Attendees of South by Southwest 2012 are in for a treat. 130 feature films will screen at the Austin, Texas festival taking place March 9-17. Among them are 65 World Premieres, 17 North American Premieres and 10 U.S. Premieres. The organization already announced Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon’s The Cabin in the Woods would open the festival (the movie is phenomenal) and today the majority of the remaining line up has been revealed. One of the highlights is the unbelievably smart and hilarious 21 Jump Street, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller. Both of those are World Premieres.
Other highlights include The Hunter, Killer Joe, The Babymakers, frankie goes boom, God Bless America, The Imposter, The Raid, Bernie and Casa de mi Padre just to name a few.
After the jump, read descriptions of all the films that have been announced so far.
Before I copy and paste the rest of the list, a few minor notes. First, the midnight selections have yet to be announced. That the program where Attack the Block premiered last year, so there are sure to be some more awesome films there. Also, a documentary that I was interviewed for – Just Like Being There – made it into the festival. It’s about the ever-expanding world of pop culture art and I’m so happy for that team.
Okay, here is the list. There are some incredibly sounding films here. Read through the descriptions to see what I mean.
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITIONThis year’s 8 films were selected from 1,112 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Narrative Feature Competition are:
BoosterDirector/Screenwriter: Matt RuskinWhen Simon’s brother is arrested for armed robbery, he is asked to commit a string of similar crimes in an attempt to get his brother acquitted.Cast: Nico Stone, Adam DuPaul, Seymour Cassel, Kristin Dougherty, Brian McGrail (World Premiere)
EdenDirector: Megan Griffiths, Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips, Megan Griffiths, Story by: Richard B. Phillips & Chong KimA young Korean-American girl, abducted and forced into prostitution by domestic human traffickers, joins forces with her captors in a desperate plea to survive. Cast: Jamie Chung, Matt O’Leary, Beau Bridges, Jeanine Monterroza, Scott Mechlowicz (World Premiere)
GaybyDirector/Screenwriter: Jonathan LiseckiJenn and Matt, best friends since college who are now in their thirties, decide to have a child together, the old-fashioned way – even though Matt is gay and Jenn is straight. Cast: Jenn Harris, Matthew Wilkas, Mike Doyle, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Jack Ferver (World Premiere)
Gimme the LootDirector/Screenwriter: Adam LeonWhen Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece is buffed by a rival gang, these two determined Bronx teens must hustle, steal, and scheme to get spectacular revenge and become the biggest writers in the City. Cast: Tashiana Washington, Ty Hickson, Meeko, Zoe Lescaze, Sam Soghor (World Premiere)
Los Chidos (Germany / Mexico / USA)Director/Screenwriter: Omar Rodriguez LopezThe Gonzales family tries hard to hold on to their beautiful Latino traditions of misogyny and homophobia when a tall, white, industrialist stranger appears, challenging their place in the exploitative food chain. Cast: Kim Stodel, María De Jesús Canales Ramírez, Manuel Ramos, Cecillia Gutiérrez, (World Premiere)
Pilgrim SongDirector: Martha Stephens, Screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Karrie CrouseA pink-slipped music teacher ponders his stalled relationship and place in the world during an arduous trek across Kentucky’s Sheltowee Trace Trail. Cast: Timothy Morton, Bryan Marshall, Karrie Crouse, Harrison Cole, Michael Abbott Jr. (World Premiere)
StarletDirector: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris BergochThe film explores the unlikely friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California’s San Fernando Valley.Cast: Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian (World Premiere)
The Taiwan OysterDirector: Mark Jarrett, Screenwriters: Mark Jarrett, Jordan Heimer, Mitchell JarrettTwo Ex-pat Kindergarten teachers in Taiwan embark on a quixotic odyssey to bury a fellow countryman. Cast: Billy Harvey, Jeff Palmiotti, Leonora Lim (World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITIONThis year’s 8 films were selected from 845 submissions. Each film is a World Premiere. Films screening in Documentary Feature Competition are:
Bay of All SaintsDirector: Annie EastmanAs the last of the notorious water slums is demolished in Bahia, Brazil, will three single mothers face homelessness or rally for a better life? (World Premiere)
Beware of Mr. BakerDirector: Jay BulgerGinger Baker is the original rock ‘n roll madman junkie drummer superstar who everyone thought was dead but somehow survived 50+ years of heroin abuse, disastrous experiments and 5 marriages on 4 continents. (World Premiere)
The Central Park EffectDirector: Jeffrey KimballThe film reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful, full-of-attitude New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. (World Premiere)
JeffDirector: Chris James ThompsonA documentary about the people around Jeffrey Dahmer during the 1991 summer of his arrest for the murder of 17 people in Milwaukee. (World Premiere)
Seeking Asian FemaleDirector: Debbie LumWhen an American man with “yellow fever” meets a Chinese woman half his age online, documenting their attempt to build a marriage from scratch reveals hilarious and troubling complications for the couple and the filmmaker. (World Premiere)
The Sheik and IDirector: Caveh ZahediCommissioned by a Middle Eastern Biennial to make a film on the theme of “art as a subversive act,” independent filmmaker Caveh Zahedi (I am a Sex Addict) is threatened with a fatwa. (World Premiere)
The SourceDirectors: Jodi Wille, Maria DemopoulosThe Source Family was a radical experiment in ’70s utopian living. Their popular restaurant, rock band, and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood; but their outsider ideals led to their dramatic undoing. (World Premiere)
Welcome To The MachineDirector: Avi Zev WeiderUpon fathering triplets, filmmaker Avi Zev Weider explores the nature of technology, seeking answers about what it means to be human. (World Premiere)
HEADLINERSBig names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with some major and rising names in cinema. Films screening in Headliners are:
21 Jump StreetDirected by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Screenplay by: Michael Bacall, Story by: Michael Bacall & Jonah HillPolice officers Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) get sent back to high school as undercover cops in the action-comedy 21 Jump Street. Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, with Ice Cube (World Premiere)
BIG EASY EXPRESSDirector: Emmett MalloyEmmett Malloy’s latest film invites us aboard a train ride unlike any other with Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Old Crow Medicine Show. (World Premiere)
The Cabin in the WoodsDirector: Drew Goddard, Screenwriters: Joss Whedon & Drew GoddardFive friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen. If you think you know this story, think again. From fan favorites Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard comes The Cabin in the Woods, a mind-blowing horror film that turns the genre inside out. Cast: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Anna Hutchison, Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford (World Premiere)
Decoding DeepakDirector: Gotham ChopraFilmmaker Gotham Chopra spends a year on the road decoding his father and spiritual icon Deepak Chopra. (World Premiere)
GirlsDirector/Screenwriter: Lena DunhamCreated by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the HBO show is a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s.Cast: Lena Dunham, Allison Williams, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver (World Premiere)
The Hunter (Australia)Director: Daniel Nettheim, Screenplay by: Alice Addison, Novel by: Julia Leigh, Original Adaptation by: Wain FimeriA mercenary is dispatched from Europe to the Tasmanian wilderness by a mysterious biotech company to search for the last surviving Tasmanian tiger.Cast: Willem Dafoe, Frances O’Connor, Sam Neill (U.S. Premiere)
Killer JoeDirector: William Friedkin, Screenwriter: Tracy LettsA garish, Southwestern tale – a violent black comedy about a desperate Texas debtor (Hirsch) who plots to kill his mother with help of his family (Haden Church, Gershon). They hire a crazy Dallas cop who moonlights as a contract killer (McConaughey) to do the job, but Killer Joe asks for their teenage daughter (Temple) as a retainer. The film is based on Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy Letts’ (August: Osage County) award winning play. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church (U.S. Premiere)
MARLEY (UK / USA)Director: Kevin MacdonaldThe definitive life story of Bob Marley – musician, revolutionary, legend – from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best. Directed by Academy-Award-Winner Kevin Macdonald. (North American Premiere)
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHTHigh profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Narrative Spotlight are:
The BabymakersDirector: Jay Chandrasekhar, Screenwriters: Peter Gaulke, Gerry SwallowUnable to impregnate his wife, Tommy and friends rob a sperm bank – to get Tommy’s long-ago donated sperm back. The crazy plan goes hilariously awry and shows how far a couple will go to create a new life.Cast: Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn, Kevin Heffernan, Wood Harris, Nat Faxon (World Premiere)
Crazy EyesDirector: Adam Sherman, Screenwriters: Adam Sherman, Dave Reeves & Rachel HardistyJust another story about love.Cast: Lukas Haas, Madeline Zima, Jake Busey, Tania Raymonde, Regine Nehy (World Premiere)
Do-Deca-PentathalonDirector/Screenwriter: Jay Duplass, Mark DuplassTwo brothers compete in their own private 25-event Olympics.Cast: Mark Kelly, Steve Zissis, Elton LeBlanc (World Premiere)
Fat Kid Rules The WorldDirector: Matthew Lillard, Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin, Peter SpeakmanTroy, a depressed overweight teenager, gets sucked into the punk rock world by Marcus, a charming street musician. But when Troy discovers Marcus’ drug addiction, he suddenly must figure out the true boundaries of friendship.Cast: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O’Leary, Billy Campbell, Lilli Simmons, Dylan Arnold (World Premiere)
frankie go boomDirector/Screenwriter: Jordan Robertsa flick by bruce about his little brother frank who’s a crybaby fuck who shouldn’t do lame-ass embarrassing shit if he dozn’t want people 2 see itCast: Charlie Hunnam, Chris O’Dowd, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Perlman, Chris Noth (World Premiere)
Hunky Dory (UK)Director: Marc Evans, Screenwriter: Laurence CoriatFrom the producer of Billy Elliot comes this funny, coming of age film featuring songs from artists such as David Bowie, Lou Reed, The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, Dusty Springfield and Electric Light Orchestra. Cast: Minnie Driver, Aneurin Barnard, Danielle Branch, Robert Pugh, Haydn Gwynne(North American Premiere)
In Our NatureDirector/Screenwriter: Brian SavelsonTaking place over a single weekend, an estranged father and son accidentally end up in the same country house with their two girlfriends.Cast: Zach Gilford, Jena Malone, John Slattery, Gabrielle Union (World Premiere)
Keyhole (Canada)Director: Guy Maddin, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, George TolesI’m only a ghost… but a ghost isn’t nothing.Cast: Isabella Rossellini, Jason Patric, Udo Kier, Kevin McDonald, Tattiawna Jones (U.S. Premiere)
See Girl RunDirector/Screenwriter: Nate MeyerWhat happens when a 30-something woman allows life’s “what ifs” to overwhelm her appreciation for what life actually is. Disregarding her current obligations, she digs into her romantic past in hopes of invigorating her present.Cast: Robin Tunney, Adam Scott, Jeremy Strong, William Sadler, Josh Hamilton (World Premiere)
Small ApartmentsDirector: Jonas Åkerlund, Screenwriter: Chris MillisWhen Franklin Franklin accidentally kills his landlord, he must hide the body; but, the wisdom of his beloved brother and the quirks of his neighbors, force him on a journey where a fortune awaits him. Cast: Matt Lucas, Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple (World Premiere)
Somebody Up There Likes MeDirector/Screenwriter: Bob ByingtonTime flies for everyone: Thirty-five years in the life of Max, his best friend Sal, and a woman they both adore. A deadpan fable about time sneaking up on and swerving right around us.Cast: Keith Poulson, Nick Offerman, Jess Weixler, Stephanie Hunt, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere)
DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHTShining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. Premieres at SXSW. Films screening in Documentary Spotlight are:
$ELLEBRITYDirector: Kevin MazurRenowned celebrity photographer, Kevin Mazur, gives us an all access pass to the life behind the velvet rope and in front of the camera. Candid, revealing and bold interviews with Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and more, take us inside the blurred lines of privacy, pliable journalism, celebrity, fame and what it feels like to be consumed. (World Premiere)
America’s Parking LotDirector: Jonny MarsPull up a front row seat as two die-hard fans of ‘America’s Team’ spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at historic Texas Stadium, and scramble to preserve their place in America’s Parking Lot. (World Premiere)
The AnnouncementDirector: Nelson GeorgeOn Thursday, November 7, 1991, Earvin “Magic” Johnson made the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. The Announcement gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey. (World Premiere)
Beauty Is EmbarrassingDirector: Neil BerkeleyA funny, irreverent and inspirational look into the life and times of one of America’s most important artists, Wayne White. (World Premiere)
Brooklyn CastleDirector: Katie DellamaggioreAmidst financial crises and unprecedented public school budget cuts, Brooklyn Castle takes an intimate look at the challenges and triumphs facing members of a junior high school’s champion chess team. (World Premiere)
Code of the WestDirector: Rebecca Richman CohenFrames a high stakes showdown in the halls of the Montana State Legislature. The future of medical marijuana is at stake. (World Premiere)
Degenerate Art: The Art and Culture of Glass PipesDirector: M. SlingerA true document of the art and culture of glass pipe-making. It is the first film to ever bring to light this invisible sub-culture in a comprehensive and well-informed format. (World Premiere)
Girl ModelDirectors: A. Sabin, David RedmonYoung Russian girls join a modeling agency to seek work in Japan, but get caught up in an unregulated system that reveals an unseemly side of the fashion industry. (U.S. Premiere)
Gregory Crewdson: Brief EncountersDirector: Ben ShapiroAcclaimed photographer Gregory Crewdson’s 10-year quest to create a series of haunting, surreal, and stunningly elaborate portraits of small-town American life — filmed with unprecedented access as he makes perfect renderings of a disturbing, imperfect world. (World Premiere)
Just Like Being ThereDirector: Scout ShannonThrough the eyes of Daniel Danger, Jay Ryan, and the gig poster community, Just Like Being There focuses on poster artists, the music they commemorate, MONDO film posters, fans, bloggers, galleries, collectors and everything in between. (World Premiere)
Scarlet Road (Australia)Director: Catherine ScottThe film follows the extraordinary work of Australian sex worker, Rachel Wotton. Impassioned about freedom of sexual expression and the rights of sex workers, she specializes in a long over-looked clientele – people with disability. (North American Premiere)
Trash DanceDirector: Andrew GarrisonA choreographer finds beauty and grace in garbage trucks, and against the odds, rallies reluctant city trash collectors to perform an extraordinary dance spectacle. On an abandoned airport runway, two dozen sanitation workers — and their trucks — inspire an audience of thousands. (World Premiere)
Waiting For LightningDirector: Jacob RosenbergFrom the producers of Step into Liquid, comes the story of visionary skateboarder Danny Way, who jumped China’s Great Wall and created a new movement in sport. (World Premiere)
Wikileaks: Secrets & Lies (UK)Director: Patrick ForbesThe in-depth story of Wikileaks told by all the key players. Sulphurous, personal and moving, it documents history in the making at the lawless frontier of new technology and mainstream media. (North American Premiere)
WONDER WOMEN! The Untold Story of American SuperheroinesDirector: Kristy Guevara-FlanaganThis documentary examines the fascinating evolution and legacy of Wonder Woman and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of real life superheroes who continue to fight the good fight both on and off the screen. (World Premiere)
EMERGING VISIONSAudacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape that demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Films screening in Emerging Visions are:
Black Pond (UK)Directors: Tom Kingsley, Will Sharpe, Screenwriter: Will SharpeAn ordinary family is accused of murder when a stranger dies at their dinner table. Stars BAFTA-winner Chris Langham and British Comedy Award Winner Simon Amstell. Cast: Chris Langham, Simon Amstell, Amanda Hadingue, Colin Hurley, Will Sharpe (North American Premiere)
Dollhouse (Ireland)Director/Screenwriter: Kirsten SheridanFive street teens break into a house in a rich Dublin suburb for a night of partying. But games are twisted into something more emotional and ultimately out of control through a series of surprising revelations. Cast: Seana Kerslake, Johnny Ward, Kate Stanley Brennan, Shane Curry, Ciaran McCabe (North American Premiere)
Eating AlabamaDirector: Andrew Beck GraceA quest to eat locally becomes a meditation on community, the South and sustainability. Eating Alabama is a story about why food matters. (World Premiere)
Electrick ChildrenDirector/Screenwriter: Rebecca ThomasRachel, a 15-year-old fundamentalist Mormon, believes she’s had an immaculate conception by listening to rock and roll. She flees to Las Vegas to escape an arranged marriage, seeking answers to her mysterious pregnancy.Cast: Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken, Billy Zane (North American Premiere)
ExtractedDirector/Screenwriter: Nir PaniryA scientist is trapped in the memories of a criminal and must solve a crime in order to get back home to his family.Cast: Sasha Roiz, Dominic Bogart, Jenny Mollen, Nick Jameson, Brad Culver (World Premiere)
Francine (Canada / USA)Director/Screenwriter: Brian M. Cassidy, Melanie ShatzkyAcademy-Award-winner, Melissa Leo, plays Francine, a woman struggling to find her place in a downtrodden lakeside town after leaving behind a life in prison.Cast: Melissa Leo, Keith Leonard, Victoria Charkut (North American Premiere)
Funeral KingsDirector/Screenwriter: Kevin Mcmanus, Matthew McmanusFor three 14-year-old boys at St. Mark’s Middle School, it’s always a good day for a funeral.Cast: Dylan Hartigan, Alex Maizus, Jordan Puzzo, Charles Odei, Kevin Corrigan (World Premiere)
Hard Labor (Brazil)Director/Screenwriter: Juliana Rojas, Marco DutraHelena prepares to open her own business: a neighborhood grocery store. She hires a maid. But when her husband Octavio is suddenly fired from his job, Helena is left to support the family alone.Cast: Helena Albergaria, Marat Descartes, Naloana Lima, Marina Flores (U.S. Premiere)
La Camioneta – The Journey of One American School BusDirector: Mark KendallOn a 3,000-mile adventure across the borders between the Americas, La Camioneta follows the journey of one out-of-service American school bus as it is repaired, repainted and resurrected into a Guatemalan camioneta. (World Premiere)
The Last FallDirector/Screenwriter: Matthew A. CherryAn NFL journeyman struggles to deal with life’s complexities after his professional career is over at age 25.Cast: Lance Gross, Nicole Beharie, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Harry Lennix, Keith David(World Premiere)
Leave Me Like You Found MeDirector/Screenwriter: Adele RomanskiBig trees, broken hearts. The story of a lovesick couple’s breakup & makeup while camping in the wilds of California. Cast: Megan Boone, David Nordstrom (World Premiere)
PAVILIONDirector/Screenwriter: Tim SuttonMax, a quietly troubled 15-year-old, leaves his lakeside town to live with his father on the sun-blasted fringe of suburban Arizona. What begins in a calm and lush environment ends in a drastic, frayed confusion. Cast: Max Schaffner, Zach Cali, Cody Hamric, Addie Barlett, Aaron Buyea (World Premiere)
Sun Don’t ShineDirector/Screenwriter: Amy SeimetzTwo lovers, on the back roads of Florida, do very bad things.Cast: Kate Lyn Sheil, Kentucker Audley, AJ Bowen, Kit Gwinn, Mark Reeb (World Premiere)
Sunset StoriesDirectors: Silas Howard, Ernesto Foronda, Screenwriter: Valerie StadlerWhen May returns to LA and runs smack into JP, the man she left behind, past and present collide sending them on a twenty-four hour journey in search of what they lost.Cast: Monique Curnen, Sung Kang, Joshua Leonard, Mousa Kraish, Michelle Krusiec (World Premiere)
TchoupitoulasDirector: Bill Ross, Turner RossThree young brothers’ immersive journey into the sensory wonders of the New Orleans night.(World Premiere)
Thale (Norway)Director/Screenwriter: Aleksander L. NordaasThe film revolves around huldra, a mythical, tailed creature, found by two crime scene cleaners in a concealed cellar. Someone’s been keeping her down here for decades, for reasons soon to surface. Cast: Silje Reinamo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen (North American Premiere)
WildnessDirector/Screenwriter: Wu TsangA magical-realist portrait of the Silver Platter, a historic bar in Los Angeles that provides a safe space for Latin/LGBT immigrant and queer art communities to come together in love and conflict.
WOLFDirector/Screenwriter: Ya’ke SmithA family is shaken to the core when they discover their son has been molested. As they struggle to deal with the betrayal, their son heads towards a total mental collapse.Cast: Irma P. Hall, Mikala Gibson, Jordan Cooper, Shelton Jolivette, Eugene Lee (World Premiere)
24 BEATS PER SECONDShowcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.Films screening in 24 Beats Per Second are:
Amor Cronico (Cuba / USA)Director: Jorge PerugorriaWeaving footage of singer Cucu Diamantes’ Cuban tour into a fictional love story. The result is an energetic display of her glamorous and infectious performance style and a fascinating portrait of Cuba today.Cast: Cucu Diamantes, Adela Legra, Liosky Clavero, Andres Levin, Jorge Perugorria (World Premiere)
Bad Brains: Band in DCDirectors: Mandy Stein, Benjamen LoganHow four young men from DC changed music forever. (World Premiere)
Charles Bradley: Soul of AmericaDirector: Poull BrienThe incredible late-in-life rise of 62-year-old aspiring soul singer Charles Bradley, whose debut album rocketed him from a hard life in the projects to Rolling Stone magazine’s top 50 albums of 2011.(World Premiere)
Daylight SavingsDirector: Dave Boyle, Screenwriters: Dave Boyle, Michael Lerman, Joel Clark, Goh NakamuraAfter a devastating breakup, musician Goh Nakamura hits the road with his irresponsible cousin to pursue a promising rebound with fellow musician Yea-Ming Chen.Cast: Goh Nakamura, Michael Aki, Yea-Ming Chen, Lynn Chen, Ayako Fujitani (World Premiere)
Grandma Lo-fi: The Basement Tapes of Sigrídur Níelsdóttir (Iceland / Denmark)Director: Kristín Björk KristjánsdóttirAt the tender age of 70 she started making music – and then she couldn’t stop! A tribute to the Danish/Icelandic artist and late bloomer Sigrídur Níelsdóttir.
Paul Williams Still AliveDirector: Stephen KesslerA documentary filmmaker tracks down actor/singer/songwriter Paul Williams in an attempt to find out what happened to his idol. (U.S. Premiere)
Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (UK)Director: Don LettsIggy Pop, Debbie Harry, Yoko Ono, Alice Cooper, Billie Joe Armstrong and others discuss the incredible life and work of the world’s foremost rock ‘n’ roll photographer, Bob Gruen.(North American Premiere)
Sunset StripDirector/Screenwriter: Hans FjellestadThe 100-year history of the loudest street on the planet, The Sunset Strip. (World Premiere)
Under African SkiesDirector: Joe BerlingerPaul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime.
Uprising: Hip Hop & The LA RiotsDirector: Mark Ford20 years after riots ripped through Los Angeles, Uprising documents how hip hop forecasted – and some say ignited – the worst civil unrest of the 20th century. (World Premiere)
SX GLOBALA diverse panorama of international filmmaking talent, including premieres, interactive documentaries and shorts.Films screening in SX Global are:
BIJUKA (India)Director: Ashtar Sayed, Screenwriter: Dr. Mahendra PurohitInspired by a true event. Scarecrow tells the true story of a young woman who is attempting to escape from an abusive arranged marriage. Cast: Arti Rautela, Amit Purohit (North American Premiere)
Crulic – The Path to Beyond (Romania / Poland)Director: Anca DamianThe animated documentary feature-length “Crulic – The Path to Beyond” tells the story of the life of Crulic, the 33-year-old Romanian who died in a Polish prison while on hunger strike.
Cubaton – El Medico Story (Estonia / Sweden)Director: Daniel FridellEl Medico – a Cuban house doctor who wants to become a cubaton star – is facing a serious choice between serving the state and becoming a popstar. (North American Premiere)
Her Master’s Voice (UK)Director: Nina ContiWatching someone talk to themselves has never been so interesting. (World Premiere)
ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (Italy / Germany)Directors: Gustav Hofer, Luca RagazziGustav and Luca, two Italians, have to decide: Should they stay in Italy, or leave it? (North American Premiere)
Mustafa’s Sweet Dreams (Greece / UK)Director: Angelos AbazoglouMustafa, a 16-year-old pastry shop apprentice dreams of becoming a famous baklava chef in Istanbul. (North American Premiere)
Pompeya (Argentina)Director: Tamae Garateguy, Screenwriters: Tamae Garateguy, Diego A. FleischerWhen a film director hires two screenwriters to make a gangster movie, a fiction feast starts: femmes fatales, mobs fighting for the same neighborhood and a limitless hero who defies every movie concept. Cast: José Luciano González, Joel Drut, Chang Sung Kim, Vladimir Yuravel, Miguel Forza de Paul(U.S. Premiere)
¡Vivan las Antipodas! (Germany / The Netherlands / Argentina / Chile)Director: Victor KossakovskyHaven’t we all wondered at some point what was happening just at this moment beneath our very feet at the other side of the planet?
FESTIVAL FAVORITESAcclaimed standouts and selected previous premieres from festivals around the world.Films screening in Festival Favorites are:
Beast (Denmark)Director/Screenwriter: Christoffer BoeHow long will you go, to hold on to the person you love?Cast: Nicolas Bro, Marijana Jankovic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
The ComedyDirector: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Robert Donne, Colm O’LearyIndifferent even to the prospects of inheriting his father’s estate, Swanson (Tim Heidecker), a desensitized, aging Brooklyn hipster, strays into a series of reckless situations that may offer the promise of redemption or the threat of retribution.Cast: Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, James Murphy, Kate Lyn-Sheil, Alexia Rassmusen
Dreams of a Life (UK / Ireland)Director: Carol MorleyAn imaginative quest to go beyond the newspaper reports and solve the mystery of who thirty-eight year old Joyce Vincent was and why she lay undiscovered for three years after her death in one of the busiest parts of London. (North American Premiere)
God Bless AmericaDirector/Screenwriter: Bobcat GoldthwaitLoveless, jobless, possibly terminally ill, Frank has had enough of the downward spiral of America. With nothing left to lose, Frank takes his gun and offs the stupidest, cruelest, and most repellent members of society. Cast: Joel Murray, Tara Lynne Barr (U.S. Premiere)
The Imposter (UK)Director: Bart LaytonIn 1994 a 13-year-old disappears without trace in Texas. Three years later he resurfaces in Spain with accounts of a horrifying kidnap. His family is overjoyed – but all is not as it seems.
Indie Game: The Movie (Canada)Directors: Lisanne Pajot, James SwirskyWith the twenty-first century comes a new breed of artist: the indie game designer. These innovators design and program their distinctly personal games in the hope that they may find connection and success.
KID-THINGDirector/Screenwriter: David ZellnerA fever-dream fable about Annie, a rebellious girl devoid of parental guidance or a moral compass. She roams the countryside looking for adventure, and finds it one day in the form of an abandoned well. Cast: Sydney Aguirre, Susan Tyrrell, Nathan Zellner, David Zellner, David Wingo
Last Call at the OasisDirector: Jessica YuA powerful argument for why the global water crisis will be the central issue facing our world this century.
Lovely MollyDirector: Eduardo Sanchez, Screenwriters: Eduardo Sanchez, Jamie NashExploring the parallels between psychosis, addiction and demonic possession, Lovely Molly tells the story of what really happens before the exorcist arrives.Cast: Gretchen Lodge, Johnny Lewis, Alexandra Holden (U.S. Premiere)
The Raid (Indonesia)Director/Screenwriter: Gareth Huw EvansRama and his special forces team fight their way through a rundown apartment block with a mission to remove its owner, a notorious drug lord.Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Doni Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Pierre Gruno
WE ARE LEGION: The Story of the HacktivistsDirector: Brian KnappenbergerWe Are Legion takes us inside the world of Anonymous, the radical “hacktivist” collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age.
SPECIAL EVENTSLive Soundtracks, cult re-issues and much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique film event one-offs. Films screening in Special Events are:
An Evening With Sacred Bones RecordsDirector: Jacqueline CastelBrooklyn-based record label Sacred Bones presents an evening of original and curated programming of music videos, short films, works in progress, and a rare screening of their first film production, Twelve Dark Noons. (World Premiere)
BernieDirector: Richard Linklater, Screenwriters: Richard Linklater, Skip HollandsworthBased on real-life events, this dark comedy follows Bernie Tiede, his recently deceased friend Marjorie Nugent and District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson who is determined to get to the bottom of the crime. Cast: Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, Matthew McConaughey, Brady Coleman, Richard Robichaux
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt MeDirector: Drew DenicolaA feature-length documentary about the massive critical acclaim, dismal commercial failure, and enduring legacy of pop music’s greatest cult phenomenon, Big Star. (Work in Progress)
Casa de mi PadreDirector: Matt Piedmont, Screenwriter: Andrew SteeleWill Ferrell plays a Mexican rancher who must defend his father’s home against the country’s most infamous drug lord. Cast: Will Ferrell, Gael García Vernal, Diego Luna, Genesis Rodriguez, Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Nick Offerman
Girl Walk // All DayDirector/Screenwriter: Jacob KrupnickA feature-length dance music film that combines freestyle dance with the daily chaos of New York City, set to Girl Talk’s recent mashup album, All Day. Cast: Anne Marsen, John Doyle, Daisuke Omiya
Re:GenerationDirector: Amir Bar Lev5 DJ’s Turn the Table on The History of Music.
Renga (UK)Directors: Adam Russell, John SearA ground breaking feature-length show controlled entirely by the audience using laser pointers. It is the first viable example of a standalone interactive experience capable of running in commercial movie theatres. (North American Premiere)
The Oyster Princess (1919) with original live score by Bee vs. Moth (Germany)Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Screenriters: Hanns Kraly & Ernst LubitschThe Oyster Princess is Ernst Lubitsch’s tart 1919 silent comedy that parodies the rich and the spoiled. Austin jazz/rock band Bee vs. Moth performs their original score live with the film for the first time. (World Premiere)
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