March
15, 2006
For
Immediate Release:
THE
FIFTH ANNUAL TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
THE 2006 COMPETITION SELECTIONS
***
37 World Premieres
From Eleven Countries IN COMPETITION
New York, NY [March
15, 2006] The 2006 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by American
Express, today announced the line-up for its International and NY, NY
Competition categories for its Fifth Annual Festival, taking place April
25 May 7, 2006. The International Narrative Features and International
Documentary Features Competitions reflect the vitality of the world
arts community and include 33 films, eleven of which are World Premieres.
The NY, NY Narrative
Features and NY, NY Documentary Features Competitions capture the diverse
perspectives of living in and experiencing New York and include 26 films,
all of which are World Premieres. The jurors for the competition categories
will be announced at a later date.
For the 2006 Tribeca
Film Festival, a total of 169 feature films and 99 shorts were selected
from 4,100 film submissions, including 1,950 feature submissions - three
times the total submissions from the first festival in 2002. Of th e
features selected there are 90 World Premieres, ten International Premieres,
29 North American Premieres, seven U.S. Premieres and 28 New York City
Premieres from 40 countries.
Our record-number
of film submissions this year reflects the growing strength of the Festival,
said co-founder Jane Rosenthal. "This years program includes
a wide range of talent and perspective from around the globe.
These films
give cause for optimism about the vital state of filmmaking all over
the world, said Peter Scarlet, Executive Director. They
also remind us of the unparalleled capacity of movies to give us a better
chance to come to grips with the increasingly perplexing world we live
in.
Titles of films
selected for competition follow.
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS
International Narrative Feature Competition
From outspoken explorations of societies in crisis to ironic portrayals
of the perils of fame, the films selected for this section represent
a broad range of work, primarily by debuting directors, with a few titles
by more established international film artists. Includes 17 films, four
of which are World Premieres:
The Architect, directed
and written by Matt Tauber (USA) World Premiere. A Magnolia Pictures
Release Based on Scottish playwright David Greig's The Architect, Tauber's
debut feature pits an architect (Anthony LaPaglia) against a female
community resident who lives in a dangerous housing project that he
designed. By contrasting two Chicago families in divergent economic
circumstances, The Architect ably explores political, sexual, and class
issues. Also starring Isabella Rossellini.
Backstage, directed
by Emmanuelle Bercot, written by Bercot and Jérôme Tonnerre.
(France) U.S. Premiere. An adolescent groupie (Isild Le Besco)
zeroes in on her Blondie-like idol (Emmanuelle Seigner) after the singer
chances to cross her orbit on a publicity tour. Gradually their lives
intertwine as, with near-operatic intensity, the film delves into the
emotional dependency on both sides of celebrity culture.
Blessed By Fire
(Iluminados por el Fuego), directed by Tristán Bauer, co-written
by Bauer, Edgardo Esteban, Gustavo Romero Borri, and Miguel Bonasso
(Argentina/Spain) North American Premiere. A former infantry
mate's overdose sparks wartime memories for Esteban, who tries to reconcile
his life today with the part of him that died along with his ideals
and comrades in the war for the Falkland Islands. The harrowing account
from Argentine director Bauer, based on a memoir, reminds us that survivors
keep fighting long after leaving the battlefield.
Brasilia 18%, directed
and written by Nelson Pereira dos Santos (Brazil) International
Premiere. A star medical examiner is called to Brasilia, the administrative
capital of Brazil, to confirm the identity of a beautiful, young congressional
aide's dead body. But his scientific rigor soon leads him to details
of a multi-layered political scandal. This wild thriller by Cinema Novo
pioneer Nelson Pereira dos Santos is a hallucinatory meditation on governmental
corruption.
Choking Man, directed
and written by Steve Barron (USA) World Premiere. The social
anxiety of a morbidly shy Ecuadorian dishwasher working in a Queens
diner provides the psychological engine that powers this intense blend
of drama and magical realism from famed music video director Steve Barron.
Newcomer Octavio Gómez Berríos gives a quietly effective
performance in the "title" role. Also starring Mandy Patinkin.
Colour Me Kubrick,
directed by Brian Cook, written by Anthony Frewin (UK, France)
International Premiere. John Malkovich gives a hilarious tour-de-force
as Alan Conway, a conman who successfully passed himself off as the
famed and notoriously reclusive director for the last decade or so of
the filmmaker's life. Combining breathtaking chutzpah undeterred by
a barely fleeting knowledge of Kubrick's work, Malkovich's Conway switches
accents, costumes and mannerisms with sly delight.
The Free Will (Der
Freie Wille), directed by Matthias Glasner, written by Glasner, Judith
Angerbauer, and Jürgen Vogel (Germany) North American Premiere.
This sometimes shockingly graphic German film delves into the dark and
complex world of Theo, a convicted rapist released from prison and readjusting
to civilian life. The path he follows is rarely straight, and when he
makes an attempt at a romantic relationship, the film expands into a
compelling, multi-layered exploration of uncharted psychological territory.
Holiday Makers (Ucastnici
Zajezdu), directed by Jiri Vejdelek, written by Vejdelek and Michal
Viewegh (Czech Republic) World Premiere. A vacation based on
a tour package to a seaside hotel in Croatia turns into a wild party
when an eclectic mix of Czech tourists arrive by bus at the hotel. Slapstick
humor and heartwarming moments abound in this classic Czech style comedy.
Land of the Blind,
directed and written by Robert Edwards (U.K.) A Bauer Martinez
Release. "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Lord Acton's dictum applies neatly to this compelling, satirical political
drama. Ralph Fiennes stars as a soldier who switches sides to help dissident
political prisoner Donald Sutherland overthrow a brutal dictator. But
will power still manage to trump morality?
Love for Share (Berbagi
Suami), directed and written by Nia Dinata (Indonesia) International
Premiere. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world and polygamy
is a deeply rooted and controversial tradition. This film addresses
the tradition and its malcontents by interweaving the stories of three
very different women, each of whom has developed her own living response
to polygamy.
Men at Work (Kargaran
Mashgoul-e Karand), directed and written by Mani Haghighi (Iran)
North American Premiere. This subtle and comic political allegory focuses
on four middle-class guys who pile into their car for a ski weekend
(already a jolt to Western expectations about Iranian movies). A brief
stop at a picturesque vista leads to their chance discovery of a prominent
rock formation it seems would be oh so easy to tip over, but
The Mist in the
Palm Trees (La Niebla en las Palmeras), directed by Carlos Molinero
and Lola Salvador, written by Molinero and Salvador Maldonado (Spain)
International Premiere. A wealth of extraordinary images culled
from archives in Cuba, France, Germany, Spain, and the U.S. trace a
Spanish photographer's involvement in the Manhattan Project. At the
same time, the film movingly demonstrates how photographs substitute
for memories, how memories substitute for love, how war destroys memory,
and how science becomes a double-edged weapon.
A Perfect Day, directed
and written by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige (France, Lebanon,
Germany) U.S. Premiere. In this portrait of a character and a
society, Malek and his mother struggle with an insidious inertia 15
years after the Lebanese civil war in which thousands disappeared, including
Malek's father. The title and situation recall the poignant optimism
of Lou Reed's classic song, and the film's own award-winning original
music is unforgettable.
Shoot the Messenger,
directed by Ngozi Onwurah, written by Sharon Foster (UK) International
Premiere. Joe, a successful but naive black man, quits his job and becomes
a teacher. But when his "enforced education" methods get him
fired, his rage towards the black community almost drives him insane.
Eventually, he encounters a group of people who help him heal his broken
heart and teach him to love and accept the very individuals who frustrate
and hurt him the most.
The TV Set, directed
and written by Jake Kasdan (USA) World Premiere. Mike Klein has
just sold his pilot to a network. Little does he know that, once it
passes through the hands of one incompetent network executive after
another, it may no longer bear any resemblance to his original concept.
Jake Kasdan's comic look at the world of network television development
stars Sigourney Weaver and David Duchovny.
Two Players from
the Bench (Dva Igraca S Klupe), directed and written by Dejan orak
(Croatia) International Premiere. A Serb and a Croat, who share
only a mutual loathing for each other and a love for volleyball, find
themselves kidnapped together and under severe pressure to deliver false
testimony before the International War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague.
A typically Balkan black comedy with a sardonic edge.
The Yacoubian Building
(Omaret Yacoubian), directed by Marwan Hamed, written by Wahid Hamed
(Egypt) North American Premiere. A record budget, an all-star
cast, a script based on a best-seller: Most 28-year-old novices aren't
handed this kind of project, especially in Egypt, where the novel's
subjects-government corruption, Islamic fundamentalism, homosexuality-are
taboo onscreen. But the gamble pays off in this sprawling, compelling,
and watchable epic set in a downtown Cairo building that's a symbol
of modern Egypt.
International Documentary Feature Competition
The International
Documentary Competition has an equally broad range, including two films
shot in post-invasion Iraq -from Iraqi and American perspectives, respectively
offering an unusual number of cinematically inventive in-depth
explorations of a wide range of headline-making issues. Includes 16
Films, seven of which are World Premieres:
37 Uses for a Dead
Sheep, directed by Ben Hopkins (UK) North American Premiere.
To preserve their culture, the Pamir Kirghiz people have migrated across
Central Asia from the U.S.S.R to China to Afghanistan to Pakistan and
finally to remote eastern Turkey, but now they face the most serious
threat to their traditions, globalization. Using a variety of techniques,
this fascinating, at times comic doc, is as enjoyable as it is informative.
The Blood of My
Brother: A Story of Death in Iraq, directed by Andrew Berends (USA,
Iraq) North American Premiere. A LifeSize Entertainment &
Releasing Release. Thoughts of revenge are tempered by more practical
concerns in The Blood of My Brother, which shows the war in Iraq from
the perspective of an Iraqi family grieving the loss of a son who was
killed by an American patrol as he stood guard at a mosque.
Blue Blood, directed
by Stevan Riley (UK) World Premiere. The boxing film is hit with
a fierce uppercut in this clever, genre-tweaking documentary about the
training regimen and sparring contests of Oxford University students
who step out of the ivory tower and into the boxing ring to settle matters
with their Cambridge rivals. In underlining the freedom to not care
about failing, or about what other people think, Blue Blood paints a
winning portrait of the spirit of the underdog.
The Bridge, directed
by Eric Steel (USA) World Premiere. In this bold and thought-provoking
documentary about suicide and its complex aftermath, Steel spends from
dusk until dawn filming the Golden Gate Bridge everyday for a year,
capturing nearly two dozen suicides that occurred in 2004. Intercut
with these frightening leaps are interviews with the family and friends
of the deceased.
Dear Father, Quiet,
We're Shooting... (Avi Hayakar, Sheket yorim...), Directed by David
Benchetrit and written by Benchetrit and Senyora Bar David (Israel)
North American Premiere. When war crimes are carried out under
orders from officers, military commanders, and political leaders who
is responsible? This film allows former members of the Israeli Defense
Forces-now conscientious objectors-to recount their experiences in both
Lebanon and Palestine, and to question the limits of state power.
The Dignity of the
Nobodies (La Dignidad de los Nadies), directed by Fernando E. Solanas
U.S. Premiere. Following his analysis in A Social Genocide (TFF
2004) of globalization's role in Argentina's economic disaster, this
master of the social documentary takes a more optimistic stance here.
By celebrating the small, daily victories of thousands of "nobodies,"
he shows that individual and collective acts might be able to change
the world after all.
East of Paradise,
directed by Lech Kowalski (France, USA) North American Premiere.
Underground documentarian and TFF vet Kowalski completes his Wild Wild
East trilogy with East of Paradise, in which he attempts to draw a difficult
parallel between his mother's post-WWII tenure in a Siberian gulag and
his own stint of pornography and hard drugs in 70's New York City. In
English and Polish.
From Dust, directed
by Dhruv Dhawan (Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates) International
Premiere. Filmed in post-tsunami Sri Lanka, From Dust follows two survivors
and an aid worker, who face a new Sri Lankan law restricting the rebuilding
of homes. This sensitive and hard-hitting documentary asks why a natural
disaster can create opportunities for some and suffering for others.
In English and Sinhala.
Jesus Camp, directed
by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (USA) World Premiere. The makers
of Boys of Baraka turn their cameras on an evangelical Christian camp
of rare devotion. With unprecedented access, the children and parents
show how their faith dictates everything from their daily lives to politics.
This fascinating doc about a rarely seen world where faith trumps everything
else is sure to provoke debate.
Jonestown: The Life
and Death of Peoples Temple, directed by Stanley Nelson, written by
Marcia Smith (USA, Mexico) World Premiere. Featuring never-before-seen
footage, Nelson delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple,
headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members
to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch. You
may think you know the story, but Nelson uncovers fresh information
that will leave you spellbound.
MAQUILAPOLIS: City
of factories, directed by Vicky Funari and Sergio De La Torre (USA,
Mexico) North American Premiere. Just over the border in Mexico
is an area peppered with maquiladoras: massive sweatshops often owned
by the world's largest multinational corporations. Carmen and Lourdes
work at maquiladoras in Tijuana, and it is there that they try to balance
the struggle for survival with their own radicalization in this hard-hitting
and ultra-relevant documentary.
The Play (Oyun),
directed by Pelin Esmer (Turkey) - North American Premiere. When nine
peasant women from a mountain village in southern Turkey decide to write
and perform a play based on their life stories, aspects of their personalities
emerge that they never knew existed. Esmer's documentary observes the
creative stages leading up to the production of the play, and shows
us how nine subtly but significantly different women emerge after its
staging.
Shadow of Afghanistan,
directed by Suzanne Bauman and Jim Burroughs (USA) World Premiere.
The first in-depth look at the tragic history of this war-torn land
and its relationship to today's headlines. The people responsible for
this film, one of them a journalist who died in the effort, did their
homework, put their lives on the line, and uncovered much of the complex
truth about decades of betrayal.
Sounds of Silence
(Sot-e Sokut), directed by Amir Hamz and Mark Lazarz (Iran, U.K., Germany)
World Premiere. In Iran, where half the population is under 30,
Western music is banned and the solo female voice has not been heard
singing in public since the Revolution. But as this films reveals, young
men and women in burgeoning underground bands are defying the system
by using the Internet to get their music heard. In Farsi.
The War Tapes, directed
by Deborah Scranton (USA) World Premiere. Since Homer's time,
artists have struggled with the challenge of how to describe the experience
of war. Called up for service in Iraq, several members of the National
Guard were given digital video cameras. This astonishing film, edited
from their footage, provides an unimaginably vivid perspective on an
extremely complex and troubled conflict.
Voices of Bam, directed
by Aliona van der Horst and Maasja Ooms (Netherlands) U.S. Premiere.
The earthquake that struck the ancient city of Bam in December 2003
killed over 43,000 people and left twice that number injured or homeless.
This sensitive doc reveals the thoughts of the survivors and their eloquent
hopes for the future, according them an all-too rare dignity. In Farsi.
NY, NY COMPETITIONS
The NY, NY Competitions have matured into a launch pad for filmmakers
with New York roots - just like the festival - and for films from the
New York City area that present a diverse range of perspectives.
NY, NY Narrative
Feature Competition
The NY, NY Narrative Feature Competition presents New York Stories ranging
from the creation of a cult, to familial re-connection, to urban follies,
to films that use experimental ideas and push the boundaries of technology.
Includes thirteen films, all of which are World Premieres:
Brothers Shadow,
directed by Todd S. Yellin, written by Yellin and Ivan Solomon (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. A family's black sheep (Scott Cohen), once imprisoned
and now on parole, returns home to Brooklyn after 15 years. But his
return home packs more surprises than he bargained for. His brother
has died, his father (Judd Hirsch) and sister-in-law don't trust him,
and the family business is on the brink of being sold.
East Broadway, directed
by Fay Ann Lee, written by Fay Ann Lee and Karen Rousso (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. Grace is a Chinese American who longs to be a part of
New York's high society. At a socialite event, she is mistaken for a
Hong Kong heiress and meets her Prince Charming. Nothing is as it seems
absorbing drama. What will happen to this Cinderella when the clock
strikes midnight? Featuring Fay Ann Lee, Margaret Cho, Gale Harold,
and Christine Baranski. In English and Cantonese.
Fifty Pills, directed
by Theo Avgerinos, written by Matthew Perniciaro (U.S.A.) World
Premiere. College student Darren (Lou Taylor Pucci) has just lost his
scholarship because of his partying roommate's antics. Now, in order
to make his tuition payment, he needs to sell 50 tablets of Ecstasy-graciously
supplied by his roommate-over the course of just one day. Avgerinos'
directorial debut features Kristen Bell of Veronica Mars as Darren's
girlfriend.
H.C.E., directed
and written by Richard Sylvarnes (U.S.A.) World Premiere. In
this rapid-cut, experimental, tragicomedy collage of mythology, history,
literature, and comic books, Sylvarnes bounces us through a fragmented,
impressionistic history of the world from Napoleon to Jesus, from Socrates
to Superman and back again with a 6-year-old girl as our guide.
Just Like the Son,
directed and written by Morgan J. Freeman (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.
A petty thief's mentoring of an apparent orphan takes a profound turn
when he kidnaps the boy from a foster home and drives him cross-country
to his sister's house in Texas. This charming road movie logs plenty
of poignant moments without cloying sentiment. Starring Mark Webber
and Rosie Perez.
Kettle of Fish,
directed and written by Claudia Meyers, (U.S.A.) World Premiere.
A lifelong bachelor (Matthew Modine) confronts his intimacy issues when
he sublets his apartment to a fetching biologist (Gina Gershon). His
heartsick fish and his wise best buddy are on hand to provide perspective
in this winsome feature debut that will appeal to romantics of any species.
Presented by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Kiss Me Again, directed
by William Tyler Smith, written by Smith and J.D. Hoxter (U.S.A.) -
World Premiere. Kiss Me Again is a witty and provocative portrayal of
a married couple that decides to test the boundaries of their relationship
with a seductive Spanish woman. When an unlikely relationship ensues,
all three are forced to rethink their definition of love. Starring Jeremy
London, Katheryn Winnick, Darrell Hammond, Elisa Donovan, Mirelly Taylor,
and Fred Armisen.
Marvelous,
directed and written by Siofra Campbell (U.S.A.) World Premiere.
A sharp and shrewd satire of the celebrity generation, Síofra
Campbell's "Marvelous" chronicles the rapid rise and fall
of Gwen as an unlikely celebrity "healer," and how her life
and the lives of her sister and brother-in-law are slowly twisted, first
into a publicity machine and then, unexpectedly, a cult. Starring Ewan
Bremner, Martha Plimpton, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, and Annabella Sciorra.
Metro, directed
and written by Adolfo Doring (U.S.A.) World Premiere. Doring
takes a rigorously observational approach to chronicling the relationships
that a group of young, creative women form with one another over a period
of months in New York City. By avoiding any trace of artificiality,
he uncovers intimate character details that other films usually shy
away from, making Metro truly unique.
New York Waiting,
directed and written by Joachim Hedén (Sweden) World Premiere.
Hedén's debut film sensitively illuminates the effects of lovesickness
and wanderlust. After Sidney sends his lost love a plane ticket and
a letter, asking her to meet him at the top of the Empire State Building,
he unexpectedly meets a lovesick woman. Together they wander the streets
of New York, lamenting their lost loves while secretly wondering if
they're falling in love with each other. In English.
The Treatment, directed
by Oren Rudavsky, written by Daniel Housman and Oren Rudavsky (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. Jake Singer is a frustrated, confused, and recently
dumped New York schoolteacher who enters into therapy in an attempt
to find guidance in his life. The treatment appears to be working, but
when he suddenly falls in love with a beautiful widow, Jake is forced
to battle his therapist's alarmingly strong influence. Starring Chris
Eigeman, Ian Holm, and Famke Janssen.
A Very Serious Person,
directed by Charles Busch, written by Busch and Carl Andress (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. Actor/writer/drag performer Charles Busch makes
a disarmingly effortless transition from high camp to conventional comedy-drama
with this sweet-natured coming-of-age tale about a showtunes- and old
Hollywood-obsessed boy and his effete Danish mentor. The two bond and
teach each other lessons about self-acceptance over the course of one
magical summer on the Jersey Shore.
Windows, directed
and written by Shoja Y. Azari, (U.S.A.) World Premiere. Azari
weaves together a loosely-constructed narrative based on 10 choreographed,
single-shot scenes framed by windows. Preceded by 25 Letters, Grahame
Weinbren's interactive project based on his one-minute films that generate
the letters of the alphabet.
NY, NY Documentary
Feature Competition
The NY, NY Documentaries Feature Competition section includes stories
about immigration, reality TV flops, and the birth of a New York charitable
institution. Includes thirteen films, all of which are World Premieres:
American Cannibal:
The Road to Reality, directed by Perry Grebin and Michael Nigro (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. In this unflinching, behind-the-scenes look at
a doomed reality show, a pair of novice TV writers team up with the
distributor of the Paris Hilton sex tapes to create a reality show in
which contestants are starved on a desert island. More than just gripping
entertainment, this documentary poses important questions about how
far people will go in pursuit of fame and fortune.
The Cats of Mirikitani,
directed by Linda Hattendorf (U.S.A.) World Premiere. Jimmy Mirikitani
is a fiercely independent, homeless 80-year-old Japanese-American artist
who lost family and friends to both WWII internment camps in the U.S.
and Hiroshima's atomic bombing. In this intimate and funny portrayal
of the healing power of art, Mirikitani makes peace with his past and
journeys from homeless to home. In English and Japanese.
Dorothy Day: Dont
Call Me A Saint, directed by Claudia Larson (U.S.A.) - World Premiere.
Leftist writer and activist Dorothy Day had an abortion, got a divorce,
and bore a daughter out of wedlock. She also co-founded the Catholic
Worker movement, leaving an important social legacy. This film explores
the complex life of a woman who has already been placed on the official
road to sainthood by the Vatican.
Follow My Voice:
With the Music of Hedwig, directed by Katherine Linton (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. Jonathan Richman, Sleater-Kinney, Rufus Wainwright and
a host of other musicians record a benefit album of songs from Hedwig
and the Angry Inch for the Hetrick-Martin Institute, home of the Harvey
Milk High School, the first LGBTQ high school in the nation. While the
doc follows four students, the music creates a soundtrack for their
lives.
Golden Venture,
directed and written by Peter Cohn (U.S.A.) World Premiere. The
merchant ship Golden Venture was intercepted near New York City in 1993
with 300 undocumented Chinese immigrants onboard. Many of them went
to jail for up to four years, and they're still seeking amnesty today.
An engrossing chronicle of immigrants and their struggles for recognition
and a better life. In English and Chinese
Jack Smith &
the Destruction of Atlantis, directed and written by Mary Jordan (U.S.A.)
World Premiere. Jordan creates a mesmerizing collage of images
and audio from the life and work of Jack Smith, the underground filmmaker,
photographer, performance artist, and anti-capitalist, who worked in
New York from the '60s until his death in 1989. Highlights include the
story behind the Supreme Court case over the banning of his 1963 classic
Flaming Creatures.
Lockdown, USA, directed
by Michael Skolnik and Rebecca Chaiklin (U.S.A.) World Premiere.
This powerful doc chronicles Russell Simmons' quest to repeal the Rockefeller
Drug Laws and how it effects the convicted's families. Simmons gives
it his all; from assembling a rally with celebrities like 50 Cent and
Mariah Carey to help raise awareness with New York City's youth, to
meeting with New York Governor George Pataki.
The One Percent,
directed by Jamie Johnson (U.S.A.) World Premiere. Money can
buy everything except social justice in this hard-hitting and hilarious
documentary. By examining the lives of the rich and the poor, Johnson,
heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, uncovers frightening realities.
Featuring a full spectrum of interviewees: Steve Forbes, members of
Johnson's family, cab drivers, and victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Saint of 9/11, directed
by Glenn Holstein (U.S.A.) World Premiere. A loving tribute to
Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge: parish priest, streetwise
New Yorker, recovering alcoholic, and proud homosexual who gave his
life on September 11 after administering last rites to a fallen firefighter.
Saint of 9/11 traces the journey and struggles of a man whose compassion
touched the world.
A Stadium Story:
The Battle for New Yorks Last Frontier, directed by Jevon Roush
and Benjamin Rosen (U.S.A.) World Premiere. When a plan is unveiled
to build a football stadium in Manhattan for the New York Jets, an epic
battle ensues. The grassroots campaign against the stadium starts small,
but when Cablevision, which owns Madison Square Garden, gets involved,
what started as a David-and-Goliath battle soon becomes a clash of the
titans.
Tell Me Do You Miss
Me, directed by Matthew Buzzell (U.S.A.) World Premiere. For
over a decade, New York darlings Luna played lullabies for the indie
set, but in 2004 they hung up their guitars for good. This documentary
charts their bittersweet final tour as they travel around the world,
down memory lane, and into the uncertain future.
Toots, directed
by Kristi Jacobson (U.S.A.) World Premiere. The '40s and '50s
were a classic period in New York City nightlife, when the saloonkeeper
was king and regular folks could drink with celebrities like Frank Sinatra
and Jackie Gleason. In this warmly nostalgic doc, Jacobson profiles
her grandfather, the king of kings: Toots Shor of the eponymous restaurant
and saloon, which was once the place to be seen in Manhattan.
When I Came Home,
directed by Dan Lohaus (U.S.A.) World Premiere. Iraq War veteran
Herold Noel suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and lives out
of his car in Brooklyn. Using Noel's story as a fulcrum, this doc examines
the wider issue of homeless U.S. military veterans-from Vietnam to Iraq-who
have to fight tooth-and-nail to receive the benefits promised to them
by their government.
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