginning on page 10, film descriptionsare arranged alphabetically by film title,with show times and locations. The mas-ter schedule, on pages 22–25, lists eachday’s films and their show times. Filmsare shown in their original language withEnglish subtitles.

Circle Audience AwardFounded by Ted and Jim Pedas,Washington’s Circle Theatres set the stan-dard for innovative quality film program-ming. Filmfest DC will present an award tothe feature film voted the most popular byour audience. Ballots will be available aftereach screening. The winners for both theCircle Audience Award and the Capital FocusAward will be announced on Closing Night.

Free ProgramsOur free screenings and panels are some ofthe best deals in the festival. Don’t miss thespecial presentations at the National Gallery ofArt, Filmfest DC for Kids, and Cinema forSeniors (see details on page 39).

From Beijing…to Bollywood

Welcome to the 19th Annual Washington, DC International Film Festival, Washington’s own celebration ofexciting, new, and innovative cinema from around the world. Filmfest DC 2005 presents over 80 films frommore than 35 countries. We hope to provide you with fresh perspectives on our ever-changing world, and wethink you will find our film selections entertaining and challenging. Here are a few hints and highlights:

Festival Guide

China’s New Wave

China’s vibrant film scene is one of the world’s mostexciting,daring, and prolific, currently producing worksof masterful artistry and compelling storytelling. Chinais undergoing social upheavals comparable to those thatrippled through France four decades ago. The subse-quent political, social, and economic changes are inspir-ing and necessitate artistic innovation. The result: amovement that is redefining world cinema. The films

selected for this special focus offer a diverse look at the cinema of a nation in transi-tion. They include underground and government-approved works as well as independ-ent and commercial films. From technology’s invasion of everyday life (Cell Phone), tothe lingering effects of the country’s recent history (Peacock, Shanghai Story, LetterFrom An Unknown Woman), to the ironic and sometimes devastating consequencesof those left out of China’s economic miracle (The World, Pirated Copy, Kekexili:

Mountain Patrol), this collection of films is a chronology in progress of a cinemaalready sitting atop the world stage and still growing in influence.—Chi-hui Yang

The Miracle of Bern, p.15

The World, p.37

7

Capital Focus Awards

Sponsored this year byFinancial DynamicsBusiness CommunicationsThe Capital Focus Award is a juried compe-tition of selected films deserving ofincreased recognition. Films in the compe-tition were selected by the festival’s pro-gramming staff and the winner will bedetermined by a jury of accomplished filmprofessionals. A cash award will be givento the winning film’s director in recognitionof his achievements. Films selected for thisyear’s award competition include:Captive (Argentina)Dalecarlians (Sweden/Denmark)The Hero (Angola)I Love Cinema (Egypt)Last of the First (USA)Peacock (China)Songs of Mahulbani (India)The Syrian Bride (Israel)

The Awards Jury is composed of:Joe Barber, Entertainment Editor,WTOP RadioMatt Cowal, Marketing Manager,Landmark TheatresPeggy Parsons, Head, Department ofFilm, National Gallery of ArtTed Pedas, President, Circle Films, Inc.Cathy Wyler, Programming Director,High Falls Film FestivalSusan Barocas, Competition Coordinator

Panorama of Indian Cinema

As India continues to produce the largest number offilms every year, the thematic variety, staggering diversity,linguistic richness, and cascade of complex emotionsornamented with exquisite music and dance accountsfor the ever-increasing popularity of Indian cinema. Inthe past 50 years, numerous terms have been usedto describe this variety: commercial films, new wavefilms, art house films, parallel cinema. However, Indianfilms defy finite definitions. The films selected for this

special focus present a wide range of cinematic styles and a variety of themes. Theyrange from the 1960’s newly restored musical extravaganza Mughal-e-Azam to a con-temporary work that blends tradition and modernity (Morning Raga). We also presentChokher Bali, a historical film, and Songs of Mahulbani, which concerns tribal peoplestruggling for their rights. There are powerful films such as Dev, which deals withsocio-political issues, films like The Journey, which experiments with new concepts, andfilms that spotlight controversial gender issues. We have selected works of celebrat-ed contemporary filmmakers like Mani Ratnam, Rituparno Ghosh, and Govind Nihalaniand included the pioneering work of young, yet-to-be-discovered talent like Ligy Pullapallyand Ashvin Kumar. Indian films continue to gain audiences all over the world as theyexplore the gamut of human emotions and experiences.—Manjula Kumar

Mughal-e-Azam, p.27

Annual International Filmfest DC 200519th

Chokher Bali, p.14


Tickets

General Admission is $9.00. Special Admissions are noted.

Tickets are available through Tickets.com by calling (703) 218-6500 and at allOlsson's Books and Records stores and Bradford Banks in the Maryland area.

Tickets are also available through the Tickets.com web site at www.tickets.com.Call Tickets.com at (703) 218-6500 from 9:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Monday- Sunday)for tickets. No advance tickets at theatres. No Tickets.com sales the day of the show.

Same day tickets may also be purchased at the theatre one hour before the firstshow of the day. Cash or Check sales only at the theatres.

Free events are on a first come, first serve basis, with no reservations accepted ortickets required.

Director’s Pass: Ten-ticket package valued at $90.00 will be discounted to $80.00.Available through Tickets.com BY PHONE ONLY (not applicable for Opening and ClosingNights or Special Events).

Kontroll, p.20

Festival Guide (continued)


Theatres

Festival screenings will take place at thefollowing convenient venues:

★ Avalon Theatre5612 Connecticut Ave., NW.

★ Loews Cineplex Wisconsin AvenueCinemas4000 Wisconsin Ave., NW. Take Metro Red Line to Tenleytown.Parking available in building for $2.00with a validated parking ticket.

★ Landmark’s E Street Cinema555 11th St., NW. Take Metro Blue, Green, Orange, Red,and Yellow lines to the Metro Centerand/or Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrostops. Parking in adjacent garage is avail-able at the reduced rate of $4.00 withvalidated ticket, Monday through Fridayafter 6:00 pm and weekends.

★ Regal Cinemas701 7th St., NW. Take Metro Green, Yellow, and Red linesto the Metro Center and/or GalleryPlace/ Chinatown metro stops. Threehours free parking with validation atadjacent garage on 6th Street betweenG and H.

Other Locations

★ Lincoln Theatre1215 U St., NW. Take Metro Green Line to UStreet/Cardozo.

★ National Gallery of ArtEast Building Auditorium, 4th St. &Constitution Ave., NW. Take Metro Green or Yellow Line toArchives/Navy Memorial.

Take Metrobus or Metrorail to Filmfest DC

Let the Church Say Amen, p.39

Beautiful Boxer, p.11

5x2François OzonFrance, 2004,

90 minutes, color

Intellectually trenchantand emotionally honest,5x2 is a feast of out-standing acting withpowerful lead perform-ances from ValeriaBruni-Tedeschi and

Stephane Freiss. This film, from the same directorwho did Swimming Pool, gives us five glimpses oftwo people—married couple Marion and Gilles,first seen sitting down for divorce proceedings.We see the couple's story backwards, from its

unhappy ending, through an uneasy dinner party,childbirth, and Marion’s and Gilles’ wedding, tothe moment the couple meet. Neither playful norperplexing, the Memento-like reverse structureworks to subtly devastating effect. We watch thecouple’s dissatisfactions and tensions unfold, andthen discover their sources in rifts or seeminglyinnocent moments that seed the eventual separation—Jonathan Romney, 2004 Times London

Film Festival

IN FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Fidelite, France 2 Cinema, FOZ. Producers: Olivier Delbosc,Marc Missonier. Screenplay: Francois Ozon, Emmanuele Bernheim.Cinematography: Yorick Le Saux. Editor: Monica Coleman. Music: Philippe Rombi.Principal Cast: Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Stephane Freiss, Geraldine Pailhas,Francoise Fabian, Michael Lonsdale.

Friday, April 15, 9:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas Sunday, April 17, 9:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas

AbsolutRomed WyderSwitzerland, 2004,

94 minutes, color

In this mysteriouspolitical thriller, twoactivists plot to change the world. Alex, a youngand idealistic man, and his computer-wiz friend Fredwant to prevent a summit of world leaders fromtaking place. The two young men are working on asophisticated computer virus that would be able todestroy financial transaction systems. With this,they intend to blackmail the local authorities inGeneva, banks, and the organizers of the summit.Just when things seem to be going according to

plan, Alex gets into a car accident. When hewakes up from a two-day coma, he is sufferingfrom amnesia. While slowly recalling some events,Alex finds out that Fred has disappeared.—Ludmila Svikova, 2005 Rotterdam International

Film Festival

IN GERMAN AND FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Blow-up Film Production SA, Télévision Suisse Romande,Almaz Film Productions SA, Laïka Films. Producer: Romed Wyder. Screenplay:Romed Wyder, Yves Mugny, Maria Watzlawick. Cinematography: Denis Jutzeler.Editor: Orsola Valenti. Music: Bernard Trontin. Principal Cast: Vincent Bonillo, IreneGodel, François Nadin, Delphine Lanza, Ulysse Prévost, Véronique Mermoud.

Friday, April 15, 9:00 p.m., Regal CinemasSaturday, April 23, 7:00 p.m., Loews CineplexWisconsin Avenue Cinemas

■ Presented in cooperation with theEmbassy of Switzerland.

AsphaltJoe MayGermany, 1929,

94 minutes, black & white

One of the last German studiosilents, Asphalt’s tender

love story is set against a frenzied, traffic-jammedBerlin on the brink of modernity. Betty Amann, ina signature role, is a stylish thief who steals aprecious gem from a jeweler. The cop who catchesher eventually, and tragically, succumbs to herwiles. May, one of the principal directors of thesilent era in Germany, fled to Hollywood soon afterthis film but never succeeded in Tinseltown as hehad at home—Margaret Parsons

Organist Dennis James has played a leading rolein the remarkable international revival of livemusical scores for silent films. A featured performeron the international film festival circuit, Mr. Jamesmakes regular appearances at the San Francisco,Toronto, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia CinemaFestivals, as well as cinematheques throughoutEurope and Asia.

SILENT WITH ENGLISH TITLESSCREENING ACCOMPANIED BY DENNIS JAMESON THEATER ORGAN

Production Company: Universum-Film AG. Producer: Erich Pommer.Cinematography: Günther Rittau. Principal Cast: Gustav Fröhlich, Betty Amann,Albert Steinrück, Else Heller, Hans Adalbert Schlettow, Hans Albers, Rosa Valetti,Arthur Duarte, Paul Hörbiger, Trude Lieske, Karl Platen, Hermann Vallentin, KurtVespermann, Rudolf Meinhardt-Jünger.

Sunday, April 17, 4:30 p.m., National Gallery of Art, FREE

★ In Person: Musician Dennis James


American Premiere!

Free!

AutumnAutomne

Ra’up McGeeFrance/USA, 2004,

110 minutes, color

In a blue-gray Parisstraight from a vin-tage Jean-PierreMelville crime picture,listless hit man Jean-Pierre reconnectswith childhood sweet-heart Michelle, who’s now an amateur photogra-pher dabbling in the sales of illicit explosives.Contrasted with a creepy childhood flashback

explaining their bond is Jean-Pierre’sdeteriorating relationships with hisincreasingly annoyed knife-wieldingboss, mobster-restaurateur Noel, andpal Andre. On the trail of a missingvalise, Jean-Pierre’s allegiances to hisprofession and his love are put to thetest. Quintessentially French in mood,performance, and plot, Autumn is thefeature film debut of Ra’up McGee—Eddie Cockrell


Production Company: Next Week Filmworks.Producer/Screenplay/Editor: Ra’up McGee. Cinematography: Erin

Harvey. Music: Cyril Morin. Principal Cast: Laurent Lucas, Irene Jacob, BenjaminRolland, Dinara Droukarouva Michel Aumont.

Saturday, April 16, 9:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaSunday, April 17, 9:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

TheBaghdadBlogger:Salam PaxSalam PaxIraq, 2005, 90 minutes,

color, video

Featuring two new seg-ments prepared just forFilmfest DC, this updatedcollection of nine reportsfrom Iraq’s most famousman-on-the-street promises

to be the hot ticket in this year’s line-up. SalamPax introduces us to something we have neverseen before, namely, the new Iraq, where despiteongoing violence an occupation, Iraqi citizens areexpressing themselves in ways impossible underSaddam Hussein. In this series of video-diaryentries, the blogger who describes himself as anarchitect—but not a good one—invites us to keepwatching as the new Iraq is born.—2004

Vancouver International Film Festival

IN FARSI AND ENGLISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Guardian Films. Producer/Screenplay/Cinematography/Editor:Salam Pax. With: Salam Pax.

Friday, April 15, 9:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema Saturday, April 16, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

★ In Person: Director Salam Pax

BeautifulBoxerEkachaiUekrongthamThailand, 2003,

114 minutes, color

Based on the real life of Thailand’s Nong Toon,Beautiful Boxer tells the story of a young boy froma poor family who enters a monastery, and thenendures harsh training in Thai kickboxing camps toprogress through a series of knockout matchesand become the champion of his chosen sport.What sets Beautiful Boxer apart from Rocky isthat Nong Toon has a greater ambition. As anobserver puts it, “He fights like a man so he can

become a woman.” Nong Toon has since under-gone the sex change that he fought for. With thishandsome production, Ekachai Uekrongtham hasmade an inspiring and universal story of the strugglefor dignity and recognition.—2004 Palm Springs

International Film Festival

IN THAI, ENGLISH, AND JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: GMM Grammy. Producer: Ekachai Uekrongtham. Screenplay:Ekachai Uekrongtham, Desmond Sim Kim Jin. Cinematography: ChoochartNantitanyatada. Editor: Dusanee Puinongpho. Music: Amornbhong Methakunbudh.Principal Cast: Asanee Suwan, Sorapong Chatree, Orn-anong Panyawong, KyokoInoue, Sitiporn Niyom.

Saturday, April 16, 7:00 p.m., Regal CinemasMonday, April 18, 9:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas

■ Saturday night ticket holders can get intoThe Nation for half price with ticket stub.1015 Half Street, S.E., Washington DC


American Premiere!

Beautiful CityShahr-e ziba

Asghar FarhadiIran, 2004, 101 minutes,

color, video

Winner of the grand prize atthe 2004 Warsaw festival,Beautiful City is an engagingand complex psychological drama that focuses onthe Iranian judicial system and blood revenge. Thefilm opens in a juvenile prison, where a young boywho killed a girl when he was 16 awaits the deathpenalty. His sentence cannot be carried out untilhe turns 18, and upon his 18th birthday, his bestfriend, Ala, is determined to do everything possible

to stop the execution. For that, Alaneeds to convince the dead girl’sfamily to drop all charges. Ala findshis friend’s sister and persuadesher to help him approach the family.In the meantime, Ala and the sisterstart to have feelings for oneanother. —Ludmila Cvikova,

2005 Rotterdam International

Film Festival

IN FARSI WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Neshane Ltd. Producer: Iraj Taghipoor. Screenplay: AsgharFarhadi. Cinematography: Ali Loghmani. Editor: Shahrzad Pooya. Music: HamidrezaSadri. Principal Cast: Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Ansari, Faramarz Gharibian, AhooKheradmand.

Sunday, April 17, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaWednesday, April 20, 6:45 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Boxers andBallerinasMike Cahill,Brit MarlingUSA, 2004,

94 minutes, color, video

Two young filmmakers pro-file two fighters and two dancers, one of each inMiami and one of each 90 miles away in Havana.Though athletes and artists are traditionally topson the list of people authorized to travel outside ofCuba, their occasional defections place more controlson those who remain. A prodigiously gathered andprecisely orchestrated symphony of sights and

sounds from both sides of the FloridaStraits—much of it filmed on the sly,without official permission—Boxers

and Ballerinas weaves controversialpolitical theory, traumatic historicalsignposts, and urgent human drama(including a few strong Washingtonconnections) into a stylish andprovocative whole.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Rolling Shin, in association with Prince Charitable Trusts,Radio & Television Commercial. Producer: Nicholas Shumaker. Screenplay: MikeCahill, Brit Marling, from a story by Nicholas Shumaker. Cinematography: MikeCahill, Brit Marling. Editor: Mike Cahill. Music: Craig Wedren. Principal Cast: AnniaIsmarlin Recio-Oquendo, Yordenis Ugas, Paula Roque, Sergio Garcia.

Monday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaTuesday, April 19, 9:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

★ In Person: Director Nick Shumaker

The Boys and GirlFrom County ClareJohn IrvinIreland/United Kingdom/Germany, 2003,

90 minutes, color

In 1960s Liverpool, directly across town fromwhere The Beatles are drawing crowds, IrishmanJimmy McMahon is preparing his traditional Irishband to take on an ensemble led by his long-estranged sibling John Joe in the county of theirbirth. The brothers originally fell out over Maisie,who now plays piano in John Joe’s group andkeeps a tight leash on her daughter Anne, the fid-dler. When Anne falls for Jimmy’s star flute player,the stage is set for a duel of emotions and chops

that eventuallyresults in a frac-tious harmonyof sorts. Thebouncing music,stunning loca-tions, and slyperformancesmake The Boys and Girl From County Clare a near-perfect date movie for all ages.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Studio Hamburg Worldwide Pictures. Producers: Evzen Kolar,Wolfgang Esenwein, Ellen Dinerman Little. Screenplay: Nicholas Adams. Cinematography:Thomas Burstyn. Editor: Ian Crafford. Music: Fiachra Trench. Principal Cast: ColmMeaney, Bernard Hill, Andrea Corr, Philip Barantani, Charlotte Bradley.

Friday, April 22, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSaturday, April 23, 9:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas


BrothersBrødre

Susanne BierDenmark, 2004, 117

minutes, color

Always the good son,Michael picks up hisblack-sheep brotherJannik at the prison gates on the way home towife Sarah on the very evening he’s scheduled tobe sent to Afghanistan as part of the Danish UnitedNations force. When Michael’s helicopter is shotdown and he’s mistakenly listed as killed in action,Jannik and Sarah begin a slow and awkward re-evaluation of their relationship—even as Michael

must live off his wits before being forcedby his captors to make a traumaticchoice between life and death. Whenhe returns home after a daring rescue,the brothers discover that many thingshave changed and Sarah is now in themiddle of an ill-fated case of siblingrivalry.—Eddie Cockrell

IN DANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Zentropa Entertainments14. Producer:Sisse Graum Jorgensen, Peter Aalbaek Jensens. Screenplay: Anders ThomasJensen, from a story by Susanne Bier Jensen. Cinematography: Morten Soborg.Editor: Pernille Bech Christensen. Music: Johan Soderqvist. Principal Cast: ConnieNielsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Bent Mejding, Solbjorg Hojfeldt.

Tuesday, April 19, 9:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasWednesday, April 20, 6:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

CaptiveCautiva

Gaston BirabenArgentina, 2003,

115 minutes, color

In 1994 BuenosAires, 15-year-old Cristina is plucked from herCatholic school classroom and told by a federaljudge that she is one of 74 children “appropriated”by the government from their birth parents, whowere subsequently among the 30,000 civilians dis-appeared under Argentina’s militarydictatorship. At first numb with shock, Cristina

becomes determined to uncover her true heritage.Along the way she discovers she was born at thevery same hour members of the Fascist Juntawere greeting the Argentine football team followingtheir 1978 World Cup victory. A deeply felt dramaas persuasive as any good thriller, Captive isbased on real-life events.—Eddie Cockrell

IN SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Cacerolazo Productions. Producer: Gaston Biraben. Screenplay:Gaston Biraben. Cinematography: Carlos Torlaschi, Abel Penalba. Editor: TammisChandler. Music: Jose Luis Castineira de Dios. Principal Cast: Barbara Lombardo,Mercedes Funes, Susana Campos, Hugo Arana, Osvaldo Santoro.

Friday, April 15, 9:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas Saturday, April 16, 9:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

Cell PhoneShouji

Feng XiaogangChina/Hong Kong, 2004, 106 minutes, color

Affairs of the heart—what is said and not meantto be said—are complicated by the omnipresenceof cell phones and the hapless individuals who usethem in this sly, urban comedy. Yan Shouyi is a TVtalk show host who can’t seem to keep his handsto himself and whose philandering ways are contin-ually bungled by cellular mishaps. As he stumblesthrough deceits and dalliances and hosts his ironi-cally titled show “Let the Truth Speak,” his life’stangled skein (which includes a pregnant ex-wife, alive-in girlfriend, and a lover) threatens to unravel

and overturn hiscarefully con-structed world.—Chi-hui Yang

IN MANDARINWITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Production Companies: ChinaFilm Group Beijing FilmStudio/Huayi Brothers &Taihe Film Investment Co.(China)/Columbia PicturesFilm Production Asia (HongKong). Producers: WangZhongjun, Yang Buting.Screenplay: Liu Zhenyun.Cinematography: Zhao Fei.Editor: Zhou Ying. Music: Su

Cong. Principal Cast: Ge You, Xu Fan, Zhang Guoli, Fan Bingbing.

Thursday, April 21, 8:45 p.m. Landmark’s E Street CinemaFriday, April 22, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema


Capital Focus Award

Chokher Bali:A Passion PlayRituparno GhoshIndia, 2003, 145 minutes, color

Adapted from the Nobel laureate RabindranathTagore’s novel, Chokher Bali is a period film set inBengal 1902-1905 when the raging political turmoilover the proposed partition of Bengal was at itspeak. A psychological study of complex relationshipswithin a land-owning family, Chokher Bali tells thestory of four young people trapped in a web of destinyand sexual manipulations. Their conflict mirrorsthat of Bengal’s. As director Rituparno Ghosh putsit, “A household in disarray is set against a statein turmoil. The breaking up of a home is linked

with the destructionof a nation’s pride.A widow’s strivingfor freedom isequated with acountry’s strugglefor independence.”—Manjula Kumar

IN BENGALI WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Producers: Shrikant Mohta, Mahendra Soni. Screenplay: Rituparno Ghosh.Cinematography: Abhik Mukherjee. Editor: Arghya Kamal. Music: Debojyoti MishraMitra. Principal Cast: Aishwarya Rai, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Raima Sen, TotoRaychowdhury, Lily Chakraborty

Friday, April 15, 7:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasWednesday, April 20, 7:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre

★ In Person: Director Rituparno Ghosh

CleanOlivier AssayasFrance/United

Kingdom/Canada,

2004, 111 minutes,

color

The extraordinaryMaggie Cheung and Nick Nolte deliver subtle,moving career performances in Clean. They play amother and grandfather embroiled in an emotionalchess match for the heart and custody of theyoung boy who means so much to them. Cheung,whose performance won her a Best ActressAward at Cannes, is astonishing as Emily, whofinds herself abandoned by friends and family after

her faded rock-star partner passes away in a dingymotel. Nolte’s tender performance is endearingand his signature gravelly tones take on tremen-dous resonance as the voice of pragmatism andfaith. The film plays out in locations ranging fromindustrial Ontario, Canada to Paris and London.Olivier Assayas also directed Irma Vep (FFDC1997)—2004 Toronto International Film Festival

IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, AND CANTONESE WITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Production Companies: Rectangle Productions/Haystack Productions/RhombusMedia/Arte France Cinema. Producers: Edouard Weil, Xavier Giannoli, XavierMarchand, Niv Fichman. Screenplay: Olivier Assayas. Cinematography: Eric Gautier.Editor: Luc Barnier. Music: David Roback, Tricky, Brian Eno. Principal Cast: MaggieCheung, Nick Nolte, Beatrice Dalle, Jeanne Balibar, Don McKellar.

Friday, April 22, 9:45 p.m., Regal CinemasSaturday, April 23, 6:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas

CronicasSebastianCorderoMexico, 2004,

98 minutes, color

Cronicas articulatesa profound commentary on American foreign poli-cy and the media’s ravenous hunger for “thestory.” Star reporter Manolo (John Leguizamo)travels from Miami to Ecuador with his producerMarisa (Leonor Watling) and cameraman Ivan(Jose Maria Yazpik) to cover the story of the“Monster of Babahoyo,” a serial murderer of chil-dren who has so far eluded capture. Whileresearching the case, Manolo helps save a scruffy

bible salesman, Vinicio (Damian Alcazar, in anincredibly nuanced performance), from a lynchingafter the man runs over a child. When he visitsVinicio, who’s been imprisoned for manslaughter,Manolo discovers he knows a great deal about theMonster’s crimes and makes a devil’s wager.—Diana Sanchez, 2004 Toronto International Film

Festival


Production Company: Anhelo/Cabazahueca/Tequila Gang. Producers: Bertha Navarro,Isabel Davalos, Guillermo Del Toro, Jorge Vergara, Alfonso Cuaron. Screenplay:Sebastian Cordero. Principal Cast: John Leguizamo, Leonor Watling, DamianAlcazar, Jose Maria Yazpik, Alfred Molina.

Tuesday, April 19, 6:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasThursday, April 21, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas


DalecarliansMasjavlar

Maria BlomSweden, 2004,

98 minutes, color

Dalarna is a county north of Stockholm known forsterling vistas and a brisk tourist trade. The locals,called Dalecarlians, are known as an obstinate,self-absorbed lot who think their region the veryheart of Sweden. When Mia, a hard-chargingcareer woman, forces herself to leave the city tocelebrate her father’s 70th birthday with familyand friends at the local meeting hall, her presence

sets in motion a chain of events that changes thelives of every stubborn and eccentric townie in theroom. The pitch-perfect cast strikes just the rightbalance of pathos and absurdity in a film that deftlymanages to blend stage-sized theatrics andshrewdly-observed character comedy into a mordantcomic concoction.—Eddie Cockrell

IN SWEDISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Memfis Film Rights IV. Producer: Lars Jonsson. Screenplay:Maria Blom. Cinematography: Peter Mokrosinski. Editor: Peter Ahlin, MichalLeszczylowski. Music: Anders Nygards. Principal Cast: Sofia Helin, Kajsa Ernst, AnnPetren, Lars G, Aronsson, Barbro Enberg.

Wednesday, April 20, 9:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasFriday, April 22, 8:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

DevGovind NihalaniIndia, 2004,

140 minutes, color

A story of love, friendship,loyalty, andbetrayal is told against the background ofthe Hindu-Muslim divide leading to theriots in Godhra, Gujarat. The friendshipbetween Joint Commissioner of Police DevPratap Singh (Amitabh Bachchan), aproud, idealistic, and seasoned officer andSpecial Commissioner Tejinder Khosla (OmPuri) is fraught with conflicts and contra-dictions that result in a dramatic collision.Dev’s idealism is tested by battles withcorrupt politicians and other officials thatabuse power. Meanwhile Farhaan, ayoung, unemployed law school graduate,and the girl he loves become irreversiblylinked with the Commissioner and questionhis integrity.—Manjula Kumar


Production Company: Excel Entertainment. Screenplay: MeenakshiSharma. Cinematography: Govind Nihalani. Music: Aadesh Shrivastava.Principal Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Om Puri, Fardeen Khan, KareenaKapoor, Amrish Puri, Rati Agnihotri.

Sunday, April 17, 3:30 p.m., Avalon TheatreSunday, April 17, 8:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre


Capital Focus Award

Le GrandVoyageIsmael FerroukhiFrance/Morocco,

2004, 108 minutes,

color

A French-born Moroccan son drives his iron-willedfather across seven countries to Mecca in thegraceful drama Le Grand Voyage. He’s immersedin exams and nowhere near a good Muslim, soReda is less than thrilled when he’s assigned thetask of hauling dad from France to Saudi Arabia,particularly since his father’s so inflexible that heperforms his prayers during a customs queue andthrows Reda’s chirping cell phone in a garbage

can. They finally join a caravan of the devoutmaking their own pilgrimages—leaving the secularson as odd atheist out. Fundamental, thought-provoking, and wryly funny differences betweenthe two men punctuate the plot as glimpses of theEuropean countryside streak past their vehicle’swindows.—Eddie Cockrell

IN FRENCH, ARABIC, AND ENGLISH WITHENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Ognon Pictures/Arte France Cinema (France)/Soread2M/Casablanca Films/Les Films du Passage (Morocco). Producer: HumbertoBalsan. Screenplay: Ismael Ferroukhi. Cinematography: Katell Djian. Editor: TinaBaz. Music: Fowzi Guerdjou. Principal Cast: Nicolas Cazale, Mohamed Majd, JackyNercessian.

Wednesday, April 20, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasThursday, April 21, 6:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

The Green HatLu maozi

Liu FendouChina, 2003,

98 minutes, color

Audacious and enter-taining, The Green Hat

is Liu Fendou’s directo-rial debut. According toChinese lore, a green hat is the sign of a cuckold,and betrayal is the cosmic connective tissue inter-twining two men in a tragicomic crisis of manhoodand sex. A bank robber is mocked by his partnersfor an unthinkable two-year abstinence while he

faithfully (or foolishly) waits to reunite with hisgirlfriend overseas. Meanwhile, a weathered cop’sfrustrations over his impotence and inadequate“average size” begin to boil over when his duplici-tous wife makes no secret of her lover. When thepaths of these men cross and result in twohostage situations, something much deeper aboutsexual politics is revealed.—Chi-hui Yang

IN MANDARIN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Almost Entertainment Pictures. Producers: Lu Yan, A-Cheng,Peggy Chiao, Hu Xiaojun Screenplay: Liu Fendou. Cinematography: Chen Ying. Editor:Jia Cuiping. Music: Jin Wulin. Principal Cast: Xi Zi, Liao Fan, Li Mei, Hai Yitian.

Friday, April 22, 8:30 p.m., Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas Saturday, April 23, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas


Dil Se…Mani RatnamIndia, 1998, 155 minutes, color

Multi-layered, multi-themed Dil Se delves into thepsychic condition of a revolutionary, unveils thefutility of terrorism, and questions the validity ofhuman sacrifice for political idealism while ultimatelycelebrating the triumph of love. Set in northeasternIndia, the film tells the story of an obsessive passionbetween Amar, a radio reporter, and a beautifulethnic rebel named Meghna. Santosh Sivan’sstunning cinematography spans the subcontinentfrom the Himalayan snowfields, to the high altitudedeserts of Ladakh, to the palm-fringed beaches ofKerala. The deft lens work and hypnotic music

including the famousBollywood bonanza—an energetic dancescene atop a movingtrain—helped Dil Sewin rave reviewsfrom internationalfilm critics.—Manjula

Kumar

IN HINDI WITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Producers: Mani Ratnam, Shekhar Kapur, Ram Gopal Varma. Screenplay: ManiRatnam. Cinematography: Santosh Sivan. Music: A.R. Rahman. Principal Cast:Shahrukh Khan, Manisha Koirala, Preity Zinta, Raghuvir Yadav, SabyasachiChakrabarty.

Saturday, April 16, 1:00 p.m., Avalon TheatreSaturday, April 23, 2:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre

The HeroO Heroi

Zeze GamboaPortugal/Angola

/France, 2004,

99 minutes, color

Winner of an award at this year’s Sundance FilmFestival and the opening film of MOMA’s NewDirectors series, The Hero is a narrative triumphfor former documentarian Zeze Gamboa. Afterlosing his leg in a mine explosion during theAngolan civil war, 20-year vet Vitorio is dischargedfrom the local veterans’ hospital with an artificiallimb. When his prosthetic is stolen, he seeks solace

in the arms of a brittle hooker. Meanwhile 10-year-old Manu dreams of being reunited with his father,who has never returned from the war. As his teacherstruggles to keep Manu from the clutches of a streeturchin, she persuades her influential boyfriend toarrange a radio interview that just might bringVitorio and Manu together.—Eddie Cockrell

IN PORTUGUESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: David & Golias (Portugal)/Gamboa & Gamboa (Angola)/LeFilms de L’Apres Midi (France). Producer: Fernando Vendrell. Screenplay: CarlaBaptista. Cinematography: Mario Masini. Editor: Anna Ruiz. Music: David Linx,Diederik Wissels. Principal Cast: Oumar Makena Diop, Milton Coelho (Santo),Patricia Bull, Neusa Borges, Maria Ceica.


■ Co-presented with the Center for the GlobalSouth, American University.

The Holy GirlLa nina santa

Lucrecia MartelArgentina/Spain/Italy,

2004, 103 minutes, color

An old hotel becomes thestaging area for sexualchicanery and quasi-religious fervor in thisextraordinary second film from Argentine writer-director Lucrecia Martel. During an increasinglyribald medical convention, timid Dr. Jano impulsivelyrubs up against Amalia, the barely pubescentdaughter of hotel manager Helena. The indiscretion

sets in motion an oblique chain of events,during which Amalia, supported by herequally giggly best friend Josefina, decidesit is up to her to save the doctor’s soul.As she did so skillfully in La Cienaga

(FFDC 2002), Martel orchestrates theseemingly random movement of hercharacters within the hotel’s hothouseatmosphere with shrewd calculation.—Eddie Cockrell

IN HUNGARIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Lita Stantic (Argentina)/El Deseo (Spain)/Senso (Italy).Producer: Lita Stantic. Screenplay: Lucrecia Martel. Cinematography: Felix Monti.Editor: Santiago Ricci. Music: Andres Gerszenzon. Principal Cast: MercedesMoran, Carlo Belloso, Alejandro Urdapilleta, Maria Alche, Julieta Zylberberg.

Sunday, April 17, 6:30 p.m., Regal CinemasMonday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas


Hawaii,OsloErik PoppeNorway, 2004,

120 minutes, color

Described as the bestNorwegian feature inyears, Hawaii, Oslo fol-lows the lives of sever-al diverse characters.There is kleptomaniac

Leon and his childhood sweetheart, Asa, who seeeach other again after 10 years. There is alsoTrygve, Leon’s imprisoned brother, who wants toflee to Hawaii in his few hours of birthday leave.

We also meet Frode and Milla, a desperate couplewho can only save their sick child with an expen-sive operation in America. Then we have Vidar, amale nurse who sees the future when he’s asleep,and finally, Bobbie-Pop, a pop star who has beenreduced to anonymity. The film’s concept is directlyreminiscent of benchmarks such as Short Cutsand Magnolia, but Erik Poppe manages to tell avery fresh and vital fairytale.—Sandra den Hamer,

2005 Rotterdam International Film Festival

IN NORWEGIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Paradox Productions. Producer: Finn Gjerdrum. Screenplay:Harald Rosenlow Eeg. Cinematography: Ulf Brantas. Editor: Einar Egeland. Music:

Bugge Wesseltoft. Principal Cast: Trond Espen Seim, Aksel Hennie, Jan GunnarRoise, Stig Henrik Hoff, Petronella Barker.

Wednesday, April 20, 6:30 p.m., Regal CinemasThursday, April 21, 6:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas

Capital Focus Award

InnocentVoicesVocesinocentes

Luis MandokiMexico, 2004,

110 minutes, color

Set against the 1980s Salvadoran civil war thatpitted the army against a peasant guerilla force,Innocent Voices follows the harrowing, yet deter-mined, day-to-day existence of 11-year-old Chava,whose small village is one of the last caught on thefront lines between the warring forces. Chava is an

unfailingly plucky boy who knows full well he’s aboutto turn 12—the age of automatic conscription—and thus becomes increasingly clever in thinkingabout how to avoid this. In the tradition of ForbiddenGames, Hope and Glory, and this year’s FilmfestDC attraction Machuca (see page 14), InnocentVoices speaks to the toll of war on children, andtheir instinctual spirit to rise above the often sense-less conflict. —Eddie Cockrell


Production Companies: Altavista Films, Lawrence Bender Productions, in associa-tion with Santa Domingo Films, Muvi Films. Producers: Lawrence Bender, LuisMandoki, Alejandro Soberon Kuri. Screenplay: Oscar Torres. Cinematography: JuanRuiz Anchia. Editor: Aleshka Ferrero. Music: Andre Abujamra. Principal Cast:Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela, Gustavo Munoz, Jose Maria Yazpik, Ofelia Medina.


The JourneySancharam

Ligy PullappallyIndia, 2004,

107 minutes, color

In The Journey, directorLigy Pullappally handles a controversial subject withstark simplicity, sensitivity, and subtlety. We firstmeet Kiran and Delilah as two young women livingin rural Kerala. Despite their differences—Kiran isa reserved intellectual while Delilah is outgoing andplayful—the girls’ childhood friendship deepens andcontinues into adulthood. The relationship changesas Kiran realizes she is physically attracted to

Delilah. To hide her desire, Kiran helps a malefriend carry out a bizarre scheme to win Delilah’sheart. In the process, Delilah discovers Kiran’sfeelings for her and their romance blossoms. Theeventual discovery of the girls’ secret relationshipculminates in a tragic yet triumphant denouement.—Manjula Kumar

IN MALAYALAM WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Djeven and Asha Films. Producer: Janamma Ottaplackal.Screenplay: Ligy Pullappally. Cinematographer: M.J. Radhakrishnan. Music: IsaacThomas Kottukapally. Principal Cast: Suhasini V. Nair, Shruti Menon, Kpac Lalitha,Valsala Menon.

Monday, April 18, 9:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasTuesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Ligy Pullappally


I Love CinemaBaheb el sima

Osama FawzyEgypt, 2004, 125 minutes, color

For movie-mad seven-year-oldNaeem, life in mid-1960s Cairo is an adventure.His fanatical Coptic Christian dad insists he‚ll go tohell for his habit and condemns even the mostmundane of pleasures. So what‚s that leave a boyto do, between typical childhood pranks andpreternaturally wise voiceover musings, savedream constantly about such local big-screen fareas The Great Escape, The Singing Nun and the

odd Bollywood extravaganza? Diagnosed withrheumatism, the crafty kid even bargains with thedoctor: “Take me to the movies and I‚ll give you allthe blood you want.” Blithely funny and meticulous-ly period-oriented.—Eddie Cockrell

IN ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: El Arabeya. Producer: Issad Youness. Screenplay: Hany Fawzy.Cinematography: Tarek El Telmessany. Editor: Khaled Marei. Music: Khaled Shoukri.Principal Cast: Laila Elwy, Mahmoud Hemeida, Mena Shalaby, Aida Abdel Aziz,Youssef Osman.

Monday, April 18, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasTuesday, April 19, 9:15 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas


Capital Focus Award

The Keysto the HouseLa chiavi di casa

Gianni AmelioItaly/Germany/France, 2004,

100 minutes, color

In looking after children, do parents also look afterthemselves? This question lies at the heart of TheKeys to the House, a nuanced exploration of aman's transformation into a father. At a Munichrailway station, Gianni prepares to meet his sonfor the first time. Fifteen-year-old Paolo is sleepingaboard a train bound for Berlin, where Gianni willaccompany him for medical treatment. Paolo was

born with physical and psychologicaldisabilities; his body is twisted and hewalks with a cane, while his personalityis uncommonly open and trusting. Inthe German hospital they meet Nicole,who has a severely disabled childand, with curiosity and empathy,begins probing the rift between fatherand son.—Leslie Camhi, Village Voice

December 21, 2004

IN ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: RAI Cinema (Italy)/Achab Film (Italy)/Pola Pandora Film(Italy)/Arena Films (France). Producer: Enzo Porcelli. Screenplay: Gianni Amelio,Sandra Petraglia, Stefano Rulli. Cinematography: Luca Bigazzi. Editor: SimonaPaggi. Music: Franco Piersanti. Principal Cast: Kim Rossi Stuart, Andrea Rossi,Charlotte Rampling.

Wednesday, April 20, 9:00 p.m. Landmark’s E Street CinemaSaturday, April 23, 6:30 p.m. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Kings and QueenRois et reine

Arnaud DesplechinFrance, 2004, 150 minutes, color

Kings and Queen tells the stories of Nora(Emmanuelle Devos) and Ismaël (Matthieu Amalric),two former lovers on very different paths. WhileNora confronts the tragedy of her father’s slowdescent into illness and the ghosts of her ownpast, Ismaël is forced to confront is his own issueswhile making a comic turn in a mental hospital runby Dr. Vasset (Catherine Deneuve). An emotionalrollercoaster fueled by a fierce intelligence, Kingsand Queen draws inspiration from mythology,

Shakespeareanforms, and thegrand novels of thepast while presentinga thoroughly modernunderstanding ofhuman relationships.

—2005 Sarasota

Film Festival


Production Companies: Why Not, France 2 Cinema, Rhone-Alpes Cinema.Producer: Pascal Cauchteux. Screenplay: Arnaud Desplechin. Cinematography: EricGautier. Editor: Laurence Briaud. Principal Cast: Emmanuelle Devos, MathieuAmalric, Catherine Deneuve, Magali Woch.

Friday, April 15, 9:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaMonday, April 18, 9:00 p.m. Landmark’s E Street Cinema


Kekexili:MountainPatrolKekexili

Lu ChuanChina/Hong Kong,


Set in the rugged expanse of the Tibetan Plateauand shot with a breathtaking urgency, Kekexili:Mountain Patrol is a stunning, western-inspiredtale of survival and morality. Based on true eventssurrounding the near-extinction of Tibetan antelope,the film chronicles a mountain patrol’s harrowing

17-day trek in pursuit of poachers leaving a trail ofthe animals’ skinned carcasses. The patrol, led bya hard-nosed Tibetan, endures fateful encountersin its dogged but dubious quest, from quicksandto machine-gun toting poachers. Most dauntingand consequential, however, is the harsh naturalenvironment that defines this isolated region ofthe world, and a mode of survival in which moralityacquires a less than absolute standing and ulti-mately speaks much larger truths.—Chi-hui Yang

IN TIBETAN AND MANDARIN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Huayi Brothers/Taihe Film Investment Co. (China)/ColumbiaPictures Film Production Asia (Hong Kong). Producer: Wang Zhongle. Screenplay:Lu Chuan. Cinematography: Cao Yu. Editor: Teng Yun. Music: Lao Zai. PrincipalCast: Duobujie, Zhang Lei, Qi Liang, Zhao Xueying


KontrollNimrod AntalHungary, 2003,

105 minutes, color

Superbly shot, slylyacted, and dazzlinglyscored, Control is ahyperkinetic thrill ride.In the dingy Budapestsubway system, some-one is pushing innocent people in front of trains.For rumpled loner Bulcsu, this represents aninsult to the motley crew of ticket inspectors underhis supervision and a direct threat to his idiosyn-cratic way of life (he lives on the platforms and inthe tunnels, curling up on the floor to sleep when

the trains are idle). Whileidly romancing the eccen-tric daughter of a legendarytrainman and staving offthe often-violent ridicule ofcolleagues and the public,Bulcsu begins a surrealisticjourney of self that leadsto sparks on the tracksand romance on the rails.—Eddie Cockrell

IN HUNGARIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Café Film/Bonfire. Producer: Tamas Hutlassa. Screenplay:Nimrod Antal. Cinematography: Gyula Pados. Editor: Istvan Kiraly. Music: NEO. PrincipalCast: Sandor Csanyi, Zoltan Mucsi, Sandor Badar, Csaba Pindroch, Zsolt Nagy.

Thursday, April 21, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaSaturday, April 23, 11:00 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Last of the FirstAnja BaronUSA, 2004, 88 minutes, color and black & white, video

For a concentrated blast of traditional earlyAmerican jazz as practiced by the masters, comealong with Anja Baron and her film crew as theyfollow the spirited peregrinations of the HarlemBlues and Jazz Band. Together for three decades,this ensemble includes Fats Waller’s seeminglyindestructible guitarist Al Casey; Bill Doggett saxo-phonist Bubba Brooks; Louis Armstrong’s pianistEdwin Swanston; Duke Ellington guitarist LawrenceLucie; Jonah Jones bassist Ivan Rolle; FrankSinatra’s drummer of choice Johnny Blowers; andvocalist Laurel Watson, who worked with CountBasie and Duke Ellington. These dedicated players

are as comfortabledoing local gigs as theyare traveling to Mexico,Berlin, Stockholm, andMoscow’s TschaikovskyHall, this last date show-casing Blowers’ still-

astonishing chops.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: keNYja Productions. Producer: Anja Baron. Cinematography:Anja Baron, Kate Compel. Music: Philip Shane. Principal Cast: Albert Vollmer, AlCasey, Johnny Blowers, Larry Lucie, Bubba Brooks, Edwin Swanston, LaurelWatson, Lionel Hampton, Tom Maxwell, Billy Taylor, Nat Hentoff, Clark Terry, DanMorgenstern.

Friday, April 15, 6:45 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaSaturday, April 16, 9:00 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

★ In Person: Director Anja Baron ★ Alex Martin Trio will perform before

each screening


Capital Focus Award

King’s GameKongekabale

Nikolaj ArcelDenmark, 2004,

107 minutes, color

This slick, compellingpolitical thriller has auniversally pertinentquestion at its core: Who wields the real powerin any democracy? Based on a novel by formerparliamentary press officer Niels Krause-Kjoer,King's Game charts a devious power strugglethrough the eyes of political journalist Ulrik Torp.Weeks away from the general election, DanishCentre Party leader Aksel Brunn is riding high in

the opinion polls. When he is seriously injured ina car accident, a power play ensues in the party'stop ranks. Torp is unwittingly drawn into the strugglebetween the liberal Lone Kjeldsen and her sinisterrival Erik Dreier as they scheme to become thenext prime minister.—Sarah Lutton, 2004 Times

London Film Festival

IN DANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Nimbus Film, in association with TV2 Danmark, FilmGEAR,Zentropa Entertainment. Producer: Meta Louise Foldager. Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel,Rasmus Heisterberg, from the novel by Niels Krause-Kjoer. Cinematography:Rasmus Videboek. Editor: Mikkel E.G. Nielsen. Music: Flemming Nordkrog.Principal Cast: Anders W. Berthelsen, Soren Pilmark, Nastja Arcel, Nicolas Bro,Lars Mikkelsen.

Thursday, April 14, 8:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSunday, April 17, 8:15 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

MachucaAndres WoodChile/Spain/United

Kingdom/France,

2004, 121 minutes,

color

Gonzalo, the 11-year-old boy at the centerof Andrés Wood's Machuca, is warily edgingtoward adolescence, preoccupied with the pettybrutality of the schoolyard and the unspokenmiseries of his upper-middle class Santiago house-hold. But because his coming of age takes placein Chile in 1973 (the military coup againstSalvador Allende's government lurks on the horizon),Gonzalo’s ordinary hardships, joys, and rites of

passage are charged with inordinate tension.Machuca has a tough, heavy clarity. Its point is notto settle scores or reopen old wounds, but ratherto explore, after a long period of repression, thepossibility of grief and to evoke the youthful condition.—A.O. Scott, The New York Times


Production Companies: Andres Wood Productions (Chile)/Tornasol Films(Spain)/Mamoun Hassan (United Kingdom)/Paraiso (France), in association withChilefilms. Producers: Gerardo Herrero, Mamoun Hassan, Andres Wood.Screenplay: Roberto Brodsky, Mamoun Hassan, Andres Wood. Cinematography:Miguel J. Littin. Editor: Fernando Pardo. Music: Miguel Angel Miranda, Jose MiguelTobar. Principal Cast: Matias Quer, Ariel Mateluna, Manuela Martelli, AlineKuppenheim, Federico Luppi.

Thursday, April 21, 9:30 p.m., Avalon TheatreFriday, April 22, 9:30 p.m., Avalon Theatre



Letter Froman UnknownWomanYi feng mo sheng nuren de lai xin

Xu JingleiChina, 2004, 90 minutes, color

A gorgeously photographed tale of unrequitedpassion, Xu Jinglei’s adaptation of Stefan Zweig’sshort story (which Max Ophuls famously filmed in1948) is a visual and romantic masterpiece forwhich Jinglei deservedly won Best Director at theSan Sebastian Film Festival. Transported from

turn-of-the-century Vienna to wartime China andset against the epic backdrop of its revolution,the film unfolds over the course of 20 years andchronicles the life of a woman whose love for aman ultimately consumes her. Starring directorXu Jinglei as the love-lost Jiang and Jiang Wen(Green Tea) as the charismatic writer whom sheis unable to forget, Letter From an Unknown

Woman is a lyrical meditation on memory, love,and loss. —Chi-hui Yang


Production Company: Asian Union Film & Media. Producer: Dong Ping.Screenplay: Xu Jinglei. Cinematography: Mark Lee Ping Bin. Editor: Zhang Yifan.Music: Osama Kubota, Lin Hai. Principal Cast: Xu Jinglei, Lin Yuan, Jiang Wen,Sun Feihu, Su Xiaoming.

Friday, April 15, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaSunday, April 17, 6:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

22

Wednesday, April 13

7:00 p.m. Opening Night GalaRaincoatWith Rituparno GhoshLincoln Theater

Thursday, April 14

10:30 a.m. Filmfest DC for Kids:Program 2*National Gallery of Art

12:30 p.m. Filmfest DC for Kids:Program 1*National Gallery of Art

6:30 p.m. Rolling FamilyLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

7:00 p.m. Mughal-e-AzamLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

8:45 p.m. King’s GameLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

Friday, April 15


12:30 p.m. Filmfest DC for Kids:Program 2*National Gallery of Art

6:30 p.m. Morning RagaLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. Letter From anUnknown WomanLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Selling Democracy:Films of the MarshallPlan, 1948-53Regal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Rolling FamilyAvalon Theatre

6:45 p.m. Last of the FirstLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:45 p.m. The HeroRegal Cinemas

7:00 p.m. Chokher Bali: A PassionPlayLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. PalindromesAvalon Theatre

9:00 p.m. AbsolutRegal Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Kings and QueenLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:30 p.m. CaptiveLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:30 p.m. The Baghdad Blogger:Salam PaxLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:30 p.m. 5x2Regal Cinemas

Saturday, April 16

1:00 p.m. Dil Se…Avalon Theatre

4:30 p.m. Mughal-e-AzamAvalon Theatre

6:30 p.m. Morning RagaLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. The Baghdad Blogger:Salam PaxLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Shanghai StoryRegal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. SomersaultLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:45 p.m. The OvertureLandmark’s E StreetCinema

7:00 p.m. Beautiful BoxerRegal Cinemas

8:00 p.m. SandstormAvalon Theatre

9:00 p.m. Last of the FirstLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:15 p.m. AutumnLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:15 p.m. The Syrian BrideRegal Cinemas

9:30 p.m. Under ConstructionLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:30 p.m. The HeroRegal Cinemas

9:45 p.m. CaptiveLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

Sunday, April 17


12:00 p.m. SandstormAvalon Theatre

3:30 p.m. DevAvalon Theatre

4:30 p.m. Asphalt*National Gallery of Art

5:00 p.m. The WorldLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

Festival Schedule

Miles Electric, p.15

Annual International Filmfest DC 200519th


5:30 p.m. Under ConstructionLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:00 p.m. The Syrian BrideRegal Cinemas

6:15 p.m. Letter From anUnknown WomanLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Beautiful CityLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. The Holy GirlRegal Cinemas

8:00 p.m. DevAvalon Theatre

8:15 p.m. King’s GameLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

8:30 p.m. SomersaultLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

8:45 p.m. Shanghai StoryRegal Cinemas

9:00 p.m. The OvertureLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:00 p.m. 5x2Regal Cinemas

9:15 p.m. AutumnLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Monday, April 18


6:30 p.m. The Miracle of BernAvalon Theatre

6:30 p.m. I Love CinemaLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. Boxers and BallerinasLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. The Holy GirlRegal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Winter SolsticeLandmark’s E StreetCinema

7:00 p.m. Tango Salon: LaConfiteria IdealRegal Cinemas

7:30 p.m. The WorldLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

8:45 p.m. Pirated CopyRegal Cinemas

9:00 p.m. Only HumanAvalon Theatre

9:00 p.m. The JourneyLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. Kings and QueenLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:00 p.m. Beautiful BoxerRegal Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Kekexili: MountainPatrolLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Tuesday, April 19

10:00 a.m. Let the Church SayAmen*Avalon Theatre


6:30 p.m. Only HumanAvalon Theatre

6:30 p.m. The JourneyLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. Winter SolsticeLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:45 p.m. CronicasLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Me and You andEveryone We KnowLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Tango Salon:La Confiteria Ideal, p.19

Untold Scandel, p.20


7:00 p.m. Tango Salon: LaConfiteria IdealRegal Cinemas

7:30 p.m. Songs of Mahulbanishown with LittleTerroristRegal Cinemas

8:30 p.m. The Miracle of BernAvalon Theatre

8:45 p.m. The Other Side of theStreetRegal Cinemas

9:00 p.m. BrothersLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:15 p.m. I Love CinemaLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Boxers and BallerinasLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:30 p.m. Kekexili: MountainPatrolLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Wednesday, April 20

12:00 p.m. Arts Club Panel andLuncheonArts Club of Washington

6:30 p.m. Le Grand VoyageLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. Me and You andEveryone We KnowLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Hawaii, OsloRegal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. BrothersLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Beautiful CityLandmark’s E StreetCinema

7:00 p.m. Chokher Bali:A Passion PlayAvalon Theatre

7:00 p.m. Songs of Mahulbanishown with LittleTerroristRegal Cinemas

8:45 p.m. PeacockLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. DalecarliansLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. The Keys to the HouseLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:00 p.m. Miles Electric: A DifferentKind of BlueRegal Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Pirated CopyLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Thursday, April 21

6:30 p.m. A Thousand DreamsSuch as TheseAvalon Theatre

6:30 p.m. CronicasLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. KontrollLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Hawaii, OsloRegal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Le Grand VoyageLoews Cineplex Wisconsin

Avenue Cinemas

6:45 p.m. The Other Side of theStreetRegal Cinemas

7:00 p.m. Trilogy: The WeepingMeadowLandmark’s E StreetCinema

8:45 p.m. Cell PhoneLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:00 p.m. PeacockLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. Miles Electric: A DifferentKind of BlueRegal Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Suite HabanaLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:15 p.m. Saint RalphRegal Cinemas

9:30 p.m. MachucaAvalon Theatre

Friday, April 22

6:30 p.m. The Boys and Girl FromCounty Clare Loews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. Cell PhoneLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. Innocent VoicesRegal Cinemas


6:45 p.m. PrivateLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:45 p.m. Tell Them Who You AreRegal Cinemas

7:00 p.m. Manual for Love StoriesAvalon Theatre

8:30 p.m. The Green HatLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue CinemasSandstorm, p.17


8:45 p.m. DalecarliansLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

9:00 p.m. Short CutsLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:15 p.m. Untold ScandalLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:30 p.m. MachucaAvalon Theatre

9:30 p.m. Saint RalphRegal Cinemas

9:45 p.m. CleanRegal Cinemas

Saturday, April 23


2:00 p.m. Dil Se…Avalon Theatre

5:00 p.m. Trilogy: The WeepingMeadowLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:00 p.m. A Thousand DreamsSuch As TheseAvalon Theatre

6:30 p.m. The Green HatLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

6:30 p.m. The Keys to the HouseLandmark’s E StreetCinema

6:30 p.m. CleanRegal Cinemas

6:45 p.m. Tell Them Who You Are

Regal Cinemas

7:00 p.m. AbsolutLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas

8:30 p.m. PrivateLandmark’s E StreetCinema

8:45 p.m. Untold ScandalLandmark’s E StreetCinema

9:00 p.m. The Boys and Girl FromCounty ClareLoews Cineplex WisconsinAvenue Cinemas


9:15 p.m. Innocent Voices

Regal Cinemas

9:30 p.m. Manual for Love StoriesAvalon Theatre

9:30 p.m. We Don’t Die, WeMultiplyRegal Cinemas

11:00 p.m. KontrollLandmark’s E StreetCinema

11:00 p.m. Standaloneshown with AmongThievesLandmark’s E StreetCinema

Sunday, April 24


4:00 p.m. The Tuner*National Gallery of Art

4:00 p.m. Closing Night EventLadies in LavenderRegal Cinemas

* Events marked with anasterisk are free.

All programs are subject tochange.

For additional information, call

(202)628-FILM or visit

www.filmfestdc.org

Seaward Journey, p.28

Cronicas, p.14

MilesElectric:A DifferentKindof BlueMurray LernerUSA, 2004, 87 minutes, color and black & white, video

On August 29, 1970, trumpeter Miles Davis andhis band took to Britain’s Isle of Wight festivalstage in front of 600,000 rock fans for a 38-minute improvisation. This astonishing show hasbeen expanded with interviews and exhaustive

historical perspective by veteran music filmmakerMurray Lerner. Interviews with each band memberpave the way for a more intimate appreciation ofthe set, and Lerner has edited images of the menacross the years together to startling effect.Maybe keyboardist Keith Jarrett sums it up best,saying of the great Miles Davis, “He was trying todo something a trumpet wasn’t supposed to beable to actually do.”—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: MLF, in association with Eagle Rock Entertainment. Producer:Murray Lerner. Cinematography: Henry Adebonojo, Nicholas Doob, Bob Elfstrom,Kramer Morgenthau. Editors: Edward Goldberg, Einar Westerlund. Music: MilesDavis. Principal Cast: Miles Davis, Carlos Santana, Stanley Crouch, Joni Mitchell,Herbie Hancock.

Wednesday, April 20, 9:00 p.m., Regal CinemasThursday, April 21, 9:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas

★ Alex Martin Trio will perform before each screening


Me and You andEveryone We KnowMiranda JulyUSA, 2005, 90 minutes, color

Responding to the news that his wife is leaving himand their two children behind, forlorn shoe salesmanRichard (John Hawkes) sets his hand on fire butcan’t quite figure out why. Meanwhile, strugglingvideo artist Christine, played by multi-media mavenMiranda July—here in her feature-length directorialdebut—makes ends meet by driving a cab for theelderly. Finally, Richard’s mixed-race kids, 14-year-old Peter (Miles Thompson) and seven-year-old Robbie(the cherubic Brandon Ratcliff), are confronted byprovocative questions of teenaged sex and Internet

chatrooms, respective-ly. In their eccentricways, each of thesedecent yet confusedcharacters yearns forlove—just like Me and

You and Everyone We

Know.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Gina Kwon.Producer: Gina Kwon. Screenplay:Miranda July. Cinematography: ChuyChavez. Editor: Andrew Dickler.Music: Mike Andrews. Principal Cast: John Hawkes, Miranda July, Miles Thompson,Brandon Ratcliff, Carlie Westerman.

Tuesday, April 19, 6:45 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaWednesday, April 20, 6:30 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

★ In Person: Director Miranda Julie

Manual forLove StoriesCome faze umfilm de amor

Jose Roberto ToreroBrazil, 2002, 85 minutes, color

Drawn with broad comedicstrokes, Manual for Love

Stories features an ever-present narrator whomakes up the story as he goes along. The filmstarts with the camera panning across a busyBrazilian street, considering and rejecting a seriesof women until just the right heroine is found.After that, the woman chosen tries out various

names until a proper one for aromance is discovered. Along the way,two lovers are guided by and arguewith the narrator. At one point, themale lover goes on strike when hedoesn't like a turn the story has taken.This causes the narrator to arrange tohave a cream pie thrown in his face.—Steve Rhodes, Internet Reviews


Production Company: Superfilmes. Producer: Zita Carvalhosa.Screenplay: Jose Roberto Torero, Luiz Moura. Cinematography: Katia Coelho.Editor: Vania Debs. Music: Mario Manga. Principal Cast: Denise Fraga, CassioGabus Mendes, Marisa Orth, Andre Abujamra, Paulo Jose.

Friday, April 22, 7:00 p.m., Avalon TheatreSaturday, April 23, 9:30 p.m., Avalon Theatre

★ In Person: Director Jose Roberto Torero

MorningRagaMahesh DattaniIndia, 2004, 110 minutes, color

Written and directed by playwrightMahesh Dattani, Morning Raga isabout the meeting of diverse worlds. ThisBollywood film is a sensitive study in uniting themodern and traditional, blending the past and thepresent, mingling Carnatic music with westernmusic, and tempering fate and coincidence withindividual choices. Residents from a small village inSouth India embark on bus journey filled with vari-ous aspirations, oblivious of a fatal accident that is

about to befall them. Several livesare inextricably linked through thistragedy. Twenty years later, threepeople come to terms with their lossthrough a synergistic force: music.—Manjula Kumar

IN ENGLISH AND HINDI, WITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Producer: K. Raghavendra Rao. Screenplay: Mahesh Dattani. Cinematography: RajivMenon. Music: Mani Sharma. Principal Cast: Shabana Azmi, Prakash Rao, PerizaadZorabian, Lillette Dubey.

Friday, April 15, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSaturday, April 16, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Mahesh Dattani


Mughal-e-AzamK. AsifIndia, 1960, 178 minutes, color

Forty-four years after it was first released, Mughal-

e-Azam is still considered one of Bollywood’s biggestextravaganzas. It is based on the well-known legendof the love between Prince Salim, son of theMughal Emperor Akbar, and a dancer namedAnarkali. In keeping with the times, the romance isdepicted with subtle glances and delicate expres-sions. Continually torn between love for his onlyson and his duty as an Emperor, Akbar’s dilemmalends complexity to the story. The grandeur of thecostumes, the splendor of the Mughal Court, andthe song-and-dance numbers make the film a land-

mark in Indian cinema that continues to enchantaudiences.—Manjula Kumar


Producer/Screenplay: K. Asif. Cinematography: R.D. Mathur. Music: Naushad.Principal Cast: Prithiviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, Durga Khote.

Thursday, April 14, 7:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSaturday, April 16, 4:30 p.m., Avalon Theatre

The Miracle of BernDas winder von Bern

Soenke WortmannGermany, 2003, 118 minutes, color

The Miracle of Bern sets the rousing German winat the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland—an eventconsidered the beginning of the country’s pivotalGerman Economic Miracle—against a generationalfamily drama that energizes the history with ahuman dimension. When a soldier captured by theSoviets returns to his family in the working-classRuhr region, he soon clashes with his soccer-mad11-year-old son. Meanwhile, in Munich, a newlymarried young sports reporter must cover the big

event with his football-impaired wifein tow. Their stories climax at theWorld Cup final, which is filmed withbreathtaking technique. Ironically,Bern’s Wankdorf Stadium wasdemolished just after the produc-tion left.—Eddie Cockrell

IN GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Little Shark Entertainment/Senator Film Production, in asso-ciation with SevenPictures, Das Werk. Producers: Tom Spiess, Soenke Wortmann,Hanno Huth. Screenplay: Soenke Wortmann, Rochus Hahn. Cinematography: TomFaehrmann. Editor: Ueli Christen. Music: Marcel Barsotti. Principal Cast: LouisKlamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, Johanna Gastdorf, Mirko Lang, Birthe Wolter.

Monday, April 18, 6:30 p.m., Avalon TheatreTuesday, April 19, 8:30 p.m., Avalon Theatre

■ Co-presented with the Goethe InstitutWashington

American Premiere!

The OvertureHoam rong

Itthi-sunthorn WichailakThailand, 2004, 104 minutes, color

The Overture follows gifted musician Sorn fromboyhood to old age and from music competitionsat village festivals to a defiant act of protestagainst the suppression of Thai music during theyears of the Pacific War. Evoking past eras withelegance and conviction, The Overture is the sec-ond directorial feature from former architect andactor Itthi-sunthorn Wichailak. The film boasts fineperformances from many of Thailand's best actors,but the music's the thing. Sorn's instrument is theranad-ek, a kind of bamboo xylophone. Experiencing

it played by AnuchitSaphanphong as youngSorn and Adul Dulyarat aselderly Sorn is thrilling andintensely emotive.—Tony

Rayns, 2004 Times

London Film Festival

IN THAI WITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Production Company: Gimmick Film.Producers: Itthi-sunthorn Wichailak,Pisamai Laodara. Screenplay: DolkamolSattatip, Peerasak Saksiri, Itthi-sunthornWichailak. Cinematography: Natthawut

Kittkhun. Editor: Itthi-sunthorn Wichailak. Music: Nick Chaiyapak. Principal Cast:Anuchit Saphanphong, Adul Dulyarat, Arratee Tanmahapran, Narongrit Tosa-nga,Phongphat Wachirabanjong.

Saturday, April 16, 6:45 p.m., Landmark’s E Street CinemaSunday, April 17, 9:00 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema


The Other Sideof the StreetO outro lado da rua

Marcos BernsteinBrazil/France, 2004, 97 minutes, color

Fernanda Montenegro plays Regina, a 65-year-oldpensioner who works undercover as an informantfor Copacabana’s police force. Though her battingaverage is right up there, her handler is exasper-ated at her zeal: “Next you’ll be beating down drugdealers with your purse,” he tells her. One evening,Regina spies a prominent, aging judge apparentlykilling his wife with a lethal injection. When thepolice don’t believe her story, Regina takes it on

herself to conduct aninvestigation that oftenborders on stalking, untilthe inevitable happensand the two becomeinvolved. Montenegro wasnominated for an Oscarfor her eye-opening workin Central Station.—Eddie Cockrell


Production Companies: Neanderthal MB Cinema (Brazil)/Passaro Films (France).Producer: Katia Machado, Marcos Bernstein. Screenplay: Marcos Bernstein,Melanie Dimantas. Cinematography: Toca Seabra. Editor: Marcleo Moraes. Music:

Guilherme Bernstein Seixas. Principal Cast: Fernanda Montenegro, Raul Cortez,Laura Cardoso, Luis Percy, Caio Ramos.

Tuesday, April 19, 8:45 p.m., Regal CinemasThursday, April 21, 6:45 p.m., Regal Cinemas

Only HumanSeres queridos

Teresa de Peligri, Dominic HarariSpain/United Kingdom/Argentina/Portugal, 2004,

89 minutes, color

When TV presenter Leni brings university lecturerRafi around to meet her eccentric family, littledoes he know what he’s in for: Leni’s got a neuroticmom, Gloria; a belly dancer sister who has a brattykid; an ultra-observant younger brother; and agrandfather who’s so proud of his vet status hewaves a rifle around in their apartment. Leni’sneglected to tell them Rafi’s Palestinian. “Whatpart of Israel are you from?” Gloria asks him inblithe ignorance. Cast as Gloria, Norma Aleandro

(Cleopatra, FFDC 2003)defends her crown asone of international cin-ema’s great light come-diennes. With its famil-iar yet nicely-spun mes-sage that love conquersall, Only Human is asparkling politicalfarce.—Eddie Cockrell


Cinematography: Danny Cohen. Editor: Fernando Pardo. Music: Charlie Mole.Principal Cast: Norma Aleandro, Guillermo Toledo, Maria Botto, Marian Aguilera,Fernando Ramallo.

Monday, April 18, 9:00 p.m., Avalon TheatreTuesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m., Avalon Theatre

PeacockKongque

Gu ChangweiChina, 2005,142 minutes, color

Veteran cinematographer Gu Changwei, whosework with Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige helped todefine China’s Fifth Generation filmmakers, makesa revelatory directing debut with Peacock, a com-passionate portrait of three siblings whose for-tunes rise and fall alomg with China’s bumpy tran-sition from cultural revolution to free-market econ-omy. Weihong is the family’s older sister, whosequietly desperate attempts to find companionship

provide the film’s emotional center. Weiguo is heroverweight and mentally retarded brother, under-estimated by all who pick on him. Weiqiang, theyoungest sibling, is a wise, but troubled youngman ostracized by the family. Told with meticulousdetail, Peacock offers a singular vision of a Chinatrying to shed its past and embrace an unknownfuture. —Chi-hui Yang


Production Company: Asian Union Film & Media. Producers: Dong Ping, GuChangwei. Screenplay: Li Qiang. Cinematography: Yang Chu. Editors: Liu Sha, YanTao. Music: Dou Peng. Principal Cast: Zhang Jingchu, Feng Li, Lu Yulai, HuangMeiying, Zhao Yiwei.

Wednesday, April 20, 8:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasThursday, April 21, 9:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

PiratedCopyMan yan

He JianjunChina, 2004, 89 minutes,

color, video

A kaleidoscope of modernBeijing dwellers linked by illicitbehavior and urban anomie,Pirated Copy is a daring,engrossing film. Set in cramped apartments andback alleys amidst an explosion of illegal DVDs, HeJianjun’s remarkable third feature explores thedark side of a burgeoning film culture that reflects

not only a unique cinephilia, but also thoseleft out of China’s economic miracle.Wrapped up in this world is Shen Ming, apetty DVD dealer, and a collection of char-acters linked by his trade: a sex-starvedcollege professor, a prostitute searchingfor In the Mood for Love, and a financially-strapped couple whose tragic re-enactmentof Pulp Fiction provides the film’s devastat-ing emotional core —Chi-hui Yang


Production Company: Fanhall Studio. Producer: Zhu Ri Kun. Screenplay:Cui zi'en, He Jianjun. Cinematography: Yuan Deqiang. Editor: Gao Bojie.

Music: Bao Luo. Principal Cast: Yu Bo, Wang Ya Mei, Hu Xiaoguang, NaRenQiMuGe, Zi Qi, Wan Chang.

Monday, April 18, 8:45 p.m., Regal CinemasWednesday, April 20, 9:15 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema


PalindromesTodd SolondzUSA, 2004, 100 minutes, color

Filmfest DC festival favorite Todd Solondz (Welcome

to the Dollhouse, FFDC 1995), has been called byVariety’s David Rooney “the bleak bard of NewJersey.” The bard’s back with Palindromes, hismost scabrous comedy to date. Following thefuneral of Dawn Wiener (Dollhouse’s leading char-acter, unseen), her cousin Aviva (who’s played byeight different actors and actresses) expressesfears to mom Joyce (Ellen Barkin) and dad Steve(Richard Masur) that she’ll end up the same way—a suicide. Impregnated by oafish wannabe-filmmakerand family friend Judah (Robert Agri), Aviva is

talked into an abortionby monstrously hypo-critic Joyce, afterwhich she hits theroad on a bizarrevoyage of discovery.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Extra LargePictures. Producers: Mike S. Ryan,Derrick Tseng. Screenplay: ToddSolondz. Cinematography: TomRichmond. Editors: Mollie Goldstein,Kevin Messman. Music: NathanLarson. Principal Cast: Ellen Barkin,Stephen Adly Guirgis, Jennifer JasonLeigh, Emani Sledge, Valerie Shusterov, Hannah Freiman, Rachel Corr, Will Denton,Sharon Wilkins, Shayna Levine, Richard Masur.

Friday, April 15, 9:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre

★ In Person: Director Todd Solondz

Capital Focus Award

Saint RalphMichael McGowanCanada, 2004, 98 minutes, color

A young long-distance runner in Ontario sets hissights on the Boston Marathon in the snappyCanadian comedy Saint Ralph. It’s the early1950s, and 14-year-old wisenheimer Ralph Walker(Adam Butcher) breezes irreverently through hisHamilton Catholic school, much to the displeasureof the headmaster, Father Fitzpatrick (GordonPinsent). Assigned to the cross country team as away of expending an “energy surplus” that manifestsitself in an embarrassing pool accident, Ralphactually takes to the sport under the tutelage ofmore liberal Father Hibbert (Campbell Scott, in full-on

irony mode). Whenhis mother (ShaunaMacDonald) slipsinto a coma, Ralphdecides winning themarathon 180days hence willconstitute the mira-cle needed to bring

her out of it.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Companies: Alliance Atlantis, Amaze Film. Producers: Teza Lawrence,Michael Souther, Seaton McLean, Andrea Mann. Screenplay: Michael McGowan.Cinematography: Rene Ohashi. Editor: Susan Maggi. Music: Andrew Lockington.Principal Cast: Adam Butcher, Campbell Scott, Gordon Pinsent, Jennifer Tilly,Shauna MacDonald.

Thursday, April 21, 9:15 p.m., Regal CinemasFriday, April 22, 9:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas


Embassyof Canada

Rolling FamilyLa familia rodante

Pablo TraperoArgentina, 2004,

103 minutes, color

In Pablo Trapero’s lively new film(El Bonaerense was a highlight ofFFDC 2003), plucky grandmoth-er Emilia and her entire extendedfamily take off on a road trip across Argentina tothe home town she left decades earlier for a fami-ly wedding. Living together in a stifling motor homedoesn’t make for the smoothest ride as reminis-cences, politics, and myriad other obstacles blockthe road. A very smart snapshot of two days in the

life of a large family,Rolling Family explodeswith character andenergy, dramatizing theuniversal fact that lifegives you chances andit’s up to you to makesomething of them.—Eddie Cockrell

IN SPANISH WITHENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Matanza Cine. Producer/Screenplay: Pablo Trapero.Cinematography: Guillermo Nieto. Editor: Nicolas Goldbart. Music: Hugo Diaz, LeonGieco, Juaujo Soza. Principal Cast: Graciana Chironi, Liliana Capurro, Ruth Dobel,Bernardo Forteza.

Thursday, April 14, 6:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasFriday, April 15, 6:45 p.m., Avalon Theatre

PrivateSaverio CostanzoItaly, 2004, 93 minutes, color

“You’re real fighters. Don’t beafraid. Allah is great.” Whenyou’re a Palestinian family whosehouse in an occupied zone isinvaded and commandeered byIsraeli soldiers, this is what passes for neighborlyadvice. Such is the tone of Italian documentaryfilmmaker Saverio Costanzo’s remarkable featuredebut, Private. Although the time and exact loca-tion are never specified, the fears and dilemmasare universal. Stern patriarch Mohammed wants

to dig in his heels and wait it out, whilehis wife Samia pleads with him to movetheir five children to safety. When asmall band of Israeli soldiers breaks intotheir house in the middle of the night, ahigh-stakes game of cat-and-mousebetween the occupied and their occupiersbegins.—Eddie Cockrell

IN ARABIC, HEBREW, AND ENGLISH WITHENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: OffSide, Istituto Luce, Cydonia. Producer: Mario Gianani.Screenplay: Saverio Costanzo, Sayed Qashua, Camilla Costanzo, Alessio Cremonini.Cinematography: Luigi Martinucci. Editor: Francesca Calvelli. Music: Alter Ego.Principal Cast: Mohammad Bakri, Lior Miller, Areen Omari, Tomer Russo, HendAyoub.



SandstormBawandar

Jagmohan MundhraIndia, 2000,125 minutes, color

Sandstorm is based on the experiencesof Bhanwari Devi, who gained recognitionfor filing charges against the abusivemen in her village and was embracedas a symbol of courage by rural women through-out India. In this moving film, a young newsreporter from overseas arrives in Rajasthan, India,to investigate women’s issues. Exploring the case ofa woman named Sanwari, the reporter learns thatthe victim was raped by uppercaste men from her

village because she protestedagainst child marriage and advocat-ed education for girls. Sanwariendures a turbulent journey to seeksocial and legal justice. When sheeventually gets her day in court, theresulting trial is anything but fair.—Manjula Kumar

IN HINDI, RAJASTHANI, AND ENGLISHWITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Producer: Jagmohan Mundhra. Screenplay: Ashok Mishra, Sudha Arora. Music:

Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Principal Cast: Nandita Das, Raghuvir Yadav, Govind Namdeo,Deepti Naval, Lillette Dubey, Rahul Khanna, Laila Rouass.

Saturday, April 16, 8:00 p.m., Avalon TheatreSunday, April 17, 12:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre

★ In Person: Actress Nandita Das

Selling Democracy:Films of the MarshallPlan 1948—1953After World War II, more than $13 billion in U.S.was provided to 17 European nations in an initia-tive called the European Recovery Program (ERP).Familiarly known as the Marshall Plan, some 250films were produced in what author David Ellwoodhas called “the largest peacetime propaganda effortdirected by [one] country to a group of others everseen.” The films have been assembled into fourprograms, one of which is featured in Filmfest DC.Special guests at the screening include HarlanCleveland and Lincoln Gordon. Both held top jobsat the European Cooperation Administration, theagency that ran the Marshall Plan. For informa-tion on other Marshall Plan programs, pleasevisit www.marshallfilms.org.

Help is on the WayThe Extraordinary Adventures of a Quart of Milk

(14 min.), The Home We Love (15 min.), and Riceand Bulls (15 min.) address American productivitywith a respect for traditional European craftsman-ship. Irrigation challenges and land reclamationare explored in Island of Faith (20 min.) and TownWithout Water (13 min.), while Hansl and the

200,000 Chicks (15 min.) brought the messageof hope directly to the young. ERP in Action No. 5

(14 min.) employs the jaunty music and pace of1950s newsreels to tour aid projects in Portugal,

Great Britain, Belgium, and Greece. (Total runningtime: 106 minutes).

Friday, April 15, 6:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas

★ In Person: Opening remarks by HarlanCleveland, Chairman of the InternationalCenter for Peace and Development and for-mer Assistant Director for Europe at theMarshall Plan Agency.


Total running time:

103 minutes

Bebe John Fiege, USA,

9 min., 16mm/Digital

Betacam When a younggirl's father becomes toointerested in self-enlight-enment, she wanders outto a lake to find her owntype of enlightenment.

Viands Jose Antonio Bonet, Spain, 20 min.,

35mm A new guest enters a restaurant in themountains. The chef will be sure to make him enjoyhis best dishes.Milo 55160 David Ostry, Canada, 20 min.,

35mm Milo is just your average paper-shuffling,nameless office worker—in the afterlife.The Perpetual Twilight of Gregor BlackNigel Atkinson and Huw Davies, UK/Scotland, 11

min., 35mm A man, a woman, a pair of shoes…

Stop! Mathijs Geijskes, Holland, 5 min., 35mm

A film within a film…within a film…within a film.Among Thieves Oscar Daniels, USA, 23 min.,

35mm A strange, symbiotic relationship developsbetween an armed robber and his hostage.Little Terrorist Ashvin Kumar, India, 15 min.,

color Near the border between India and Pakistan,a Muslim boy chasing a cricket ball is mistaken fora terrorist by soldiers.

Friday, April 22, 9:00 p.m. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Short Cuts

Shanghai StoryMei Lai Seung Hoi

Peng Xiaolian China, 2004, 100 minutes, color

Winning three awards at China’s prestigious GoldenRooster Awards, Shanghai Story is the moving taleof a family torn apart by China’s Cultural Revolutionand the ghosts that continue to haunt them today.A quiet and controversial chronicle of resilienceand survival, Peng Xiaolian’s third feature film tellsthe story of the Kang family, whose lives, like manyothers, were shattered during the violence andupheaval of the Revolution’s decade-long timespan. Years later, their mother’s illness promptsthe family’s four adult children to return home. The

reunion, however, isanything but joyous;instead, it is a bitter-sweet unearthing ofunresolved questionsand old woundsfrom an unspeakableperiod of China’s his-tory.—Chi-hui Yang


Production Company: Shanghai Tangson Film Media Co. Producer: Xu Feng.Screenplay: Peng Xiaolian. Cinematography: Lin Liangzhong. Editor: Peng Xiaolian.Principal Cast: Yuangzheng Feng, Meihua Gu, Joey Wong, Youliang Zhao, ZhenyaoZheng.

Saturday, April 16, 6:30 p.m., Regal CinemasSunday, April 17, 8:45 p.m., Regal Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Peng Xiaolian

American Premiere!


Songs ofMahulbaniMahulbanir Sereng

Sekhar DasIndia, 2004, 137 minutes, color

Against the background of an unspoiled, mysticalforest, writer/director Sekhar Das displays theschism between village and city life and betweenurban and tribal dwellers. Damayanti returns tothe tribal village Mahulbani (forest of Mahua flowers)where she had worked twelve years earlier whenthe Santhals (tribals) were fighting for their rights.She recalls a young doctor who entered the world

of the Santhals, got involvedwith a local married woman,and subsequently shatteredthe village’s peace and inno-cence.—Manjula Kumar

IN BENGALI WITH ENGLISHSUBTITLES

Producer: Sampa Bhattacharjee. Screenplay: Sekhar Das. Cinematography:Premendu Bikash Chaki. Editor: Sumit Ghosh. Music: Chirpdip Dasgupta. PrincipalCast: Roopa Ganguly, Shilajit Mazumdar, Debesh Roy Chowdhury, ChandreyeeGhish, Sabyasachi Chakaraborty.

Tuesday, April 19, 7:30 p.m., Regal CinemasWednesday, April 20, 7:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas

■ Shown with short film Little Terrorist (see pg. 17)★ In Person: Director Sekhar Das and Star

Roopa Ganguly

StandaloneSean HaganUSA, 2005, 108 minutes,

color and black & white, video

Sean Hagan’s labyrinthine homegrown thriller is atense genre piece in which the usual suspects areanything but. There are three phases in the worldof the Wrongman: word, rap, and fall. Whenstruggling actor Mandla Nkosi (Andrew Owiti) isrecruited into a shadowy parallel universe of pro-file-fitting decoys hired by drug dealers to take theheat off their criminal enterprises, swaggering vetWrongman Miguel Rividavia (Hagan) shows himthe hand-signals, protocol, and tricks necessary tonavigate each step of the system. “All he had to

do was watch,” crowsMiguel of the newbie,“and he did so muchmore.” But woe to hewho violates the code,and becomes, in theparlance of this danger-ous game, a Standalone.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Three Day Dawn. Producers: Sean Hagan, Ahmad Diba.Screenplay: Sean Hagan. Cinematography: Wayne Arnold. Editors: Rob Deege, JeffCook, Don Lampasone. Music: Keith Kehrer. Principal Cast: Andrew Owiti, SeanHagan, Jose Bernik, Mark Cohen, Ross Dippel.

Saturday, April 23, 11:00 p.m., Landmark’s E Street Cinema

■ Shown with short film Among Thieves (see pg. 17)

★ In Person: Director Sean Hagan

Capital Focus AwardAmerican Premiere!

American Premiere!

SomersaultCate ShortlandAustralia, 2004,

105 minutes, color

Featuring an astonishinglyfearless leading perform-ance by a young newcomerand nuanced support froman utterly convincing cast,Somersault is an experience that won’t soon jumpfrom memory. On the heels of being caught kissingher mother’s boyfriend, blonde teenager Heidihops a bus to the Australian ski resort of Jindabyne.Through a series of sexual liaisons, it becomesobvious that intimacy is one of the only tools withwhich the rather sweet but obviously haunted Heidi

can communicate. But there’s a stubbornstreak of independence fighting withinher as well, and in short order she findslodging, a job, and even a boyfriend ofsorts in a young cattle farmer. Yet the roadto self-awareness isn’t without its hazards.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Red Carpet Productions, in association with FilmFinance Corporation/New South Wales Film & TelevisionOffice/Showtime Australia. Producer: Anthony Anderson. Screenplay:Cate Shortland. Cinematography: Robert Humpherys. Editor: ScottGray. Music: Decoder Ring. Principal Cast: Abbie Cornish, Sam

Worthington, Lynette Curran, Erik Thomson, Hollie Andrew.

Saturday, April 16, 6:45 p.m., Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSunday, April 17, 8:30 p.m., Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

■ Co-Presented in cooperation with theEmbassy of Australia.

The Syrian BrideHa’kalaHa’surith/

Arus Surie

Eran RiklisIsrael/France/Germany, 2004, 98 minutes, color

Once Mona crosses the border between Israel andSyria to marry Syrian TV star Tallel, she will neverbe allowed to go back to her family in MajdalShams, a Druze village in the Golan Heights cur-rently under Israeli control. And what a family it is:There is Mona’s tough, political father, a playboyyounger brother, an outcast elder brother, and anelder sister trapped in a culture and tradition she

wants to break out of. At the end of her weddingday, the bride, her family, and the government andmilitary officials gathered on both sides of the bor-der find themselves trapped in a no-man’s land,facing an uncertain future.—2004 Montreal

World Film Festival

IN ARABIC, HEBREW, RUSSIAN, AND FRENCHWITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Eran Riklis Productions (Israel)/MACT Productions(France)/Neue Impuls Film (Germany)/ARTE-WDR. Producers: Bettina Brokemper,Antoine de Clermont-Tonnerre, Eran Riklis, Michael Eckelt. Screenplay: Suha Arraf,Eran Riklis. Cinematography: Michael Wiesweg. Editor: Tova Ascher. Music: CyrilMorin. Principal Cast: Hiam Abbass, Makram J. Khoury, Clara Khoury, AshrafBarhoum, Eyad Sheety.

Saturday, April 16, 9:15 p.m., Regal CinemasSunday, April 17, 6:00 p.m. Regal Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Eran Riklis


Tango Salon:La Confiteria IdealJana BokovaArgentina/United Kingdom, 2003,

70 minutes, color, video

The city of Buenos Aires is still reeling from aneconomic crisis when, paradoxically, one of thestrongest tango revivals occurs. On the one hand,this film can be seen as a Buenos Aires-set BuenaVista Social Club, full of great music and dancethrobbing in a historic tango hall. On the other, itis easy to see the tango as a defiant political act,a refusal to lay down and die in the face of thecountry’s continued poverty. Weaving politicalundercurrents into a richly aesthetic backdrop,

Jana Bokova cele-brates the lives oflocal dancers, tangoteachers, foreigners,and tango stars—allof whom share theirstories of love, family,and national pride.—2004 Vancouver

International Film

Festival

Production Company: Notre Dame Films. Cinematography: Jorge Luis Migliora.Editor: Marcela Saenz. Music: various.

Monday, April 18, 7:00 p.m., Regal CinemasTuesday, April 19, 7:00 p.m., Regal Cinemas

★ Join us for an informal Tango dance beforeeach screening

Capital Focus Award

Suite HabanaFernando PerezSpain/Cuba, 2003,

80 minutes, color

Suite Havana is a dazzlinglyvisual profile of the Cubanmetropolis and a selectionof its citizenry through thecourse of a single day. There’s architect andbuilder Francisco, his 10-year-old son Francisquito—who has Down’s Syndrome—and the boy’s grand-parents. The stories ripple outward from there:railroad repairman and sax player Heriberto,hospital worker and aspiring actor Ivan, perfumefactory employee Rachel, doctor and party clown

Juan Carlos. The elliptical narrative drops in oneach of them seemingly at random, growing toencompass even more stories. Yet FernandoPerez exhibits a masterful control of the material,building from these brief vignettes a picture ofpurpose and peace amidst the crumbling industrialdecay of the still colorful city.—Eddie Cockrell


Production Companies: Wanda Vision (Spain)/ICAIC (Cuba). Producer: Jose MariaMorales, Camilo Vives. Cinematography: Raul Perez Ureta. Editor: Julia Yip. Music:

Edesio Alejandro, Ernesto Cisneros.

Thursday, April 21, 9:15 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasFriday, April 22, 6:45 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSaturday, April 23, 9:15 p.m., Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

Trilogy: TheWeeping MeadowTrilogia: To livadhipou dhakrisi

Theo AngelopoulosGreece/France, 2004,

178 minutes, color

Theo Angelopoulos' first feature since Eternity anda Day is part one of a trilogy which begins in1919, as Greek refugees fleeing the Bolshevik rev-olution return to their homeland. This is where thelove story between Elena and Alexis begins. Forcedto leave the village because their love goes againstthe wishes of Alexis' father, the itinerant couple

roam around Greece. Their effortsto preserve their love are thwartedby social, political, and historicalevents.—Sandra Hebron, 2004

Times London Film Festival

IN GREEK WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Companies: Theo Angelopoulos, Greek FilmCenter, Attica Arts Productions, Hellenic BroadcastingCorporation (Greece)/BAC Films, Intermedias, Arte France(France). Producers: Theo Angelopoulos, FiviEkonomopoulos. Screenplay: Theo Angelopoulos.

Cinematography: Andreas Sinanos. Editor: Yorgos Triantafyllou. Music: EleniKaraindrou. Principal Cast: Alexandra Aidini, Nikos Poursanidis, Yorgos Armenis,Vasilis Kolovos, Eva Kotamanidou.

Thursday, April 21, 7:00 p.m. Landmark’s E Street CinemaSaturday, April 23, 5:00 p.m. Landmark’s E Street Cinema

■ Co-Presented in cooperation with the Embassyof Greece.


A ThousandDreams Suchas TheseHazaaron khwaishein aisi

Sudhir MishraIndia, 2004, 125 minutes, color

A Thousand Dreams Such as These weaves intricatethemes of a generation ridden with ironies. Itsthree main characters are pulled between egalitariandreams and the effects of destructive fraudulence.Set in 1975 against a background of the Naxalitemovement, the film tells the story of SiddharthTyabji, son of leftist liberal parents, Geeta Rao, thedaughter of a brilliant but conservative scientist,

and Vikram Malhotra, asmall-town boy who is totallycontemptuous of his fatherspolitical idealism. The livesof Siddharth, Geeta, andVikram intertwine across adecade as each searchesfor his or own destiny amida backdrop of love, ambition, politics, and passion.—Manjula Kumar


Producer: Pritish Nandy. Screenplay: Sudhir Mishra, Shiv Subramaniam, RuchiNarain. Cinematography: Jaques Bouquin. Editor: Catherine D’Hoir. Music: ShantanuMoitra. Principal Cast: Kay Kay Menon, Chitrangda Singh, Roshan Ahuja.

Thursday, April 21, 6:30 p.m., Avalon TheatreSaturday, April 23, 6:00 p.m., Avalon Theatre

★ In Person: Director Sudhir Mishra

Tell ThemWho YouAreMark S. WexlerUSA, 2005, 93 minutes,

color and black & white

Cinematographer HaskellWexler’s credits includeWho’s Afraid of Virginia

Woolf, In the Heat of the Night, One Flew Over the

Cuckoo’s Nest, Bound for Glory, and Coming

Home, to name a few. When his son, Mark S.Wexler, began making a film about his father’scareer, Haskell warily let him proceed. Contraryand confrontational, the elder Wexler is constantly

criticizing his son’s working methods—asituation compounded when young Wexleraccidentally unplugs the mike connectionon his digital video camera and thus missessound during his old man’s star-studded80th birthday party backyard barbeque.Yet the project does bring father and soncloser together while affording apprecia-tive audiences an intimate portrait of oneof Hollywood’s most talented cameramen.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Wexler’s World. Producer: Mark S. Wexler. Cinematography:Mark S. Wexler, Sarah Levy, Joan Churchill, John Ealer, Jon Else, PatrickLoungway, Keith Walker, Haskell Wexler. Editor: Robert DeMaio. Music: Blake Leyh.With: Michael Douglas, Jane Fonda, George Lucas, Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier.


★ In Person: Director Mark Wexler

UnderConstructionInsaat

Omer VargõTurkey, 2004,

112 minutes, color

Omer Vargi’s wonderfully wry Turkish black comedyabout two working stiffs whose lives take a radi-cal—and unsavory—turn. Ali and Sudi work aloneat a residential construction site. One fatal night,the boss shows up with a corpse and surrepti-tiously buries it. Frightened, Ali and Sudi wind upexhuming and moving the body. Word about theburial ground spreads and soon their makeshift

graveyard turns into a thriving business,as a string of accidental and not-so-acci-dental deaths are swept off the record.When a nosy neighbor questions the end-less nocturnal comings and goings, Sudicomes up with an inane but surprisinglyeffective cover-up.—Ronnie Scheib, Variety

IN TURKISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Filma Cass. Producers: Mine and Omer Vargi. Screenplay:Omer Vargi, Serdar Tantekin. Cinematography: Ferenc Pap. Editor: Bercin Cinar.Music: Omer Ozgur. Principal Cast: Sevket Coruh, Emre Kinay, Suna Pekuysal,Yesim Buber, Binnur Kaya.

Saturday, April 16, 9:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasSunday, April 17, 5:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Omer Vargõ


UntoldScandalE J-yongSouth Korea, 2003,

124 minutes, color

Lady Cho, therespected wife of anobleman in public, is careful to hide evidence ofher extra-marital affairs. Her closest ally is Cho-won, who rebels against the duties imposed by hisstatus. Masters of intrigue and deceit, they collab-orate on dangerous games of revenge and seduc-tion. Lady Cho challenges Cho-won to seduce awidow who is so widely admired for her devotion

to her late husband that she was awarded a Gateof Virtue by the government. Only when Lady Chooffers herself as the prize does Cho-won accepther bet. “A lusciously lensed, lubriciously limnedcostumer that effortlessly transposes the classicFrench novel “Dangerous Liaisons” to 18th centu-ry Korea,” writes Variety’s Derek Elley. “UntoldScandal is a 10-course treat for the eyes andears.”—2004 Montreal Festival of World Cinema

IN KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: b.o.m. Producer: Oh Jeong-wan. Screenplay: E J-yong, KimDae-woo, Kim Hyeon-jeong, from the novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” byChoderlos de Laclos. Cinematography: Kim Byeong-il. Editors: Kim Yang-il, HanSeung-ryong. Music: Lee Byeong-woo. Principal Cast: Bae Yong-jun, Lee Mi-suk,Jeon Do-yeon, Jo Hyeon-jae, Lee So-yeon.


The TunerKira MuratovaRussia, 2004, 154 minutes, black & white

The Tuner is a lavish crime melodrama looselybased on the memoirs of a turn-of-the centuryRussian detective. Andrey, an intelligent but penni-less piano tuner and music student, is in love withthe stunning and extravagant Lina. Andrey strug-gles valiantly to earn enough money to support herextravagant tastes, but his wages fall far short ofsatisfying Lina's frivolous desires. As the pressureto keep his muse in the manner to which she isaccustomed begins to mount, Andrey turns to alife of crime, using his expert computer skills toexploit the good intentions of an aristocratic elderlywoman. An elegant, sophisticated and irresistible

recital, this is breathtaking filmmaking from a trueartist.—Dimitri Eipides, 2004 Toronto Film Festival

IN RUSSIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Production Company: Pygmalian Production Film Co. Producer: Sergey Chliyants.Screenplay: Kira Muratova, Sergey Chetvyortkov, Eugenie Golubenko. Cinematography:Gennadi Karyuk. Editor: Valentina Oleynik. Music: Valentin Silvestrov. Principal Cast:Renata Litvinova, George Deliyev, Nina Ruslanova, Alla Demidova, Alexei Pavlovski.

Sunday, April 24, 4:00 p.m., National Gallery of Art, FREE

Free!


Winter SolsticeJosh SternfeldUSA, 2004, 93 minutes, color

In a leafy New Jersey suburb,pensive widower Jim Winters(Anthony LaPaglia, who alsoserved as executive producer)tends to his landscaping busi-ness while raising teenaged sons Gabe and Pete.The two boys are close, but change is at hand:Gabe seems restless despite the love of his girl-friend, and Pete is becoming alarmingly lax in hisschoolwork. When Gabe abruptly announces he’smoving to Florida even as a new neighbor Molly(Allison Janney) begins to draw Jim out of his

shell, the Winters’ daysseem short indeed. Adeeply optimistic film,Winter Solstice circlesaround to reaffirm thehard-fought bonds of familyeven as it resonates withthe quiet, profound truthsof life.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Sound Pictures. Producers: John M. Limotte, Doug Bernheim.Screenplay: Josh Sternfeld. Cinematography: Harlan Bosmajian. Editor: PlummyTucker. Music: John Leventhal. Principal Cast: Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford,Mark Webber, Allison Janney, Michelle Monaghan.


★ In Person: Director Josh Sternfeld

The WorldShijie

Jia ZhangkeChina/Japan/France,


In his fourth film, Jia Zhangkecontinues his exploration of theprofound economic and social schisms that arepropelling China into its undefined future. Tao is adancer at Beijing’s World Park, a tourist destinationfeaturing scaled replicas of the world’s architecturalwonders (including a Manhattan skyline that stillboasts its Twin Towers). Attempting to salvage herdeteriorating relationship with a park security

guard, Tao leads an ensemble ofcharacters who give life and humanityto the inner workings of the Park’sartifice, from its Russian dancers tothe rural Chinese construction workerswho are even more alien in its urbansetting.—Chi-hui Yang


Production Companies: Office Kitano (Japan)/X StreamPictures/Lumen Films (France). Producers: Chow Keung, Shozo Ichiyama,Hengameh Panahi. Screenplay: Jia Zhangke. Cinematography: Yu Lik-wai. Editor:Kong Jinglei. Music: Lim Giong. Principal Cast: Zhao Tao, Chen Taisheng, Jing Jue,Jiang Zhongwei.

Sunday, April 17, 5:00 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue CinemasMonday, April 18, 7:30 p.m.,Loews Cineplex Wisconsin Avenue Cinemas

We Don’tDie, WeMultiplyTopper CarewUSA, 2004, 92 minutes,

color, video

Topper Carew, who foundedWashington’s New ThingArt & Architecture Centerduring the 1960’s, returnshome with We Don’t Die, We Multiply. “If you callyourself a comedian,” Bernie Mac says early inthis revelatory documentary, “you need to knowthe essence…of what Robin Harris is.” By the timeHarris died peacefully from sleep apnea, he had

begun to expand his fame by playing dis-tinctive supporting roles in House Party

and Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing andlanding an HBO special. He spent the1980s developing a raucous, confronta-tional stage act that made Don Rickleslook like a Wal-Mart greeter. In this inci-sive film, established and young comedi-ans trace the inspiration for their profes-sional drive to the comedy of RobinHarris.—Eddie Cockrell

Production Company: Urban Neo, Rainbow Imagineering. Producer:Topper Carew. Cinematography: Garett Griffin, Chris Chan Lee.

Editor: Chris Chan Lee. Music: Various. With: Robert Townsend, Cedric theEntertainer, Bernie Mac, Martin Lawrence, Lewis Dix, Darryl Sivad, Jay AnthonyBrown, Topper Carew, Exetta Harris.

Saturday, April 23, 9:30 p.m., Regal Cinemas

★ In Person: Director Topper Carew

Program One(total running time: 86 minutes)

Thursday, April 14, 12:30 p.m., National Gallery of ArtFriday, April 15, 10:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtRecommended for ages 8 and up

Bellybutton Directed by Mike Nawrocki USA, 2003, 4 minutes, animation

From the creators of the cartoon series “VeggieTales,” this funny spoof of music videos stars veg-gies who sing about a little guy who doesn’t have abellybutton.

Dodge-a-Go-Go!Directed by Mitsuhiro MiharaJapan, 2002, 82 minutes, color

Yukiko’s dodgeball team is facing an embarrassinglosing streak and her family is moving from Japanto Korea. In Seoul, she meets new friends whohelp her underdog dodgeball team as they gear upto face legendary rivals. Find out how the gameplays out in this heartfelt and hilarious comedy.The high-energy sports scenes almost feel like adocumentary film, as the camera puts you rightinto the action.

IN JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Program Two(total running time: 71 minutes)

Thursday, April 14, 10:30 a.m.,National Gallery of ArtFriday, April 15, 12:30 p.m., National Gallery of ArtSunday, April 24, 11:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtRecommended for ages 7 and up

Kirikou and the SorceressDirected by Michel OcelotFrance/Belgium, 1998, 71 minutes, animation

This beautiful West African folk tale tells thestory of Kirikou, an ingenious newborn whodecides to rid his village of a curse placed on it bythe sorceress Karaba. The tiny boy discovers away to reach the sorceress and wins the hearts ofeveryone in the process. The film is accompaniedby an original soundtrack by the Senegalese musi-cian Youssou N’Dour.


Program Three(total running time: 100 minutes)

Sunday, April 17, 11:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtMonday, April 18, 10:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtRecommended for ages 8 and up

An Angel for MayDirected by Harley CokelissGreat Britain, 2002, 100 minutes, color

An Angel for May is a story of caring and hopethat the entire family can share. After accidentallytumbling through a magical time portal, a twelve-year-old English schoolboy named Tom is trans-ported back to the time of World War II. He findshimself on a thriving farm run by a man who islooking after a war orphan named May. With asheepdog as his time-travel guide, Tom makesmany friends on the farm and becomes especiallyattached to May. When he returns to the present,Tom discovers the fate of his friends from the pastand takes on the task of rewriting history.


An Angel for Maycontinued on bottom of page 39

Filmfest DC for Kids Free!

Let the Church Say AmenDavid PetersenUSA, 2004, 87 minutes, color and black & white

In the shadows of our nation’s capital, impover-ished black neighborhoods struggle to preventhope from draining out of their residents’ lives.David Petersen’s powerful documentary, Let theChurch Say Amen (not to be confused with St. ClairBourne’s 1974 film of the same name), shows howone church nourishes love and hope in memberswhose lives have been blown apart by hardship.Inside the storefront doors of the World Missionsfor Christ Church is a world filled with passion,sweat, devotion, and testifying. Soulful hymnstransport churchgoers to a sense of safety withinthe faith while the ardent testimony by the minister,who overcame crack addiction, helps them realizethat they can turn their lives around.—Shari Frilot, 2004 Sundance Film Festival

Producers: David Peters, Mridu Chandra. Cinematography: Brett Wiley.Editor: David Petersen. Music: Various.

Tuesday, April 19, 10:00 a.m., Avalon Theatre, FREE

★ In Person: Director David Peterson

Program Four(total running time: 101 minutes)

Tuesday, April 19, 10:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtSaturday, April 23, 10:30 a.m., National Gallery of ArtRecommended for ages 11 and up

Passing Hearts Directed by Johan BrisingerSweden, 2003,

14 minutes, color

Daniel, a young boy who recently received a hearttransplant, pays a visit to the family whose kind-ness has given him a second chance at life.

The BlindgängerDirected by Bernd SahlingGermany, 2004, 87 minutes, color

This award-winning film celebrates the importanceof friendship, perseverance, and ambitiousdreams. Marie and Inga are musicians at heartwho would give anything to win atelevised talent contest. Hoping to come up withthe best teenage music video, the girls form aband at their boarding school. They weather toughauditions, exhausting rehearsals, and the difficul-ties of being blind in a seeing world.

IN GERMAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES


Filmfest DC for Kids continued from page 38

Cinema for Seniors Free!

with SharonWaxman“Rebels on the Backlot: Six MaverickDirectors and How They Conqueredthe Hollywood Studio System," SharonWaxman’s new must-read, looks atthe 1990s shock wave of dynamicnew directing talent that took theHollywood studio system by storm.Ms. Waxman is currently a New York

Times Hollywood correspondent and previously reported for The Washington Post. Shespent a decade covering and interviewing Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, DavidFincher, Paul Thomas Anderson, David Russell, and Spike Jonze and tells a fascinatingstory by weaving together their lives and careers.

Join Sharon and Eddie Cockrell, independentfilm critic, over lunch to find out how thesedirectors took on "the System" and how theauthor pursued them to shape her narrative,which The Washington Post compares to “afreight train-- powerful, loud, and immenselyentertaining.”

Wednesday, April 20, Noon at The Arts Club ofWashington, 2017 Eye Street NW

$15 for Buffet Lunch and Program. Reservationsrequested by Tuesday, April 19. To reserve, call202-331-7282 or e-mail [email protected]

Take Metro Orange or Blue Line to Farragut West orFoggy Bottom/GWU.

★ In Person: Sharon Waxman, Author


Film Talk and Fine Food

Somersault, pg. 33

Palindromes, pg. 29


JenniferBradford

TuanTran

NishaBalasubramani

TommieAdams, Jr.

AlainFournier

JillTunick

NickFraccaro

ConniePools

RichardSeidel

Filmfest DC

Board of

Directors

Kandace LaassChair

Max N. BerryAttorney-at-Law

Alberto CascieroDirector, LearningResources Division,University of the Districtof Columbia

Anthony GittensDirector, Washington,DC International FilmFestival Executive Director, DCCommission on the Artsand Humanities

Stephen X. GrahamPresident, CrosshillFinancial Group, Inc.

Arnold P. LutzkerLutzker, Lutzker &Settlemyer LLP

John M. MendoncaPartner, KPMG LLP

Jennifer Cover PayneDirector, Cultural Allianceof Greater Washington

Ted PedasPresident, Circle Films, Inc.

Rick RickertsenPine Creek Partners

Marilyn WeinerPresident, Screenscope

Alan RubinFilm Consultant

Robert Sacheli Creative ServicesManager, AmericanOccupationalTherapy Association

Festival

Staff

Tony GittensFestival Director

Shirin GhareebAssistant FestivalDirector

Jared TraverTechnical Director

Katie Dargis, JaneFox, Bill McLeodVolunteer Coordinators

Alain Fournier,Darin KinzerHospitality Coordinators

Robyn Thoelke,Andrew DavisTheater Coordinators

Aisha DavisOpening Night GalaProducer

Richard SeidelOpening Night Gala

Annette Coram,Phil Harris Closing Night

Jennifer BradfordAudience Award

Tommie Adams, Jr.,Constance Blackwell,Martina Gauss,Bertha Hall, CharlesKovatch, JonathanLifland, BruceSnyder, Zipper Viloski,Bahram Zandi, NeilPaz-CruzatTheater Managers

Shira Keyes,Linda PosellCinema for Seniors

John Hall Film Print Controller

Stan Collender,Gretchen Allsop,Patricia PincusFinancial DynamicsBusiness CommunicationsPublic Relations

Connie PooleConduit Productions, Inc.Public Relations

Chad Evans WyattPhotographer

Susan BarocasCapital Focus AwardCoordinator

Nisha BalasubramanianCoordinating Assistant

Nicholas Fraccaro,Lee DoyleInterns

Programmers

Tony GittensSenior Programmer

Shirin Ghareeb

Jared TraverShorts & Local FilmPrograms

Manjula KumarIndian Cinema Focus

Chi-hui YangChinese Cinema Focus

ProgrammingAdvisors

Eddie Cockrell

Peggy Parsons

Festival

Catalog

Eddie Cockrell Senior Editor

Jill TunickEditor

Media PlusDesign, Inc.

Kathy Amano

Andy Dolan

Ruth Logsdon

Jeffrey Everett

Cover IllustrationDesign andProduction

continued on page 42

Thanks

FestivalWebsite

Westlake ConsultingGroupWebsite Design

Tuan TranWebsite Coordinator

Line Jumper

and Security

Camera

Trailers

Dan Corrigan,ProducerMark Traver, DirectorMonument Films

Betsy Royall Casting

Chesapeake Camera

The WashingtonSource

E3Post

MVI Post

Filmfest DCTrailer

John Black, CoryWilliamsRed Cactus Films

Interface Video

Carlyn Davis Casting

Tuba Guveli

Matt Caulk, TedVeyera, Mike Wilson,Brian Buckley, AaronSuperfin, HenryHoldrenCrew

Arch Campbell,Steve Lee, BrandyBurre, Caroline G.Pleasant, Colm Kane, Kristen Carter,Tony Gittens, ShirinGhareebCast

Special

Thanks to

Gautam BambawaleCultural CounselorEmbassy of India

Anne DelaneyCounselor, CulturalAffairsEmbassy of Canada

Eric Amhof,Edith HergerEmbassy of Switzerland

Orit NaorDirector ofCultural AffairsEmbassy of Israel

Peter WahlqvistCultural CounselorEmbassy of Sweden

Walid AbdelnasserDeputy Chief of MissionEmbassy of the ArabRepublicof Egypt

Sylvia Blume Goethe-InstitutWashington

Sandra Schulberg Selling Domocracy

Antoine Khalife Unifrance

Linda BlackabySan Francisco International Film Festival

William GuentzlerCleveland International Film Festival

Crystal Palmer Mayor’s Office of MotionPicture and TelevisionDevelopment

Sara Taylor Allied Advertising

Bob JonesLoews Cineplex Theatres

Ted Cooper, ElvisWatermanRegal EntertainmentGroup

Matt CowalLandmark Theatres

Vicki Toye,Nathalie RyanNational Gallery of Art

Ambassador ClovisMaksoud Director, Center for theGlobal South, AmericanUniversity

Allison ManionD.C. Arts andHumanities EducationCollaborative

Aviva KempnerFilmmaker

Erju AckmanSilk Road Film Festival

Brennan HurleyEvelyn WoolstonArts Club of Washington

Deborah YoungVariety

Barry GlasserBoro Park Productions

Not Pictured:Aisha DavisAlberto CascieroAndrew DavisBob SacheliCharles KovatchJane A. FoxKathy AmanoKatie DargisPhil HarrisSusan BuzelliEddie CockrellJohn HallKandace LaassPeggy Parsons


Thanks continued from page 41

LindaPosell

ShiraKeyes

BerthaHall

NeilPaz-Cruzat

BruceSynder

JaredTraver

Phot

os: C

had

Evan

s W

yatt

Features

5x2 ThinkFilm155 Avenue of the Americas7th FloorNew York, NY 10013Ph: 646 293 9405www.thinkfilmcompany.com

AbsolutBlow-UP Film Production SACase Postale 54761211 Geneve, SwitzerlandPh: 41 22 3212451Fax: 41 22 3212152E: [email protected]

AsphaltTransit Film Gmbh Munich GermanyPh: 49 89 599 885 [email protected]

AutumnNext Week Filmworks219 Barbour St.Playa del Rey, CA 90293Ph: 310 306 3537

The Baghdad Bloggers:Salam Pax

Guardian Films75 Farringdon RoadLondon EC 1 M 3JYUnited KingdomPh: 44 207 886 9310

Beautiful Boxer Regent Releasing10990 Wilshire Blvd. #1800Los Angeles, CA 90024www.regentreleasing.com

Beautiful CitySheherazad Media InternationalPasdaran St., Shariati Ave.Tehran, 16619 IranPh: 98 21 2863260/61E: [email protected]

Boxers and Ballerinas 2000 Kew Dr.Los Angeles, CA 90046E: [email protected]

The Boys and GirlFrom County Clare

IDP Distributions1133 Broadway Suite 926New York, NY 10010Ph: 212 367 9435Fax: 212 367 0853

Brothers IFC FilmsRainbow Media

Holdings, LLC 200 Jericho QuadrangleJericho, NY 11753Ph: 646 273 7213E: [email protected]

CaptiveGaston Biraben3476 Cabrillo Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90066E: [email protected]

Cell PhoneLeah XuBeijing, China Ph: 8610 64570013Fax: 8610 64570230E: [email protected]

Chokher Bali:A Passion Play

Shree Venkatesh FilmsSuite 508, 6 Waterloo St.Kolkata, India 700069E: [email protected]

CleanPalm Pictures76 Ninth Ave.Suite 1110 New York, NY 10011 Ph: 212 320 3653 Fax: 212 320 3709

Cronicas Palm Pictures76 Ninth Ave.Suite 1110 New York, NY 10011 Ph: 212 320 3653 Fax: 212 320 3709

Dalecarlians Swedish Film InstituteBox 27126S-10252 StockholmSwedenPh: 46 8 665 1100Fax: 46 8 6663760E: [email protected]

DevUdbhav Dreamzone Pvt.Rajkamal StudiosDr. S S Rao RoadParel, Mumbai 400 053Ph: 91 22 2647 5320Fax: 91 22 2415 6447govindnihalani@

rediffmail.comwww.devthefilm.com

Dil Se…Madras Talkies8 Crescent Ave.Kesava Perumal PuramChennai, India 600 028Ph: 91 44 24615810E: [email protected]

Le Grand Voyage Film Movement375 West Broadway2nd FloorNew York, NY 10012Ph: 212 941 7744www.filmmovement.com

The Green HatArc Light FilmsNo.19, Lane 2Wan Li Street, 4th FloorTaipei 116 TaiwanPh: 886 2 2230 7639E: [email protected]

Hawaii, Oslo Norwegian Film InstituteDronningens Gt. 160152 Oslo, NorwayPh: 47 22 47 45 76Fax: 47 22 47 45 97www.nfi.no/english

The HeroCalifornia Newsreel 500 Third St.Suite 505 San Francisco, CA 94107Ph: 415 284 7800Fax: 415 284 7801 E: [email protected]

The Holy Girl Fine Line Features777 7th Ave.New York, NY 10106Ph: 212 649 4803

I Love Cinema Egyptian Film CenterCity of Arts, Pyramids Ave.Cairo, EgyptPh: 20 2 585 0346Fax: 20 2 585 4701E: egyptianfilmcenter@

hotmail.com

Innocent VoicesAltavista Films SA de CVInsurgentes Sur 1898 8vo. PisoCol. Florida, Mexico, DFCP 01030, MexicoPh: 52 55 322 4527E: aguevara@altavista-

films.com.mx

The JourneyLigy Pullapally8123 W. Oak Ave.Niles, IL 60714Ph: 847 390 6688E: [email protected]

Kekexili:Mountain Patrol

Film Distributors International10202 W. Washington Blvd.Culver City, CA 90232Ph: 310 244 2073 E: Sal_Ladestro@spe.

sony.com

The Keys to the House Allied Advertising 1101 17th St., NWPh: 202 223 2660 E: [email protected]

Kings and Queen Wellspring Films Ltd.419 Park Ave. SouthNew York, NY 10016Ph: 212 686 6777 www.wellspring.com

King’s Game Danish Film Institute55 GothersgadeDK-1123 Copenhagen KDenmarkPh: 33 74 34 00Fax: 33 74 34 01E: [email protected]

Kontroll ThinkFilm155 Avenue of the Americas7th FloorNew York, NY, 10013Ph: 646 293 9405www.thinkfilmcompany.com

Ladies in Lavender IDP Distributions1133 BroadwaySuite 926New York, NY 10010Ph: 212 367 9435Fax: 212 367 0853

Last of the First235 West End Ave., #17HNew York, NY 10023Ph: 212 787 2086E: [email protected]

Letter From anUnknown Woman

Asian Union FilmsBuilding B, Shu Guang TowerNo 5 Jingshun RoadChaoyang DistrictBeijing, China 100028Ph: 8610 8440 9911

MachucaMenemsha Entertainment1157 S Beverly Dr.2nd FloorLos Angeles, CA 90035Ph: 310 452 1775Fax: 310 277 6602


continued on page 44

Print Sources

DonnéMalloy-Murray

AnnetteCoram

LeeDoyle

ConstanceBlackwell

RobynThoelke

BahramZandi

ChadWyatt

StanCollender

Manual for Love Stories Cinematográfica Superfilmes

Ltda.Simão Alvares 784/02Ph: 5511 30315522E: [email protected]

Me and You and EveryoneWe Know

IFC FilmsRainbow Media Holdings, LLC 200 Jericho QuadrangleJericho, NY 11753Ph: 646 273 7213E: [email protected]

Miles Electric: A DifferentKind of Blue

MLF Productions630 Ninth AvenueNew York, NY 10036Ph: 212 581 6772

The Miracle of BernBavaria Films Bavariafilmplatz 7D-82031 GeiselgasteigGermanyPh: 49 89 6499 2686Fax: 49 89 6499 3720 E: [email protected]

Morning RagaBollywood Hollywood

Production IncP.O. Box 10096New Brunswick, NJ 08906E: [email protected]

Mughal-e-AzamSterling Investment Corporation

Pvt Ltd.,SP Centre, 41/44 Minoo Desai

Marg,Colaba, Mumbai 400 005 IndiaE: [email protected]

Only HumanMagnolia Pictures 49 West 27th St.7th FloorNew York, NY 10001 Ph: 212 924 6701 Fax: 212 924 6742www.magpictures.com

The Other Side ofthe Street

Strand Releasing6140 W. Washington Blvd.Culver City, CA 90232www.strandreleasing.com

The OvertureKino International333 W 39th St., 503New York, NY 10018Ph: 212 629 6880

PalindromesWellspring Films Ltd.419 Park Ave. SouthNew York, NY 10016Ph: 212 686 6777 www.wellspring.com

PeacockArc Light FilmsNo.19, Lane 2Wan Li Street, 4th FloorTaipei 116 TaiwanPh: 886 2 2230 7639E: [email protected]

Pirated CopyRoom 411, Ximen, Jia 31

XindejieXicheng QuBeijing, China 100088E: [email protected]

PrivateScalpel38, rue de la ChineParis, France 75020Ph: 331 436 640 30Fax: 331 436 686 00E: [email protected]

RaincoatBaba Digital Media9304-A Old Keen Mill Rd.Burke, VA 22015Ph: 703 866 2222Ph: 800 800 3827Fax: 703 569 7775www.babadigital.com

Rolling FamilyLumina Films Ltd.3rd Floor,1A Adpar St.London W2 1DEUnited KingdomPh: 44 20 7535 6714Fax: 44 20 7563 7283

Saint RalphIDP Distributions1133 BroadwaySuite 926New York, NY 10010Ph: 212 367 9435Fax: 212 367 0853

Sandstorm Jagmohan Mundhra E: [email protected]

Selling Democracy: Films ofthe Marshall Plan, 1948-53

Schulberg Productions200 Park Ave., S.New York, NY 10003E: [email protected]

Shanghai StoryTomson Films1 Longdong Ave.Pudong, ShanghaiChina 201203

Somersault Magnolia Pictures 49 West 27th St.7th FloorNew York, NY 10001 Ph: 212 924 6701 Fax: 212 924 6742 www.magpictures.com

Songs of Mahulbani45/4c Manujendra

Dutta RoadKolkata, IndiaE: mahulbani@

indiatimes.com

StandaloneSean HaganThree day Dawn340 Springdale RdGreat Falls, VA 22066E: [email protected]

Suite Habana Wanda Vision 28224 Pozuelo de AlarconMadrid SpainPh: 34 91 352 8371E: [email protected]

The Syrian Bride Koch Lorber Films22 Harbor Park DrivePort Washington, NY 11050Ph: 516 484 1000Fax: 516 484 4588E: Suzanne.fedak@

kochent.com

Tango Salon:La Confiteria Ideal

Notre Dame Films Ltd.61 Earls Court SquareLondon SW59DGE: [email protected]

Tell Them Who You AreThinkFilm155 Avenue of the Americas7th FloorNew York, NY 10013Ph: 646 293 9405www.thinkfilmcompany.com

A Thousand DreamsSuch as These

Pritish NandyCommunications Ltd.

87/88 Mittal ChambersNariman PointMumbai 400 021 IndiaPh: 91 22 2287 1558E: [email protected]

Trilogy: The WeepingMeadow

New Yorker Films85 Fifth Ave.11th FloorNew York, NY 10003Ph: 212 645 4600 Fax: 212 645 3030www.newyorkerfilms.com

The TunerSeagull Films526 West 111 St.Suite 2CCNew York, NY 10025Ph: 212 531 2754Fax: 212 531 2367

Under Construction Maya Entertainment Inc.630 9th Ave.Suite 901New York, NY 10036E: mevlut@mayaentertain-

ment.com

Untold Scandal Kino International333 W 39th St., 503New York, NY 10018Ph: 212 629 6880

We Don’t Die, We Multiply 69 Ocean ViewSo. Portland, ME 04106Ph: 207 767 1852E: [email protected]

Winter Solstice Paramount Classics555 Melrose Ave.Chevalier 215Hollywood, CA 90038Ph: 323 956 2334Fax: 323 862 1103

The WorldZeitgeist Films247 Center St.2nd floorNew York, NY 10013Ph: 212 274 1989Fax: 212 274 1644E: [email protected]

Short Cuts

Among ThievesOscar Daniels1720 N. Harvard Blvd. #24Los Angeles, CA 90027Ph: 323 719 0999

BebeJohn Fiege1704 East 38th St.Austin, TX 78722Ph: 512 731 9420E: [email protected]

Little TerroristE4 Hauz Khas MarketNew Delhi 110016, IndiaPh: 91 11 26969726E: [email protected]

Milo 55160Flow distribution at the

Canadian Film Centre 2489 Bayview Ave.Toronto, ON M2L 1A8 Canada Ph: 416 445 1446 x323 Fax: 416 445 9481

Perpetual Twilight…Scottish ScreenAttn Bryony McIntyre249 West George St.Glasgow G2 4QE UKPh: 44 141 302 1756Fax: 44 141 302 1778E: Bryony.mcintyre@scottish-

screen.com


continued on bottom of page 45

Print Sources continued from page 43

PatriciaPincus

GretchenAllsop

DarinKinzer

ZipperViloski

JonathanLifland

WilliamMcLeod

Stop!Mathijs GeijskesRidderschapstr. 273512 CN Utrecht the

NetherlandsPh/fax: 31 30 2367102E: [email protected]

ViandsMaster Cluster S.L.Jose Antonio Bonetc/o Francisco Suarez, 20Madrid 28036 SpainPh: 34 646 240 740Fax: 34 913 595 065E: [email protected]

Cinema forSeniors

Let the Church Say AmenBeaufort 9 Films492 11th St.2A Brooklyn, NY 11215E: [email protected]

Filmfest DCFor Kids

An Angel for MayPortman Film and

Television Limited21-25 St. Anne’s CourtLondon W1F OBJUnited KingdomPh: 44 20 7494 8024Fax: 44 20 7494 8046E: [email protected]

Blindgänger(The Blindflyers)

Sola Media GMBHOsum Str. 17Stuttgart D-70599 GermanyPh: 49 711 479 3666Fax: 49 711 479 2658E: [email protected]

Dodge-A-Go-Go!Pony Canyon, Inc.2-5-10 Toranomon, Minato-KuTokyo 105-8487 JapanPh: 81 3 5521 8007Fax: 81 3 5521 8107E: [email protected]

Kirikou and the SorceressArtMattan Productions535 Cathedral Parkway Suite 14BNew York, NY 10025-2064Ph: 212 864 1760Fax: 212 316 6020www.africanfilm.com

Passing HeartsSwedish Film InstitutePO Box 27 126SE-102 52 Stockholm SwedenPh: 46 8 665 1134Fax: 46 8 666 3698E: [email protected]


Major Sponsors

Print Sources continued from page 45

Clean


Sponsors

Official Sponsors

Official Television Station

Official Airline

Official Radio Station

Official Hotel

Official Restaurant

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY


Stars

Max N. & Heidi Berry

Bonnie & Louis Cohen

Filiz Serbes

Kovler Fund of TheCommunity Foundation forthe National Capital Region

Kandace Laass

Ted & Lea Pedas

Lutzker, Lutzker & Settlemyer LLP

Jim & Wanda Pedas

Stephen X. Graham & Jeralyn Graham

B.R. Cohen &Associates

Joel Atlas Skirble & Mison Maury


5x2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Absolut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Asphalt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Autumn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

The Baghdad Blogger: Salam Pax . . . . . . .11

Beautiful Boxer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Beautiful City . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Boxers and Ballerinas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

The Boys and Girl From County Clare . . . .12

Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Captive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Cell Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Chokher Bali: A Passion Play . . . . . . . . . . .14

Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Cronicas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Dalecarlians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Dev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Dil Se… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Le Grand Voyage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

The Green Hat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Hawaii, Oslo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

The Hero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

The Holy Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

I Love Cinema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Innocent Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

The Journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Kekexili: Mountain Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

The Keys to the House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Kings and Queen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

King’s Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Kontroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Ladies in Lavender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Last of the First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Let The Church Say Amen . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Letter from an Unknown Woman . . . . . . . .21

Machuca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Manual for Love Stories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Me and You and Everyone We Know . . . . .26

Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue . . . .26

The Miracle of Bern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Morning Raga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Mughal-e-Azam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Only Human . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

The Other Side of the Street . . . . . . . . . . . .28

The Overture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

Palindromes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Peacock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Pirated Copy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Private . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Raincoat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Rolling Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Saint Ralph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Sandstorm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Selling Democracy:

Films of the Marshall Plan, 1948-53 . . . . . .31

Shanghai Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Short Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Somersault . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Songs of Mahulbani . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Standalone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Suite Habana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

The Syrian Bride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Tango Salon: La Confiteria Ideal . . . . . . . . .34

Tell Them Who You Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

A Thousand Dreams Such as These . . . . .35

Trilogy: The Weeping Meadow . . . . . . . . . .35

The Tuner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Under Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Untold Scandal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

We Don’t Die, We Multiply . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Winter Solstice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

The World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Index of Films

P.O. Box 21396Washington, DC 20009

For Information Call:202.628.FILM

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