The eighth annual Hola Mexican Film Festival, presented by DishLATINO, the largest festival of cinema outside of Mexico, today announced a partial lineup of the 2016 festival schedule including opening and closing nights and four special showcase presentations. The festival runs May 13-22 with all screenings taking place at the Regal La Live Stadium 14 Theatre, except for closing night which will be at La Plaza de Cultura y Artes Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.
This year’s festival will open with "Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Linea Amarilla) nominated for 14 Premios Ariel Awards (Mexico’s “Oscars”). The film is a story of smooth roads and bumpy rides, with unexpected twists and turns... like life itself. Directed by Celso R. Garcia, the film stars Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Silverio Palacios, Gustavo Sánchez Parra. Confirmed to attend the premiere are Cosio and Palacios as well as other special guests.
Additional showcase screenings include "We Fulfill Your Dreams" (Ilusiones S.A.) directed by Roberto Girault and starring Jaime Camil, Adriana Louvier, Silvia Mariscal on Wednesday, May 18 at 7:00 Pm and "Mr. Pig" with star Danny Glover to attend, on Thursday, May 19, at 7:00 Pm.
Closing the festival on Sunday, May 22 is "Panoramas," a unique and introspective look inside one of Latin America's top alternative-rock music acts, Zoé. Members of band Zoé will attend and perform a DJ set. This special event screening will take place at La Plaza Cultura y Artes Theatre located at 501 N. Main Street, downtown Los Angeles.
Also this year marks the first time that films from a country outside of Mexico will be shown with special presentations of two films from Chile – "Sin Filtro" and "El Bosque de Karadima"
Opening Night Premiere – Friday, May 13 at 7:00 Pm
Regal La Live Stadium 14
"The Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Linea Amarilla)
Dir. Celso R. Garcia
Cast: Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Silverio Palacios, Gustavo Sánchez Parra
Mexico 2015, 95 Min
Five men are hired to paint the yellow line of a road that will link two forgotten towns in Mexico. With less than 2 weeks to cover over 200 kilometers aboard a '76 pick-up truck, they will discover that painting at a speed of 1 km/hour will teach them about the lines between good and evil, laughter and despair, life and death. The challenges they face will change their lives forever. The Thin Yellow Line is a story of smooth roads and bumpy rides, with unexpected twists and turns... like life itself.
Closing Night Premiere – Sunday, May 22 At 7:00 Pm
La Plaza Cultura y Artes theatre located at 501 N. Main Street, downtown Los Angeles.
"Panoramas"
Dir. Rodrigo Guardiola y Gabriel Cruz Rivas
Cast: Zoé
Mexico 2016, 90 Min
A unique and introspective look inside one of Latin America's top alternative-rock music acts, Zoé. “Panoramas” is a Cinéma Vérité-style portrait of Zoé that takes you on a contemplative audio/visual journey through some of the band's most decisive moments. A film crew accompanies the band during a two-year period to provide us with an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the band’s longest international tour to date, in their first real shot at becoming well-known and "making it big" outside their home country of México. The 15-year artistic career of Zoé completes its growth-cycle and reaches full circle as the musicians arrive at the quintessential question all bands face: What's next?
MÉXico Now
"We Fulfill Your Dreams" (Ilusiones S.A.)
Wednesday, May 18 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Roberto Girault
Cast: Jaime Camil, Adriana Louvier, Silvia Mariscal
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
"We Fulfill Your Dreams" is a company that makes fantasies come to life. Made up of a group of actors and led by a ‘Director' (Jaime Camil), they create set-ups to re-enact real-life circumstances for the good of people.
For their latest job, they are hired by Mr. Balboa to spend a week in the roles of a long-gone loving grandson and his wife. Portrayed as an angel to his grandmother through fictitious letters created by the elderly Mr. Balboa, the young man has in reality become a villainous character. But things go awry for actors Mauricio and Isabel when the real grandson turns up for a show-down with his grandparents.
"Mr. Pig"
Thursday, May 19 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Diego Luna
Cast: Danny Glover, Maya Rudolph, Jose Maria Yazpik
Mexico 2016, 100 Min
Ambrose Eubanks (Danny Glover), is an old-school pig farmer from California. After the family farm is foreclosed, he sets off with Howard, his beloved (and very large) pig, on a road trip to Mexico.
Ambrose must figure out how to smuggle "Howie" across the border and find him a new home.
"In Your Eyes" (A los Ojos)
Friday, May 20 at 7:00 Pm and Saturday, May 21 at 1:00 Pm
Dir. Victoria Franco y Michel Franco
Cast: Mónica del Carmen, Omar Moreno, Benjamín Espinoza, Jacobo Najman
Mexico 2015, 96 Min
Monica is a social worker from Mexico City, a single mother whose child is suffering from a degenerative illness of the eyes. Having exhausted all other options, a corneal transplant is the child's only hope. Overwhelmed by the ineffectiveness of the health system and the scarcity of resources, Monica is driven to an extreme solution... Found within the world of the street children.
"The Aparicios" (Las Aparacio)
Sunday, May 15 at 4:30 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Moisés Ortiz - Urquidi
Cast: Ana De La Reguera, María Del Carmen Farías, Liz Gallardo, Eréndia Ibarra, Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Paulina Gaitán y Tenoch Huerta
México 2016,
The Aparicios are a family made up entirely of women, all cursed to become widows and to never bear male children. At their ranch in Xico, in the state of Veracruz, they discover the body of the first husband of an Aparicio woman. This leads the Aparicios to search their past in an attempt to end the ancient curse, and finally face their present
"Parallel Roads" (Rumbos Paralelos)
Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Rafael Montero
Cast: Ludwika Paleta, Iliana Fox, Michel Brown, Arturo Barba
Mexico 2016,
(Film in Spanish, no English subtitles)
Rumbos Paralelos (Parallel Roads) tells the emotional story of two young mothers whose lives change unexpectedly.
Silvia must suddenly confront both her son’s illness and the abrupt discovery that she is not his biological mother. Desperate to find a donor for a life-saving kidney transplant, Silvia will seek out Gaby, the child's true biological mother. The following actions will put the power of maternity to the test and challenge life as a whole. Are family ties made out of love? Or are they carried in our blood?
"Paradise Lost" (Paraiso Perdido)
Saturday, May 21 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Humberto Hinojosa
Cast: Ana Claudia Talancón, Iván Sanchez, Andrés Almeida
México 2016, 87 Min
Three friends are traveling by sailboat through Caribbean waters, when they come across a deserted paradise island and decide to explore it. What was supposed to be one of the best weekends of their lives will turn into a tireless fight for survival when they discover the island's hidden secret.
"She is Ramona" (Ella es Ramona)
Saturday, May 14 at 9:00 Pm and Monday, May 16 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Hugo Rodriguez
Cast: Andrea Ortega Lee, Daniel Giménez Cacho, María Rojo, Leticia Huijara
México 2015, 83 Min
Ramona is overweight, with too many kilos and not enough luck. She remembers a childhood as the victim of abuse at the hands of her mother, her sister, and even her friends. She was Big Belly Ramona, Big Eater Ramona, Ramona the Pig. Now an adult, things aren't looking much better. Her life seems to be crumbling. She gets fired for being fat; when she seeks liposuction, her doctor rejects as a candidate for the procedure because she is too overweight. Things begin falling into place, however, when she stumbles across a Tarot café which sells the magic beetles that will change her life.
"Elvira, I would Give You my Life, but I’m Using It" (Elvira, Te Daria Mi Vida Pero La Estoy Usando)
Thursday, May 19 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Manolo Caro
Cast: Cecilia Suárez, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Vanessa Bauche
Mexico 2015, 108 Min
Gustavo, husband of Elvira, goes out one night to buy cigarettes, never to return. Elvira, a 40-year-old mother of two, begins a relentless search for the love of her life. Clues lead her to the conclusion that her husband has kept a secret relationship. The unfortunate discovery will not stop Elvira in her mission of finding him.
"The Chosen Ones" (Las Elegidas)
Friday, May 20 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. David Pablos
Cast: Nancy Talamantes, Óscar Torres
Mexico 2015, 105 Min
Sofia, 14 years old, is in love with Ulises. Because of him, in spite of him, she is forced into a prostitution ring in Mexico. To set her free, Ulises will have to find another girl to replace her...
New Voices
"Leaf Blower" (Sopladora de Hojas)
Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 Pm, Monday, May 16 at 9:30 Pm and Friday, May 20 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Alejandro Iglesias
Cast: Francisco Rueda, Alejandro Guerrero, Fabrizio Santini
Mexico 2015, 96 Min
Lucas, Emilio and Rubén are three friends united in a special quest: to find a set of lost keys in a pile of dead leaves. What appears to be a simple task will turn into a profound journey that forces the teenagers to confront their fears: of letting go of the past, of facing embarrassing truths, of taking risks... Of growing up. This afternoon, as trivial as it may sound, could change the course of their lives. Or maybe not.
"Amir"
Saturday, May 14 at 4:00 Pm and Thursday, May 19 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. José Paredes
Cast: Jorge Guevara, Tania Niebla y Lirio Karina
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
Amir, an aspiring musician, finds himself drawn to Jeanette, a beautiful singer he meets during a night out on the town with his friends. The attraction complicates his relationship with his current girlfriend, Elizabeth, who is expecting his child. Amir will attempt to work out his feelings towards his newfound love interest, music and maturity, as adulthood forces him to make some challenging choices along the way.
"The Arrival of Conrado Sierra" (El Arribo de Conrado Sierra)
Friday, May 20 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. René Pereyra
Cast: Maite Perroni, Joaquín Cosío, Susana Dosamantes, Ana González, Rocío García, Jessica Mas
Mexico 2015, 120 Min
In 1940's "Torres Mochas" (the city of Torreón, Mexico), the widow Doña Josefina and her five spinster daughters await the arrival of a man aiming to marry the youngest of the sisters. The local townspeople, excited at the prospect of one of “Virgin Josefitas” finally marrying, prepare massive celebrations. When the mysterious suitor finally appears, circumstances take an unforeseen course.
For The Children
"The Adventures of Itzel and Sonia" (Las Aventuras de Itzel y Sonia)
Saturday, May 14 at 12:00 Pm
Dir. Fernanda Rivero
Cast: Arcelía Ramírez, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Joaquín Cosío, Bruno Bichir
Mexico 2016, 70 Min
This film was made as part of the “Cuéntamelo filmando” ("Tell it to me with the cameras rolling") workshop and was done with the support of 500 people from 10 rural communities in Mexico.
Itzel, an 8-year-old girl, and her best friend ‘Sonia the Frog’ will embark on a mission to find the guardians of the water, before the city's supply runs out. With the help of her grandmother, they will search in the most remote areas of Mexico, while a faceless being stalks them.
"By My Mustache" (Por Mis Bigotes)
Sunday, May 15 at 12:00 Pm
Dir. Manuel Carames
Cast: Jesus Ochoa, Santiago Torres, Fernando Becerril
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
Though it sounds unbelievable, little Ulises, at only nine years old, has grown an enormous mustache from one day to the next. So begins a series of extraordinary events for him, his mother and his best friends. From this moment forward, all of them, along with a cast of very curious characters, will find themselves caught up in a very hairy adventure.
Documentary
"Made in Bangkok"
Monday, May 16 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Flavio Florencio
Cast: Morgana Love
Mexico 2015, 75 Min
Morgana is a Mexican transgender opera singer with a relentless determination to assert her identity, despite having to fight against social stigma and family prejudice. Her dream is to have gender-reassignment surgery. Her only chance to make happen is by winning a beauty pageant in Bangkok, and use the $10,000 cash prize to pay for the surgery. The documentary embarks on Morgana’s journey with her, while providing us with an intimate portrait of what it is to construct a long-dreamt-of identity.
"Mexican Fighting" (Lucha Mexico)
Sunday, May 15 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Alexandria Hammond & Ian Markiewicz
Cast: 1000% Guapo, Blue Demon, Hijo Del Perro Aguayo, Tony Salazar, Arkangel
México / USA 103 Min
The ultimate look behind the mask, Lucha Mexico documents the joyous spectacle of Lucha Libre wrestling, which has thrilled Mexican fans for generations. The story follows "El 1000% Guapo" (1000% Handsome) Shocker, one of the most successful Luchadores of the modern era. His life is consumed by the need of being in the ring. A supporting cast of fan-favorites further reveal the world of Lucha Libre from the inside, with Blue Demon Jr. discussing life from behind a legendary mask; the violent history of El Hijo del Perro Aguayo (the Son of "The Dog" Aguayo); as well as veterans like Tony Salazar and Archangel, as they pass on the secrets of the ring to a new generation of fighters. These stars and others will shed light on the intense physical and emotional challenges they must constantly face in order to stand inside the ropes and thrill every last fan. With its unprecedented access to the top Lucha performers and promoters, as well as other players of this grand spectacle, Lucha Mexico steps into the ring to show us the great power behind the mask, and leads us straight to the beating heart of Mexico.
Hola Chile
"The Church Of Karadima" (El Bosque de Karadima)
Sunday, May 15 at 2:00 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Matías Lira
Cast: Benjamin Vicuña, Luis Gnecco, Ingrid Isensee
Chile 2015, 98 Min
Fernando Karadima, the pastor and leader of the most powerful Church of the Chilean upper class from the 1980's to 2000's, is considered a living saint. Thomas, a teenager in search of his vocation, finds himself drawn to Karadima and accepts him as a spiritual guide. For 20 years, Tommy will gradually be subjected to physical and psychological abuse by the priest, until he decides to speak out and confront both the charismatic priest and the power networks that protect him, finally uncovering the real Karadima hiding behind the investiture of God's representative on Earth.
"No Filter" (Sin Filtro)
Wednesday, May 18 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Nicolás López
Cast: Paz Bascuñán, Ignacia Allamand, Paulo Brunei
Chile 2016, 100 Min
Pía is on the verge of a nervous breakdown: Her boss humiliates her, her husband ignores her, her stepson is disrespectful, and her best friend no longer listens to what she says.
Pía begins having strong chest pains and, after trying many different healing methods, decides to undergo an acupuncture treatment. The Chinese doctor discovers that Pía's pain is caused by repressed feelings, and, with an ancient technique, he "removes the filter". From now on, an uninhibited Pía will realize that the only way to heal herself is to speak everything that comes to mind - which won't always bring her the best results.
Nocturnal/Genre
"Barrancas"
Saturday, May 14 at 12 Midnight and Wednesday, May 18 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Juan De La Peña
Cast: Diego Sánchez, Esteban De la Isla, Ana Lucía Camacho, Julia Dávalos, Eduardo Romo, Gustavo Gascón, Inés Vachez
Mexico 2016, 88 Min
The owner of a huge house in the woods, in the town of Barrancas, has a reputation for not paying his employees. When the latest housekeeper goes missing, everyone simply assumes that yet another employee has quit. Meanwhile, back in the city, the owner's nephew Mario is tasked with going to Barrancas to hand over the keys to the new caretaker. Young Mario thinks it’s a good idea to secretly invite his friends from college, as well as the girl he likes, out to the country house for a fun weekend. What Mario doesn’t know is that this may turn out to be a very dangerous idea indeed.
"The Similars" (Los Parecidos)
Sunday, May 15 at 9:30 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Isaac Ezban
Cast: Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Humberto Busto, Carmen Beato
Mexico 2015, 89 Min
In the rainy darkness of the early morning hours of October 2, 1968, eight people are waiting in a remote bus station in the middle of nowhere for the bus heading to Mexico City. They’ll soon find themselves experiencing a strange phenomenon.
For more information and ticket sales visit - http://holamexicoff.com...
This year’s festival will open with "Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Linea Amarilla) nominated for 14 Premios Ariel Awards (Mexico’s “Oscars”). The film is a story of smooth roads and bumpy rides, with unexpected twists and turns... like life itself. Directed by Celso R. Garcia, the film stars Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Silverio Palacios, Gustavo Sánchez Parra. Confirmed to attend the premiere are Cosio and Palacios as well as other special guests.
Additional showcase screenings include "We Fulfill Your Dreams" (Ilusiones S.A.) directed by Roberto Girault and starring Jaime Camil, Adriana Louvier, Silvia Mariscal on Wednesday, May 18 at 7:00 Pm and "Mr. Pig" with star Danny Glover to attend, on Thursday, May 19, at 7:00 Pm.
Closing the festival on Sunday, May 22 is "Panoramas," a unique and introspective look inside one of Latin America's top alternative-rock music acts, Zoé. Members of band Zoé will attend and perform a DJ set. This special event screening will take place at La Plaza Cultura y Artes Theatre located at 501 N. Main Street, downtown Los Angeles.
Also this year marks the first time that films from a country outside of Mexico will be shown with special presentations of two films from Chile – "Sin Filtro" and "El Bosque de Karadima"
Opening Night Premiere – Friday, May 13 at 7:00 Pm
Regal La Live Stadium 14
"The Thin Yellow Line" (La Delgada Linea Amarilla)
Dir. Celso R. Garcia
Cast: Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Silverio Palacios, Gustavo Sánchez Parra
Mexico 2015, 95 Min
Five men are hired to paint the yellow line of a road that will link two forgotten towns in Mexico. With less than 2 weeks to cover over 200 kilometers aboard a '76 pick-up truck, they will discover that painting at a speed of 1 km/hour will teach them about the lines between good and evil, laughter and despair, life and death. The challenges they face will change their lives forever. The Thin Yellow Line is a story of smooth roads and bumpy rides, with unexpected twists and turns... like life itself.
Closing Night Premiere – Sunday, May 22 At 7:00 Pm
La Plaza Cultura y Artes theatre located at 501 N. Main Street, downtown Los Angeles.
"Panoramas"
Dir. Rodrigo Guardiola y Gabriel Cruz Rivas
Cast: Zoé
Mexico 2016, 90 Min
A unique and introspective look inside one of Latin America's top alternative-rock music acts, Zoé. “Panoramas” is a Cinéma Vérité-style portrait of Zoé that takes you on a contemplative audio/visual journey through some of the band's most decisive moments. A film crew accompanies the band during a two-year period to provide us with an intimate behind-the-scenes look at the band’s longest international tour to date, in their first real shot at becoming well-known and "making it big" outside their home country of México. The 15-year artistic career of Zoé completes its growth-cycle and reaches full circle as the musicians arrive at the quintessential question all bands face: What's next?
MÉXico Now
"We Fulfill Your Dreams" (Ilusiones S.A.)
Wednesday, May 18 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Roberto Girault
Cast: Jaime Camil, Adriana Louvier, Silvia Mariscal
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
"We Fulfill Your Dreams" is a company that makes fantasies come to life. Made up of a group of actors and led by a ‘Director' (Jaime Camil), they create set-ups to re-enact real-life circumstances for the good of people.
For their latest job, they are hired by Mr. Balboa to spend a week in the roles of a long-gone loving grandson and his wife. Portrayed as an angel to his grandmother through fictitious letters created by the elderly Mr. Balboa, the young man has in reality become a villainous character. But things go awry for actors Mauricio and Isabel when the real grandson turns up for a show-down with his grandparents.
"Mr. Pig"
Thursday, May 19 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Diego Luna
Cast: Danny Glover, Maya Rudolph, Jose Maria Yazpik
Mexico 2016, 100 Min
Ambrose Eubanks (Danny Glover), is an old-school pig farmer from California. After the family farm is foreclosed, he sets off with Howard, his beloved (and very large) pig, on a road trip to Mexico.
Ambrose must figure out how to smuggle "Howie" across the border and find him a new home.
"In Your Eyes" (A los Ojos)
Friday, May 20 at 7:00 Pm and Saturday, May 21 at 1:00 Pm
Dir. Victoria Franco y Michel Franco
Cast: Mónica del Carmen, Omar Moreno, Benjamín Espinoza, Jacobo Najman
Mexico 2015, 96 Min
Monica is a social worker from Mexico City, a single mother whose child is suffering from a degenerative illness of the eyes. Having exhausted all other options, a corneal transplant is the child's only hope. Overwhelmed by the ineffectiveness of the health system and the scarcity of resources, Monica is driven to an extreme solution... Found within the world of the street children.
"The Aparicios" (Las Aparacio)
Sunday, May 15 at 4:30 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Moisés Ortiz - Urquidi
Cast: Ana De La Reguera, María Del Carmen Farías, Liz Gallardo, Eréndia Ibarra, Damián Alcazar, Joaquín Cosio, Paulina Gaitán y Tenoch Huerta
México 2016,
The Aparicios are a family made up entirely of women, all cursed to become widows and to never bear male children. At their ranch in Xico, in the state of Veracruz, they discover the body of the first husband of an Aparicio woman. This leads the Aparicios to search their past in an attempt to end the ancient curse, and finally face their present
"Parallel Roads" (Rumbos Paralelos)
Saturday, May 14 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Rafael Montero
Cast: Ludwika Paleta, Iliana Fox, Michel Brown, Arturo Barba
Mexico 2016,
(Film in Spanish, no English subtitles)
Rumbos Paralelos (Parallel Roads) tells the emotional story of two young mothers whose lives change unexpectedly.
Silvia must suddenly confront both her son’s illness and the abrupt discovery that she is not his biological mother. Desperate to find a donor for a life-saving kidney transplant, Silvia will seek out Gaby, the child's true biological mother. The following actions will put the power of maternity to the test and challenge life as a whole. Are family ties made out of love? Or are they carried in our blood?
"Paradise Lost" (Paraiso Perdido)
Saturday, May 21 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Humberto Hinojosa
Cast: Ana Claudia Talancón, Iván Sanchez, Andrés Almeida
México 2016, 87 Min
Three friends are traveling by sailboat through Caribbean waters, when they come across a deserted paradise island and decide to explore it. What was supposed to be one of the best weekends of their lives will turn into a tireless fight for survival when they discover the island's hidden secret.
"She is Ramona" (Ella es Ramona)
Saturday, May 14 at 9:00 Pm and Monday, May 16 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Hugo Rodriguez
Cast: Andrea Ortega Lee, Daniel Giménez Cacho, María Rojo, Leticia Huijara
México 2015, 83 Min
Ramona is overweight, with too many kilos and not enough luck. She remembers a childhood as the victim of abuse at the hands of her mother, her sister, and even her friends. She was Big Belly Ramona, Big Eater Ramona, Ramona the Pig. Now an adult, things aren't looking much better. Her life seems to be crumbling. She gets fired for being fat; when she seeks liposuction, her doctor rejects as a candidate for the procedure because she is too overweight. Things begin falling into place, however, when she stumbles across a Tarot café which sells the magic beetles that will change her life.
"Elvira, I would Give You my Life, but I’m Using It" (Elvira, Te Daria Mi Vida Pero La Estoy Usando)
Thursday, May 19 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Manolo Caro
Cast: Cecilia Suárez, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Vanessa Bauche
Mexico 2015, 108 Min
Gustavo, husband of Elvira, goes out one night to buy cigarettes, never to return. Elvira, a 40-year-old mother of two, begins a relentless search for the love of her life. Clues lead her to the conclusion that her husband has kept a secret relationship. The unfortunate discovery will not stop Elvira in her mission of finding him.
"The Chosen Ones" (Las Elegidas)
Friday, May 20 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. David Pablos
Cast: Nancy Talamantes, Óscar Torres
Mexico 2015, 105 Min
Sofia, 14 years old, is in love with Ulises. Because of him, in spite of him, she is forced into a prostitution ring in Mexico. To set her free, Ulises will have to find another girl to replace her...
New Voices
"Leaf Blower" (Sopladora de Hojas)
Saturday, May 14 at 2:00 Pm, Monday, May 16 at 9:30 Pm and Friday, May 20 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Alejandro Iglesias
Cast: Francisco Rueda, Alejandro Guerrero, Fabrizio Santini
Mexico 2015, 96 Min
Lucas, Emilio and Rubén are three friends united in a special quest: to find a set of lost keys in a pile of dead leaves. What appears to be a simple task will turn into a profound journey that forces the teenagers to confront their fears: of letting go of the past, of facing embarrassing truths, of taking risks... Of growing up. This afternoon, as trivial as it may sound, could change the course of their lives. Or maybe not.
"Amir"
Saturday, May 14 at 4:00 Pm and Thursday, May 19 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. José Paredes
Cast: Jorge Guevara, Tania Niebla y Lirio Karina
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
Amir, an aspiring musician, finds himself drawn to Jeanette, a beautiful singer he meets during a night out on the town with his friends. The attraction complicates his relationship with his current girlfriend, Elizabeth, who is expecting his child. Amir will attempt to work out his feelings towards his newfound love interest, music and maturity, as adulthood forces him to make some challenging choices along the way.
"The Arrival of Conrado Sierra" (El Arribo de Conrado Sierra)
Friday, May 20 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. René Pereyra
Cast: Maite Perroni, Joaquín Cosío, Susana Dosamantes, Ana González, Rocío García, Jessica Mas
Mexico 2015, 120 Min
In 1940's "Torres Mochas" (the city of Torreón, Mexico), the widow Doña Josefina and her five spinster daughters await the arrival of a man aiming to marry the youngest of the sisters. The local townspeople, excited at the prospect of one of “Virgin Josefitas” finally marrying, prepare massive celebrations. When the mysterious suitor finally appears, circumstances take an unforeseen course.
For The Children
"The Adventures of Itzel and Sonia" (Las Aventuras de Itzel y Sonia)
Saturday, May 14 at 12:00 Pm
Dir. Fernanda Rivero
Cast: Arcelía Ramírez, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Joaquín Cosío, Bruno Bichir
Mexico 2016, 70 Min
This film was made as part of the “Cuéntamelo filmando” ("Tell it to me with the cameras rolling") workshop and was done with the support of 500 people from 10 rural communities in Mexico.
Itzel, an 8-year-old girl, and her best friend ‘Sonia the Frog’ will embark on a mission to find the guardians of the water, before the city's supply runs out. With the help of her grandmother, they will search in the most remote areas of Mexico, while a faceless being stalks them.
"By My Mustache" (Por Mis Bigotes)
Sunday, May 15 at 12:00 Pm
Dir. Manuel Carames
Cast: Jesus Ochoa, Santiago Torres, Fernando Becerril
Mexico 2015, 90 Min
Though it sounds unbelievable, little Ulises, at only nine years old, has grown an enormous mustache from one day to the next. So begins a series of extraordinary events for him, his mother and his best friends. From this moment forward, all of them, along with a cast of very curious characters, will find themselves caught up in a very hairy adventure.
Documentary
"Made in Bangkok"
Monday, May 16 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Flavio Florencio
Cast: Morgana Love
Mexico 2015, 75 Min
Morgana is a Mexican transgender opera singer with a relentless determination to assert her identity, despite having to fight against social stigma and family prejudice. Her dream is to have gender-reassignment surgery. Her only chance to make happen is by winning a beauty pageant in Bangkok, and use the $10,000 cash prize to pay for the surgery. The documentary embarks on Morgana’s journey with her, while providing us with an intimate portrait of what it is to construct a long-dreamt-of identity.
"Mexican Fighting" (Lucha Mexico)
Sunday, May 15 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Alexandria Hammond & Ian Markiewicz
Cast: 1000% Guapo, Blue Demon, Hijo Del Perro Aguayo, Tony Salazar, Arkangel
México / USA 103 Min
The ultimate look behind the mask, Lucha Mexico documents the joyous spectacle of Lucha Libre wrestling, which has thrilled Mexican fans for generations. The story follows "El 1000% Guapo" (1000% Handsome) Shocker, one of the most successful Luchadores of the modern era. His life is consumed by the need of being in the ring. A supporting cast of fan-favorites further reveal the world of Lucha Libre from the inside, with Blue Demon Jr. discussing life from behind a legendary mask; the violent history of El Hijo del Perro Aguayo (the Son of "The Dog" Aguayo); as well as veterans like Tony Salazar and Archangel, as they pass on the secrets of the ring to a new generation of fighters. These stars and others will shed light on the intense physical and emotional challenges they must constantly face in order to stand inside the ropes and thrill every last fan. With its unprecedented access to the top Lucha performers and promoters, as well as other players of this grand spectacle, Lucha Mexico steps into the ring to show us the great power behind the mask, and leads us straight to the beating heart of Mexico.
Hola Chile
"The Church Of Karadima" (El Bosque de Karadima)
Sunday, May 15 at 2:00 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 7:00 Pm
Dir. Matías Lira
Cast: Benjamin Vicuña, Luis Gnecco, Ingrid Isensee
Chile 2015, 98 Min
Fernando Karadima, the pastor and leader of the most powerful Church of the Chilean upper class from the 1980's to 2000's, is considered a living saint. Thomas, a teenager in search of his vocation, finds himself drawn to Karadima and accepts him as a spiritual guide. For 20 years, Tommy will gradually be subjected to physical and psychological abuse by the priest, until he decides to speak out and confront both the charismatic priest and the power networks that protect him, finally uncovering the real Karadima hiding behind the investiture of God's representative on Earth.
"No Filter" (Sin Filtro)
Wednesday, May 18 at 9:00 Pm
Dir. Nicolás López
Cast: Paz Bascuñán, Ignacia Allamand, Paulo Brunei
Chile 2016, 100 Min
Pía is on the verge of a nervous breakdown: Her boss humiliates her, her husband ignores her, her stepson is disrespectful, and her best friend no longer listens to what she says.
Pía begins having strong chest pains and, after trying many different healing methods, decides to undergo an acupuncture treatment. The Chinese doctor discovers that Pía's pain is caused by repressed feelings, and, with an ancient technique, he "removes the filter". From now on, an uninhibited Pía will realize that the only way to heal herself is to speak everything that comes to mind - which won't always bring her the best results.
Nocturnal/Genre
"Barrancas"
Saturday, May 14 at 12 Midnight and Wednesday, May 18 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Juan De La Peña
Cast: Diego Sánchez, Esteban De la Isla, Ana Lucía Camacho, Julia Dávalos, Eduardo Romo, Gustavo Gascón, Inés Vachez
Mexico 2016, 88 Min
The owner of a huge house in the woods, in the town of Barrancas, has a reputation for not paying his employees. When the latest housekeeper goes missing, everyone simply assumes that yet another employee has quit. Meanwhile, back in the city, the owner's nephew Mario is tasked with going to Barrancas to hand over the keys to the new caretaker. Young Mario thinks it’s a good idea to secretly invite his friends from college, as well as the girl he likes, out to the country house for a fun weekend. What Mario doesn’t know is that this may turn out to be a very dangerous idea indeed.
"The Similars" (Los Parecidos)
Sunday, May 15 at 9:30 Pm and Tuesday, May 17 at 5:00 Pm
Dir. Isaac Ezban
Cast: Gustavo Sánchez Parra, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Humberto Busto, Carmen Beato
Mexico 2015, 89 Min
In the rainy darkness of the early morning hours of October 2, 1968, eight people are waiting in a remote bus station in the middle of nowhere for the bus heading to Mexico City. They’ll soon find themselves experiencing a strange phenomenon.
For more information and ticket sales visit - http://holamexicoff.com...
- 5/5/2016
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
Chilean director Patricio Valladares is preparing to present his latest horror flick, Downhill, at Le Marché du Film at Cannes this year. He asked Twitchfilm to share with you the first poster for his flick. After his best friend dies in a racing accident, biking star Joe agrees to go back on the wheels for an exhibition in Chile. On a test run with his girlfriend Stephanie, they stumble upon a badly injured man dying from a mysterious virus. That’s the start of a very bad day for them as they become the target of relentless killers ready to do anything to keep their secret to go out of the mountains. Downhill stars Bryce Draper, Natalie Burn, Luke Massy, Ignacia Allamand and Ariel Lev. Valladares...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 3/21/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Title: Knock Knock Lionsgate Director: Eli Roth Writer: Eli Roth, Nicolás López, Guillermo Amoedo Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp, Aaron Burns Running Time: 100 minutes Rated: R (Nudity, Language, Sexual Situations, Violence) Special Features: Audio Commentary by Eli Roth, Lorenza Izzo, Nicolás López and Collen Camp; 2 Deleted Scenes with optional audio commentary by Eli Roth; “The Art of Destruction: The Making of Knock Knock” Featurette; Still Gallery On Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD December 8th Director Eli Roth’s remake of the 1977 cult classic Death Game. Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is a loving father of two children, and has a beautiful artist wife [ Read More ]
The post Knock Knock Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Knock Knock Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 12/18/2015
- by juliana
- ShockYa
Exclusive: The Mexican genre film festival’s general director has come on board Patricio Valladares’ Downhill, which screened and won an award in the Ventana Sur genre sidebar this week.
Pablo Guisa Koestinger of Morbido Film Festival will serve as an associate producer on the Chilean genre ace’s survival thriller, fresh from Thursday’s Bunker Sonido post-production prize at the Blood Window Awards.
Koestinger joined the film after a screening at the Bloody Works In Progress session this week.
Chile’s Too Much Films produced Downhill and France’s WTFilms handles international sales. Barry Keating co-wrote the screenplay with Valladares.
Natalie Burn, Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy, Ignacia Allamand, Luke Massy and Matias Lopez star and George Von Knorring of Too Much Films is a producer.
Pablo Guisa Koestinger of Morbido Film Festival will serve as an associate producer on the Chilean genre ace’s survival thriller, fresh from Thursday’s Bunker Sonido post-production prize at the Blood Window Awards.
Koestinger joined the film after a screening at the Bloody Works In Progress session this week.
Chile’s Too Much Films produced Downhill and France’s WTFilms handles international sales. Barry Keating co-wrote the screenplay with Valladares.
Natalie Burn, Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy, Ignacia Allamand, Luke Massy and Matias Lopez star and George Von Knorring of Too Much Films is a producer.
- 12/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: The Mexican genre film festival’s general director has come on board Patricio Valladares’ survival thriller, which screened and won an award in the Ventana Sur genre sidebar this week.
Pablo Guisa Koestinger of Morbido Film Festival will serve as an associate producer on the Chilean genre ace’s Downhill, fresh from Thursday’s Bunker Sonido post-production prize at the Blood Window Awards.
Koestinger joined the film after a screening at the Bloody Works In Progress session this week.
Chile’s Too Much Films produced Downhill and France’s WTFilms handles international sales. Barry Keating co-wrote the screenplay with Valladares.
Natalie Burn, Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy, Ignacia Allamand, Luke Massy and Matias Lopez star and George Von Knorring of Too Much Films is a producer.
Pablo Guisa Koestinger of Morbido Film Festival will serve as an associate producer on the Chilean genre ace’s Downhill, fresh from Thursday’s Bunker Sonido post-production prize at the Blood Window Awards.
Koestinger joined the film after a screening at the Bloody Works In Progress session this week.
Chile’s Too Much Films produced Downhill and France’s WTFilms handles international sales. Barry Keating co-wrote the screenplay with Valladares.
Natalie Burn, Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy, Ignacia Allamand, Luke Massy and Matias Lopez star and George Von Knorring of Too Much Films is a producer.
- 12/4/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
From RedBand.Ca. Sneak Peek restricted 'red band' footage from director Eli Roth's latest horror thriller "Knock Knock", starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, and Ana de Armas:
"...architect 'Evan Webber' (Reeves) has the house to himself and his dog 'Monkee' on Father's Day weekend while his wife 'Karen' ((Ignacia Allamand) and children go on a family-planned beach trip.
"That evening, two women, 'Genesis' (Izzo) and 'Bel' (Ana de Armas) knock on his door. He opens the door and they apologize, revealing that they are looking for an address of a party, but since their phone died, the taxi driver dropped them off..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Knock Knock"...
"...architect 'Evan Webber' (Reeves) has the house to himself and his dog 'Monkee' on Father's Day weekend while his wife 'Karen' ((Ignacia Allamand) and children go on a family-planned beach trip.
"That evening, two women, 'Genesis' (Izzo) and 'Bel' (Ana de Armas) knock on his door. He opens the door and they apologize, revealing that they are looking for an address of a party, but since their phone died, the taxi driver dropped them off..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Knock Knock"...
- 11/30/2015
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
I’m still waiting for Eli Roth to make a good movie. But for the first thirty or forty minutes of Knock Knock, I thought maybe this was the one. It starts off well, with a camera gliding over the Hollywood hills and locating the well-appointed, sheltered home of forty-something architect Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) and his artist wife Karen (Ignacia Allamand). Then Roth’s camera glides through the corridors of the house, making sure to linger on the family photos adorning the walls. It’s an image the film returns to over and over again in its first half, and one can’t help but dread what might be lurking at the end of those spaces. If only the movie were all anticipation.Set over the course of a day, the story begins with Evan and Karen and their two young children in seeming familial bliss. It’s Father’s Day,...
- 10/10/2015
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Vulture
While We’re Young: Roth’s Revisits Grindhouse Home Invasion
Genre director Eli Roth presents his first remake, Knock Knock, a rehash of a 1977 grindhouse thriller, Death Game (which starred Colleen Camp and Sondra Locke, both returning as producers), utilizing modern technology for this revamped mixture of home invasion nightmare and portrait of masculine anxiety. Entertaining as a bit of unintentional camp, Roth’s inability to reign in over-the-top antics from his wildly uneven cast members doffs its queasy sexual overtones nearly as soon as they begin to develop. Headliner Keanu Reeves, along with Roth’s own wife Lorenza Izzo, tend to run amok in a screenplay co-written by the director’s clutch of Chilean acolytes Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amodeo. Salty, overly exuberant bits of dialogue only solidify the film’s aptitude for off-putting ludicrousness, but for those inclined towards grungy, misanthropic portraits of cruel psychological games, it’s not a complete loss.
Genre director Eli Roth presents his first remake, Knock Knock, a rehash of a 1977 grindhouse thriller, Death Game (which starred Colleen Camp and Sondra Locke, both returning as producers), utilizing modern technology for this revamped mixture of home invasion nightmare and portrait of masculine anxiety. Entertaining as a bit of unintentional camp, Roth’s inability to reign in over-the-top antics from his wildly uneven cast members doffs its queasy sexual overtones nearly as soon as they begin to develop. Headliner Keanu Reeves, along with Roth’s own wife Lorenza Izzo, tend to run amok in a screenplay co-written by the director’s clutch of Chilean acolytes Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amodeo. Salty, overly exuberant bits of dialogue only solidify the film’s aptitude for off-putting ludicrousness, but for those inclined towards grungy, misanthropic portraits of cruel psychological games, it’s not a complete loss.
- 10/8/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Knock, Knock Lionsgate Premiere Reviewed by: Harvey Karten for Shockya. Databased on Rotten Tomatoes. Grade: B+ Director: Eli Roth Written by: Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolas Lopez, Eli Roth Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp Screened at: Review, NYC, 9/16/15 Opens: October 9, 2015 If you heard a knock-knock at your door on a dark and stormy night and, looking through the keyhole saw two cute women in their early twenties who needed to use your phone and a bathroom, would you let them in? No? Then you’re a cold New Yorker, a narcissist, a Scrooge. That’s probably what went through the mind of [ Read More ]
The post Knock, Knock Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Knock, Knock Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 10/6/2015
- by Harvey Karten
- ShockYa
Here are the films opening theatrically in the U.S. the week of Friday, September 25. All synopses provided by distributor unless listed otherwise. Wide Before I Wake Director: Mike Flanagan Cast: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish, Lance E. Nichols Synopsis: "A haunting, emotionally absorbing supernatural thriller about an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps." The Green Inferno Director: Eli Roth Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Daryl Sabara, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Sky Ferreira, Magda Apanowicz, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Richard Burgi Synopsis: "A group of college students take their humanitarian protest from New York to the Amazon jungle, only to be taken prisoner by the indigenous tribe they came to save." Criticwire Grade Average: C (6 reviews) Hotel Transylvania 2 Director: Genndy Tartakovsky Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Selena Gomez, Keegan Michael Key, Andy...
- 9/25/2015
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Eli Roth is grabbing headlines and making crimson waves this week following the release of his unsettling, visceral and long-delayed cannibal film The Green Inferno – catch Matt Donato’s thoughts on the gruesome spectacle here – though the director also has another project that is teetering on the verge of its limited release, the Keanu Reeves-led home invasion thriller, Knock Knock.
Remaining at home for the weekend while his wife and kids head off on vacation, Reeves assumes the role of Evan Webber, a loving husband and father who is aiming to keep his life on the straight and narrow as an accomplished architect. One stormy night, however, that equilibrium is effectively upended when he opens the door – and welcomes into his home – two young, unassuming women: Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel (Ana de Armas).
Serenading our moral protagonist with compliments and flirtatious compliments, what follows is a passionate affair,...
Remaining at home for the weekend while his wife and kids head off on vacation, Reeves assumes the role of Evan Webber, a loving husband and father who is aiming to keep his life on the straight and narrow as an accomplished architect. One stormy night, however, that equilibrium is effectively upended when he opens the door – and welcomes into his home – two young, unassuming women: Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel (Ana de Armas).
Serenading our moral protagonist with compliments and flirtatious compliments, what follows is a passionate affair,...
- 9/22/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
While we're all waiting for "John Wick 2," Keanu Reeves is going down another genre road with "Knock Knock," and leading him along the way is Eli Roth. Whether or not it transcends the trappings on the surface as the aforementioned action flick remains to be seen, but even if it's half as fun, it'll be worth the watch. Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp are along for the ride in this one that follows a family man, who has an extra-marital romp with two comely young women. But things turn from sexy to sinister when his very life is put into peril. And in the Nsfw clip, the two young ladies entice Keanu and he tries to keep up the charade of being alone at home working with this wife. After that you can check out a quick new trailer for the movie as well.
- 9/21/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Keanu Reeves is held up as one of the nicest actors in Hollywood – and that makes him the perfect fit for Eli Roth’s new domestic horror, Knock Knock.
Stepping into the fuzzy slippers of a loving father and husband, Reeves is on board to play Evan Webber, a devoted architect who stays at home one weekend to focus on his craft while his family enjoy a brief holiday without him. One night, though, Evan’s life is effectively upended when two impossibly attractive young women seek shelter in his home. Lost and without a phone signal, Reeves’ protagonist allows them into his family home, leading to a passionate affair and a series of consequences that cement Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel’s (Ana de Armas) status as bona fide femme fatales.
A home invasion movie with a modern twist, Knock Knock seems to lay out the promiscuous thrills earlier...
Stepping into the fuzzy slippers of a loving father and husband, Reeves is on board to play Evan Webber, a devoted architect who stays at home one weekend to focus on his craft while his family enjoy a brief holiday without him. One night, though, Evan’s life is effectively upended when two impossibly attractive young women seek shelter in his home. Lost and without a phone signal, Reeves’ protagonist allows them into his family home, leading to a passionate affair and a series of consequences that cement Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) and Bel’s (Ana de Armas) status as bona fide femme fatales.
A home invasion movie with a modern twist, Knock Knock seems to lay out the promiscuous thrills earlier...
- 8/31/2015
- by Michael Briers
- We Got This Covered
Read More: Sundance Review: Keanu Reeves is Frantic Sex Victim in Eli Roth's Middling Sex Thriller 'Knock Knock' Two weeks after his cannibalistic horror film "The Green Inferno" opens in theaters, Eli Roth will return to the fall movie season with "Knock Knock," a new sexual thriller starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Reeves stars as a devoted husband who stays home for a weekend as his family heads away to the beach. When two stranded women knock on his door asking to use the phone, he kindly lets them in, but things soon take a dangerous and sexual turn for the worse. Ignacia Allamand, Aaron Burns and Colleen Camp co-star. "Knock Knock" opens in theaters and VOD starting October 9. Watch the trailer above. Read More: Eli Roth on Losing His Sundance Virginity With...
- 8/31/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
This fall, Eli Roth will be everywhere. His long delayed cannibal movie "The Green Inferno" opens in September, and a month later, he'll put Keanu Reeves into some sexy, deadly danger in "Knock Knock" —a new trailer for the film has arrived. Read More: Tiff Review: Eli Roth's Cannibal Horror Tale 'Green Inferno' Co-starring Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Ignacia Allamand, Aaron Burns and Colleen Camp, the story follows a father and family man whose dalliance with two attractive young women turns into a situation putting everything he holds dear on the line. Here's the official synopsis: When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse. A sexy new thriller from director Eli Roth and written by Eli Roth,...
- 8/31/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
It's not too long now before Eli Roth's Knock Knock is released in theaters and On Demand, and we have three new posters to share with you. Also: an excerpt from Adrian Barnes' novel Nod, as well as a trailer and Tiff premiere details for the Turkish horror film, Baskin.
Knock Knock: "Lionsgate Premiere will release Knock Knock in theaters and On Demand October 9, 2015. Directed by: Eli Roth.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, with Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse. A sexy new thriller from director Eli Roth and written by Eli Roth & Nicolás López & Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock...
Knock Knock: "Lionsgate Premiere will release Knock Knock in theaters and On Demand October 9, 2015. Directed by: Eli Roth.
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, with Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
When a devoted husband and father is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse. A sexy new thriller from director Eli Roth and written by Eli Roth & Nicolás López & Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock...
- 8/28/2015
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Ignacia Allamand, Aaron Burns, Colleen Camp | Written by Eli Roth, Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolás López | Directed by Eli Roth
There’s something very traditional about Eli Roth’s recent horror output, be it the score he utilises here in Knock Knock or the fact that his last few directorial efforts seem to spend half of their running time setting up the film before the true plot kicks in and everything goes to hell in a handcart.
That’s certainly the case here.
Knock Knock starts off pretty innocently enough: architect and family man Evan (Reeves) is left home alone – to work – whilst his wife and kids head off for a weekend away. His peace and quiet is disturbed by two strangers, nubile young girls (as is the wont of many a horror film cliche, looking for a party they should be at. Only they never reach the party.
There’s something very traditional about Eli Roth’s recent horror output, be it the score he utilises here in Knock Knock or the fact that his last few directorial efforts seem to spend half of their running time setting up the film before the true plot kicks in and everything goes to hell in a handcart.
That’s certainly the case here.
Knock Knock starts off pretty innocently enough: architect and family man Evan (Reeves) is left home alone – to work – whilst his wife and kids head off for a weekend away. His peace and quiet is disturbed by two strangers, nubile young girls (as is the wont of many a horror film cliche, looking for a party they should be at. Only they never reach the party.
- 7/1/2015
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The Green Inferno Movie Images Have Been Released. Eli Roth‘s The Green Inferno (2013) is closer than ever to actually being screened for audiences, as the official release of September 25th, 2015, is just around the corner. I’m extremely excited for this film, possibly overly joyous, but everything released so far has just maintained or raised my expectations. This will be so satisfying, I can taste it in my spit.
Bh Tilt, the production company behind this, has released a pair of new movie stills from the film, and as I mentioned earlier – my interest is still high, and nothing has changed.
The story revolves around idealistic young college graduates traveling to the amazon in order to ‘do good’, ‘protect the environment’, and ‘save the rainforest’. Of course, they’re welcomed a bit differently than they anticipated, and things go horribly, terrifyingly, deliciously wrong. It’s an homage to Cannibal Holocaust (1980) by Eli Roth,...
Bh Tilt, the production company behind this, has released a pair of new movie stills from the film, and as I mentioned earlier – my interest is still high, and nothing has changed.
The story revolves around idealistic young college graduates traveling to the amazon in order to ‘do good’, ‘protect the environment’, and ‘save the rainforest’. Of course, they’re welcomed a bit differently than they anticipated, and things go horribly, terrifyingly, deliciously wrong. It’s an homage to Cannibal Holocaust (1980) by Eli Roth,...
- 6/25/2015
- by Marco Margaritoff
- Film-Book
A one-night stand with two beautiful young women becomes absolute torture for Keanu Reeves in the trailer for Knock, Knock.
Director and co-writer Eli Roth's horror film casts Reeves as family man Evan Webber, who gives in to his passion when two beautiful girls come knocking on a rainy night.
A totally bodacious interview with Keanu Reeves
With his wife and children away, Evan becomes the victim of a devious trap by Karen (Ignacia Allamand) and Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) to test his fidelity to his family.
The two girls brutally torture Evan, destroy his beautiful home and threaten to end his life, all because he failed their test of loyalty.
Guillermo Amoedo (Aftershock) and Nicolás López (Santos) teamed up with Roth on the screenplay for Knock, Knock.
Knock, Knock opens on June 26 in the UK. A Us release date has not been set.
Director and co-writer Eli Roth's horror film casts Reeves as family man Evan Webber, who gives in to his passion when two beautiful girls come knocking on a rainy night.
A totally bodacious interview with Keanu Reeves
With his wife and children away, Evan becomes the victim of a devious trap by Karen (Ignacia Allamand) and Genesis (Lorenza Izzo) to test his fidelity to his family.
The two girls brutally torture Evan, destroy his beautiful home and threaten to end his life, all because he failed their test of loyalty.
Guillermo Amoedo (Aftershock) and Nicolás López (Santos) teamed up with Roth on the screenplay for Knock, Knock.
Knock, Knock opens on June 26 in the UK. A Us release date has not been set.
- 5/22/2015
- Digital Spy
Today we have a new trailer for the upcoming "Knock Knock" psychological thriller, starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp. Check it out below. Plot: Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's (Reeves) life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. The new movie is written and directed by Eli Roth (Hostel) and had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival back in January. It's set to hit UK theaters on June 26th. A Us release date has yet to be announced. Trailer:...
- 5/22/2015
- WorstPreviews.com
His first name may translate as "cool breeze over the mountains" but it's more a case of "shitstorm in the kitchen" for Keanu Reeves in exploitation homage Knock Knock. The Eli Roth home-invasion thriller has a new trailer to watch below.Knock Knock finds Reeves as a seemingly happily married man living with his wife (Ignacia Allamand) when two beautiful young women (Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas) show up. They seduce him and end up wrecking his perfect life. With knives and guns and whatever else comes to hand. Ouch.It's another chance to see Reeves doing genre work, with John Wick's success - and planned sequel - showing there's plenty of appetite for that. On this evidence, though, he's on the receiving end of the majority of the punishment, until the tables, presumably, get turned.Roth has billed this one as a "psychosexual thriller" in the spirit...
- 5/22/2015
- EmpireOnline
Evan Webber is home alone for the weekend until he hears a knock on his door that will change his life... and possibly end it. Starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, and Ana De Armas, Eli Roth's Knock Knock is teased in a new full-length trailer.
Directed by Eli Roth from a script he wrote with Nicolás López and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
"Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is living the dream. Just look at his beautiful, successful wife, his two wonderful kids, and his truly stunning house—which he designed himself. Of course he did. Things are going so well, Evan doesn't even mind spending Father's Day alone while the rest of his family heads out for a beach weekend. And then there’s a knock on the door.
The two young women (Lorenza Izzo...
Directed by Eli Roth from a script he wrote with Nicolás López and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
"Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is living the dream. Just look at his beautiful, successful wife, his two wonderful kids, and his truly stunning house—which he designed himself. Of course he did. Things are going so well, Evan doesn't even mind spending Father's Day alone while the rest of his family heads out for a beach weekend. And then there’s a knock on the door.
The two young women (Lorenza Izzo...
- 5/22/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Last fall, someone killed Keanu Reeves' dog in "John Wick," and the result was a lethal path of vengeance marked by a bullet-riddled pile of bodies. But for the actor's next genre outing, he won't have a special set of skills and a cache of weapons to rely on. He'll just have to hope to outsmart two sexy, dangerous girls in Eli Roth's "Knock Knock," and a brand new trailer is here. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, the movie co-stars Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand and Colleen Camp, and follows a successful man whose Father's Day romp with two women who aren't his wife, turns into a nightmare when it turns out they want much, much more. We didn't get a chance to check out the movie in Park City, but with some international dates coming up, hopefully U.S.
- 5/22/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Lionsgate has unveiled the first full trailer for Eli Roth‘s “Knock Knock,” which stars Keanu Reeves as a family man who is seduced and tortured by two psychotic women. Lorenza Izzo and Ana De Armas co-star alongside Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand and Colleen Camp. “Knock Knock” debuted at Sundance where it earned mixed reviews, though critics had high praise for Izzo and De Armas, who play the film’s sultry villains. Also Read: Keanu Reeves, 'John Wick' Filmmakers to Return for Sequel Roth wrote the script with his “Aftershock” collaborators Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo. Roth, Camp...
- 5/22/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
Exclusive: The Chilean genre specialist has announced the actors on board the low-budget survival thriller ahead of the May 15 start in the southern part of the country..
Valladares has brought on Natalie Burn (The Expendables 3, Nymph), Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy (The Green Inferno), Ignacia Allamand (Knock Knock), Luke Massy (Green Street Hooligans) and Matias Lopez (The Green Inferno).
Paris-based WTFilms company represents international sales on the project, as it did on the director’s English-language remake of his horror film Hidden In The Woods.
George Von Knorring of Chile’s Too Much Films produces Downhill, about a paralegal trapped on a mountain with a killer on a mission to murder a sick man.
Valladares (pictured) describes it as “Cliffhanger meets Paranormal Activity by way of David Cronenberg’s old movies.”...
Valladares has brought on Natalie Burn (The Expendables 3, Nymph), Bruce Draper, Ariel Levy (The Green Inferno), Ignacia Allamand (Knock Knock), Luke Massy (Green Street Hooligans) and Matias Lopez (The Green Inferno).
Paris-based WTFilms company represents international sales on the project, as it did on the director’s English-language remake of his horror film Hidden In The Woods.
George Von Knorring of Chile’s Too Much Films produces Downhill, about a paralegal trapped on a mountain with a killer on a mission to murder a sick man.
Valladares (pictured) describes it as “Cliffhanger meets Paranormal Activity by way of David Cronenberg’s old movies.”...
- 5/11/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
With writer/director David Robert Mitchell's Cannes-premiered "It Follows" bringing in over $16 million at the domestic box office on a slim $2 million budget, the theatrical market seems ripe for another arty horror movie hit to arise. So which of this year's festival favorites could follow (no pun intended) in "It Follows'" footsteps? With the close of the 3rd annual Stanley Film Festival on Sunday, below I've pegged six buzzed-about horror titles from this year's three major festivals so far (Sundance, SXSW and Stanley) that could become the next unlikely breakout in theaters. "The Witch" Director: Robert Eggers Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie Synopsis: New England, 1630: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life, homesteading on the edge of an impassible wilderness, with five children. When their newborn son mysteriously vanishes and their crops fail, the family begins to turn on one another. Screened at: Sundance...
- 5/5/2015
- by Chris Eggertsen
- Hitfix
Park City - Sundance saw the debut of not one but two films that both fit the broad definition of a "horror film," each with decidedly strong ideas about gender politics, but only one of the two seems to me to be genuinely worthwhile. Eli Roth has become defined largely by the excesses of his films, and I'm sure that's perfectly fine with him. Like many life-long gorehounds, when finally given a chance to make his own films, he happily ladled on buckets of blood. What I found interesting about Eli's films is how he seemed to be working one theme repeatedly, constantly exploring the fear that people have of the unknown in the world around them. "Cabin Fever," "Hostel," "Hostel II," and "The Green Inferno" all feature characters leaving their homes, the places where they are comfortable, and heading out to some corner of the world where they are...
- 2/9/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
On paper, a thriller with Keanu Reeves directed by Eli Roth sounds like a slam dunk. Lionsgate agreed and has ponied up $2.5 million to distribute Knock Knock in theaters. We now have the first teaser for the film which looks like it could be a nice sleep to follow in the footsteps of the recent Keanu Reeves surprise hit John Wick. Based on a script by Roth and Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo, the cast also includes Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand and Colleen...
- 1/27/2015
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Knock Knock Teaser Trailer. Eli Roth‘s Knock Knock (2015) teaser trailer stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, and Ignacia Allamand. Knock Knock‘s plot synopsis: “Keanu Reeves stars as Evan Webber, a happily married architect who appears to have everything a man could ever [...]
Continue reading: Knock Knock (2015) Teaser Trailer: Seduction turns Dark for Keanu Reeves...
Continue reading: Knock Knock (2015) Teaser Trailer: Seduction turns Dark for Keanu Reeves...
- 1/26/2015
- by Rollo Tomasi
- Film-Book
Today we have the first teaser trailer for the upcoming "Knock Knock" psychological thriller, starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp. Check it out below. Plot: Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's (Reeves) life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. The new movie is written and directed by Eli Roth (Hostel) and had its premiere on Friday night at the Sundance Film Festival. Trailer:...
- 1/25/2015
- WorstPreviews.com
Evan Webber is home alone on a dark and stormy night. His wife and two children are away for the weekend. He has the house to himself—until he hears a knock on his door. Two young women stand outside, seeking help… and secretly looking to raise some hell. Premiering last night as a Park City at Midnight Sundance Film Festival selection, Eli Roth’s Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves and is now teased in its first, brief trailer.
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolás López and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
Synopsis courtesy of Sundance Film Festival’s J.K.: “Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is living the dream. Just look at his beautiful, successful wife, his two wonderful kids, and his truly stunning house—which he designed himself. Of course he did.
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolás López and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
Synopsis courtesy of Sundance Film Festival’s J.K.: “Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is living the dream. Just look at his beautiful, successful wife, his two wonderful kids, and his truly stunning house—which he designed himself. Of course he did.
- 1/24/2015
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Why don’t we get you out of those wet clothes? Oh, because you’re insane? Got it
“Knock Knock.” Who’s there? Just two hot-but-crazy chicks coming to ruin your life forever, Keanu Reeves.
Writer/director Eli Roth released a Sundance Film Festival teaser trailer for his new movie via his Facebook page Friday night, which at the time of this writing had accumulated roughly 14,000 viewers.
The dark film hits its stride when two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s (Reeves) life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. It was set to make...
“Knock Knock.” Who’s there? Just two hot-but-crazy chicks coming to ruin your life forever, Keanu Reeves.
Writer/director Eli Roth released a Sundance Film Festival teaser trailer for his new movie via his Facebook page Friday night, which at the time of this writing had accumulated roughly 14,000 viewers.
The dark film hits its stride when two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s (Reeves) life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. It was set to make...
- 1/24/2015
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Is Keanu Reeves becoming the face of sharp, smart genre fare? Let's hope so. Last fall, he starred in the underrated popcorn-bag-full-of-fun, "John Wick," one of the most satisfying action movies of 2014. And now he's headed to Sundance, leading Eli Roth's midnight movie "Knock Knock," and the first teaser promises something playfully wicked. Costarring Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand and Colleen Camp, the film centers on a very successful man with a loving wife and family, whose life is turned upside down when he embarks on a dalliance with two beautiful women. Here's the official synopsis: Evan Webber (Keanu Reeves) is living the dream. Just look at his beautiful, successful wife, his two wonderful kids, and his truly stunning house—which he designed himself. Of course he did. Things are going so well, Evan doesn't even mind spending Father's Day alone while the rest of...
- 1/24/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Chicago – This Thursday marks the beginning of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, and yours truly will be in attendance to cover the fest for HollywoodChicago.com. Last year, the Park City, Utah event introduced the world to its 2014-defining sensations like “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”.
Those titles followed in the paths of indie landmarks such as “sex, lies and videotape,” “Clerks,” “Hoop Dreams,” “American Movie,” “Memento,” “Frozen River,” “Winter’s Bone,” and “Fruitvale Station,” among many others.
In pursuit of new favorite films for a new year, I’ve composed a relatively solid schedule so that I can devour as much diverse Sundance goodness as possible. Narratives, documentaries, white supremacists, nasty babies, Neil Hamburger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, stolen cop cars, and much, much more are all in play. But with hopes that everything I witness is the next “Boyhood”-like zeitgeist, I’ll be sure to report back here on what’s worth,...
Those titles followed in the paths of indie landmarks such as “sex, lies and videotape,” “Clerks,” “Hoop Dreams,” “American Movie,” “Memento,” “Frozen River,” “Winter’s Bone,” and “Fruitvale Station,” among many others.
In pursuit of new favorite films for a new year, I’ve composed a relatively solid schedule so that I can devour as much diverse Sundance goodness as possible. Narratives, documentaries, white supremacists, nasty babies, Neil Hamburger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, stolen cop cars, and much, much more are all in play. But with hopes that everything I witness is the next “Boyhood”-like zeitgeist, I’ll be sure to report back here on what’s worth,...
- 1/19/2015
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Today we have the first photos from the upcoming "Knock Knock" psychological thriller, starring Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp. Check everything out below. Plot: Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's (Reeves) life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. The new movie is written and directed by Eli Roth (Hostel) and is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month. Photos: (click to enlarge)...
- 12/12/2014
- WorstPreviews.com
Whenever I go to the Sundance Film Festival, the movies that I look forward to seeing most are the Park City At Midnight films. Those are the crazy fun genre movies that a lot of you would also enjoy watching. Sundance has announced the movie lineup for those film as well as the films in the Spotlight and New Frontier sections. It looks like there are a lot of cool movies that are going to be worth watching this year. Especially in the Park City At Midnight lineup. I'm really excited about going this year! Check out the Competition movie line-up here.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon,...
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon,...
- 12/6/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
John Nein was not always a Senior Programmer at the Sundance Film Festival — it’s only been eight years. When he began at Sundance in 2002 he was always watching movies of course. More than that, like John Cooper said, he just didn’t shut up when he was in the room; he was opinionated and spoke his opinions. He also always liked international cinema as he was born in Ireland and grew up in The Netherlands, Belgium and London where his father worked for international companies. When he was 12 he came to the U.S.
The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
Next <=>
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
tt3694760 autoPossibil...
The programmers at Sundance do not have a strict formal assignment of areas they program; they see all the films of all the sections, but like his father, international was always of great interest. The same is true for myself, although out of the 118 feature films selected out of 4,105 feature length submissions, many of the U.S. films look great to me as well. For instance, I am so happy that Matt Sobel’s “ Take Me To The River ” which won the prize at Us in Progress this past November in Wroclaw, Poland at The American Film Festival is in the Next section.
John: This year on Day One, January 22, 2015, the Festival will feature one of each type of film shown at the Festival: one shorts program, a U.S. documentary, a U.S. dramatic, an international documentary and an international dramatic which will be the first ever Lithuanian film in Competition, a lesbian love story that is stylish and smartly directed by Alanté Kavaïté with two fantastic actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė. Actually " The Summer of Sangaile” is a coproduction of Lithuania, France, and Holland . I think Alanté lives in France.
There ares 29 countries represented and 45 first-time filmmakers.
Sydney: I know the Chileans love Sundance. Last year Alejandro Fernández Almendras said in our interview about “To Kill a Man” that Sundance is very important for Chile. I am also a longtime fan of Sebastian Silva since “The Maid”. Two years ago he had two films, “Crystal Fairy” and “Magic, Magic” in Sundance, so why is this Chilean film not in World Competition but in Next?
John: I’m glad Alejandro said that. Yes we like Chile too. They make many good films. But “Nasty Baby” by Sebastian Silva is a U.S. film, about people living in Brooklyn.
He lives in U.S. and has spent a lot of time here. He knows Brooklyn and yet his curiosity and his view of it is that of an outsider. He knows these people because he watches and listens so well. “
Sydney: “Bridesmaids” star and co-writer Kristen Wiig stars. A short promo of “Nasty Baby” was shown to buyers while it was in post-production in Cannes and Toronto. The Chilean production company of Juan de Dios Larrain and Pablo Larrain, Fabula, produced “No” as well as Sebastian’s later films. Papi Boye and Violaine Pichon’s production and international sales agent Versatile out of France along with the film’s international sales agent Funny Balloons — also based in France – helped finance this U.S. Production.
John: World Cinema is now 10 years old. Overall, the Competition sections have evolved over the years. We have a sense of emerging directors here. We have come of age.
All our films are of emerging filmmakers. Either first time directors or highly anticipated second or third features. Of all the festivals worldwide, Sundance has the strongest program of emerging talent. Watch these filmmakers over the next years. Like “Homesick” by Anna Sewitsky. Her previous film “Happy, Happy” showed at Sundance in 2011 and took the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema. “Happy, Happy” also became the Norwegian Official entry for the Academy Awards® .
Sydney: TrustNordisk sold “Happy, Happy” to more than 50 countries, so they must be poised to sell this one as well.
John: But not all the second and third films are from filmmakers whose first films were at Sundance, although Canada’s “ Chorus” director Francois Delisle showed “The Meteor” at Sundance two years ago.
And “Glassland”, was a very anticipated second film. The first film by director and screenwriter, Gerard Barrett, "Pilgrim Hill” won the Galway Film Festival and was very sought after and was signed with a U.S. agent then. “Sangaile" is also a second feature.
Look at the international films in the Premieres section and you will see some international filmmakers there, like “ Brooklyn” which is an immigrant story directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Hornby whose film “Wild” is now playing .
Sydney: I see from IMDbPro that Hanway has already sold Middle Eastern rights to Front Row Entertainment who must have pre-bought “Brooklyn” in Cannes or Toronto.
John: Of the 12 films in World Cinema the less expected films come from Turkey, “Ivy” by the talented director Tolga Karacelik. This is his second film. His first was “Toll Booth” which Global Initiative distributed in the U.S. The Dp on this was Nuri Bilge Ceylan (“Winter’s Sleep”)’s Dp on “Winter’s Sleep”, Gökhan Tiryaki. It is about guys stuck on a freighter whose company goes bankrupt. Power dynamics play out.
Sydney: Have there been Oscar nominated films in Sundance (Aside from “Whiplash” and “Boyhood”)?
John: Yes, “Man on Wire” was not last year but it was foreign. “Ida” was in Spotlight last year and maybe Sundance increased its visibility. Three others were in Sundance last year:
“To Kill a Man” is Chile’s submission, “Difret” which won the Audience Award is Ethiopia’s submission this year and “Liar’s Dice” from India was in World Competition last year. It is a very artful film. We knew it would do well with the critics, but it did extremely well with the audience too. A couple of films in Spotlight will probably be nominated next year. Watch for them.
Sydney : We haven’t even discussed the World documentaries.
John : Are there any that stand out for you?
Sydney: Yes, “Chuck Norris vs. Communism”, from U.K., Romania and Germany. Chuck Norris?
John: How interesting it is that something like Chuck Norris means something very different to others. It is a sign of cultural differences between us. Chuck Norris shows how independent films built a community of counter culture against an authoritarian government.
Sydney: I also notice that there are six docs from the U.K. Out of 12 films.
John: Yes we noticed and discussed that. U.K. really supports documentary filmmaking. Great work is coming out of the U.K. And many of the films are about different countries, so it doesn’t fit so simply into a U.K. pigeon hole.
Sydney : Yes I see “Chuck Norris” is about Romania, “Dreamcatcher” is about teenage prostitution, “How to Change the World” is about Greenpeace, “Listen to Me Marlon” is about a famous U.S. actor, “The Russian Woodpecker” is about a Ukrainian survivor of Chernobyl.
Thank you John for your insights. I think we have a lot to look at here. Thank you for taking this time to talk with me. See you at Sundance!
For a full list thus far of Sundance films, see below.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Advantageous / U.S.A. (Director: Jennifer Phang, Screenwriters: Jacqueline Kim, Jennifer Phang) — In a near-future city where soaring opulence overshadows economic hardship, Gwen and her daughter, Jules, do all they can to hold on to their joy, despite the instability surfacing in their world. Cast: Jacqueline Kim, James Urbaniak, Freya Adams, Ken Jeong, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Kim.
The Bronze / U.S.A. (Director: Bryan Buckley, Screenwriters: Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch) — In 2004, Hope Ann Greggory became an American hero after winning the bronze medal for the women's gymnastics team. Today, she's still living in her small hometown, washed-up and embittered. Stuck in the past, Hope must reassess her life when a promising young gymnast threatens her local celebrity status.Cast: Melissa Rauch, Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Haley Lu Richardson, Cecily Strong. Day One Film
The D Train / U.S.A. (Directors and screenwriters: Jarrad Paul, Andrew Mogel) — With his 20th reunion looming, Dan can’t shake his high school insecurities. In a misguided mission to prove he's changed, Dan rekindles a friendship with the popular guy from his class and is left scrambling to protect more than just his reputation when a wild night takes an unexpected turn. Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer.
The Diary of a Teenage Girl / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Marielle Heller) — Minnie Goetze is a 15-year-old aspiring comic-book artist, coming of age in the haze of the 1970s in San Francisco. Insatiably curious about the world around her, Minnie is a pretty typical teenage girl. Oh, except that she's sleeping with her mother's boyfriend. Cast: Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgård, Christopher Meloni, Kristen Wiig.
Dope / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Rick Famuyiwa) — Malcolm is carefully surviving life in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles while juggling college applications, academic interviews, and the Sat. A chance invitation to an underground party leads him into an adventure that could allow him to go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself. Cast: Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, Kiersey Clemons, Blake Anderson, Zoë Kravitz, A$AP Rocky.
I Smile Back / U.S.A. (Director: Adam Salky, Screenwriters: Amy Koppelman, Paige Dylan) — All is not right in suburbia. Laney Brooks, a wife and mother on the edge, has stopped taking her meds, substituting recreational drugs and the wrong men. With the destruction of her family looming, Laney makes a last, desperate attempt at redemption. Cast: Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski, Mia Barron, Terry Kinney, Chris Sarandon.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl / U.S.A. (Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Screenwriter: Jesse Andrews) — Greg is coasting through senior year of high school as anonymously as possible, avoiding social interactions like the plague while secretly making spirited, bizarre films with Earl, his only friend. But both his anonymity and friendship threaten to unravel when his mother forces him to befriend a classmate with leukemia. Cast: Thomas Mann, Rj Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon.
The Overnight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Patrick Brice) — Alex, Emily, and their son, Rj, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on. Cast: Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman, Judith Godrèche.
People, Places, Things / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: James C. Strouse) — Will Henry is a newly single graphic novelist balancing being a parent to his young twin daughters and teaching a classroom full of college students, all the while trying to navigate the rich complexities of new love and letting go of the woman who left him. Cast: Jemaine Clement, Regina Hall, Stephanie Allynne, Jessica Williams, Gia Gadsby, Aundrea Gadsby.
Results / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Andrew Bujalski) — Two mismatched personal trainers' lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Cast: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Anthony Michael Hall, Brooklyn Decker.
Songs My Brothers Taught Me / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Chloé Zhao) — This complex portrait of modern-day life on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation explores the bond between a brother and his younger sister, who find themselves on separate paths to rediscovering the meaning of home. Cast: John Reddy, Jashaun St. John, Irene Bedard, Taysha Fuller, Travis Lone Hill, Eléonore Hendricks.
The Stanford Prison Experiment / U.S.A. (Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez, Screenwriter: Tim Talbott) — This film is based on the actual events that took place in 1971 when Stanford professor Dr. Philip Zimbardo created what became one of the most shocking and famous social experiments of all time. Cast: Billy Crudup, Ezra Miller, Michael Angarano, Tye Sheridan, Johnny Simmons, Olivia Thirlby.
Stockholm, Pennsylvania / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith) — A young woman is returned home to her biological parents after living with her abductor for 17 years. Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Nixon, Jason Isaacs, David Warshofsky.
Unexpected / U.S.A. (Director: Kris Swanberg, Screenwriters: Kris Swanberg, Megan Mercier) — When Samantha Abbott begins her final semester teaching science at a Chicago high school, she faces some unexpected news: she's pregnant. Soon after, Samantha learns that one of her favorite students, Jasmine, has landed in a similar situation. Unexpected follows the two women as they embark on an unlikely friendship. Cast: Cobie Smulders, Anders Holm, Gail Bean, Elizabeth McGovern.
The Witch / U.S.A., Canada (Director and screenwriter: Robert Eggers) — New England in the 1630s: William and Katherine lead a devout Christian life with five children, homesteading on the edge of an impassable wilderness. When their newborn son vanishes and crops fail, the family turns on one another. Beyond their worst fears, a supernatural evil lurks in the nearby wood. Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Harvey Scrimshaw, Lucas Dawson, Ellie Grainger.
Z for Zachariah / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Zobel, Screenwriter: Nissar Modi) — In a post-apocalyptic world, a young woman who believes she is the last human on Earth meets a dying scientist searching for survivors. Their relationship becomes tenuous when another survivor appears. As the two men compete for the woman's affection, their primal urges begin to reveal their true nature. Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Margot Robbie, Chris Pine.
U.S. Documentary Competition
Sixteen world-premiere American documentaries that illuminate the ideas, people, and events that shape the present day.
3½ Minutes / U.S.A. (Director: Marc Silver) — On November 23, 2012, unarmed 17-year-old Jordan Russell Davis was shot at a Jacksonville gas station by Michael David Dunn. 3½ Minutes explores the aftermath of Jordan's tragic death, the latent and often unseen effects of racism, and the contradictions of the American criminal justice system.
Being Evel / U.S.A. (Director: Daniel Junge) — An unprecedented, candid portrait of American icon Robert "Evel" Knievel and his legacy.
Best of Enemies / U.S.A. (Directors: Morgan Neville, Robert Gordon) — Best of Enemies is a behind-the-scenes account of the explosive 1968 televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and their rancorous disagreements about politics, God, and sex.
Call Me Lucky / U.S.A. (Director: Bobcat Goldthwait) — Barry Crimmins was a volatile but brilliant bar comic who became an honored peace activist and influential political satirist. Famous comedians and others build a picture of a man who underwent an incredible transformation.
Cartel Land / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Matthew Heineman) — In this classic Western set in the 21st century, vigilantes on both sides of the border fight the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether citizens should fight violence with violence.
City of Gold / U.S.A. (Director: Laura Gabbert) — Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jonathan Gold casts his light upon a vibrant and growing cultural movement in which he plays the dual roles of high-low priest and culinary geographer of his beloved Los Angeles.
Finders Keepers / U.S.A. (Directors: Bryan Carberry, Clay Tweel) — Recovering addict and amputee John Wood finds himself in a stranger-than-fiction battle to reclaim his mummified leg from Southern entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant, who found it in a grill he bought at an auction and believes it to therefore be his rightful property.
Hot Girls Wanted / U.S.A. (Directors: Jill Bauer, Ronna Gradus) — Hot Girls Wanted is a first-ever look at the realities inside the world of the amateur porn industry and the steady stream of 18- and 19-year-old girls entering into it.
How to Dance in Ohio / U.S.A. (Director: Alexandra Shiva) — In Columbus, Ohio, a group of teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum prepare for an iconic American rite of passage — a spring formal. They spend 12 weeks practicing their social skills at a local nightclub in preparation for the dance.
Larry Kramer in Love and Anger / U.S.A. (Director: Jean Carlomusto) — Author, activist, and playwright Larry Kramer is one of the most important and controversial figures in contemporary gay America, a political firebrand who gave voice to the outrage and grief that inspired gay men and lesbians to fight for their lives. At 78, this complicated man still commands our attention.
Meru / U.S.A. (Directors: Jimmy Chin, E. Chai Vasarhelyi) — Three elite mountain climbers sacrifice everything but their friendship as they struggle through heartbreaking loss and nature’s harshest elements to attempt the never-before-completed Shark’s Fin on Mount Meru, the most coveted first ascent in the dangerous game of Himalayan big wall climbing.
Racing Extinction / U.S.A. (Director: Louie Psihoyos) — Academy Award-winner Louie Psihoyos (The Cove) assembles a unique team to show the world never-before-seen images that expose issues surrounding endangered species and mass extinction. Whether infiltrating notorious black markets or exploring humans' effect on the environment, Racing Extinction will change the way you see the world.
(T)Error / U.S.A. (Directors: Lyric R. Cabral, David Felix Sutcliffe) — (T)Error is the first film to document on camera a covert counterterrorism sting as it unfolds. Through the perspective of *******, a 63-year-old Black revolutionary turned FBI informant, viewers are given an unprecedented glimpse of the government’s counterterrorism tactics, and the murky justifications behind them.
Welcome to Leith / U.S.A. (Directors: Michael Beach Nichols, Christopher K. Walker) — A white supremacist attempts to take over a small town in North Dakota.
Western / U.S.A., Mexico (Directors: Bill Ross, Turner Ross) — For generations, all that distinguished Eagle Pass, Texas, from Piedras Negras, Mexico, was the Rio Grande. But when darkness descends upon these harmonious border towns, a cowboy and lawman face a new reality that threatens their way of life. Western portrays timeless American figures in the grip of unforgiving change.
The Wolfpack / U.S.A. (Director: Crystal Moselle) — Six bright teenage brothers have spent their entire lives locked away from society in a Manhattan housing project. All they know of the outside is gleaned from the movies they watch obsessively (and recreate meticulously). Yet as adolescence looms, they dream of escape, ever more urgently, into the beckoning world.
World Cinema Dramatic Competition
Twelve films from emerging filmmaking talents around the world offer fresh perspectives and inventive styles.
Chlorine / Italy (Director: Lamberto Sanfelice, Screenwriters: Lamberto Sanfelice, Elisa Amoruso) — Jenny, 17, dreams of becoming a synchronized swimmer. Family events turn her life upside down and she is forced move to a remote area to look after her ill father and younger brother. It won't be long before Jenny starts pursuing her dreams again. Cast: Sara Serraiocco, Ivan Franek, Giorgio Colangeli, Anatol Sassi, Piera Degli Esposti, Andrea Vergoni. World Premiere
Chorus / Canada (Director and screenwriter: François Delisle) — A separated couple meet again after 10 years when the body of their missing son is found. Amid the guilt of losing a loved one, they hesitantly move toward affirmation of life, acceptance of death, and even the possibility of reconciliation. Cast: Sébastien Ricard, Fanny Mallette, Pierre Curzi, Genevieve Bujold. World Premiere
Glassland / Ireland (Director and screenwriter: Gerard Barrett) — In a desperate attempt to reunite his broken family, a young taxi driver becomes entangled in the criminal underworld. Cast: Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley. International Premiere
Homesick / Norway (Director: Anne Sewitsky, Screenwriters: Ragnhild Tronvoll, Anne Sewitsky) — When Charlotte, 27, meets her brother Henrik, 35, for the first time, two people who don't know what a normal family is begin an encounter without boundaries. How does sibling love manifest itself if you have never experienced it before?Cast: Ine Marie Wilmann, Simon J. Berger, Anneke von der Lippe, Silje Storstein, Oddgeir Thune, Kari Onstad. World Premiere. Isa: TrustNordisk
Ivy / Turkey (Director and screenwriter: Tolga Karaçelik) — Sarmasik is sailing to Egypt when the ship's owner goes bankrupt. The crew learns there is a lien on the ship, and key crew members must stay on board. Ivy is the story of these six men trapped on the ship for days. Cast: Nadir Sarıbacak, Özgür Emre Yıldırım, Hakan Karsak, Kadir Çermik, Osman Alkaş, Seyithan Özdemiroğlu. World Premiere
Partisan / Australia (Director: Ariel Kleiman, Screenwriters: Ariel Kleiman, Sarah Cyngler) — Alexander is like any other kid: playful, curious and naive. He is also a trained assassin. Raised in a hidden paradise, Alexander has grown up seeing the world filtered through his father, Gregori. As Alexander begins to think for himself, creeping fears take shape, and Gregori's idyllic world unravels. Cast: Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara. World Premiere
Princess / Israel (Director and screenwriter: Tali Shalom Ezer) — While her mother is away from home, 12-year-old Adar’s role-playing games with her stepfather move into dangerous territory. Seeking an escape, Adar finds Alan, an ethereal boy that accompanies her on a dark journey between reality and fantasy. Cast: Keren Mor, Shira Haas, Ori Pfeffer, Adar Zohar Hanetz. International Premiere
The Second Mother / Brazil (Director and screenwriter: Anna Muylaert) — Having left her daughter, Jessica, to be raised by relatives in the north of Brazil, Val works as a loving nanny in São Paulo. When Jessica arrives for a visit 13 years later, she confronts her mother's slave-like attitude and everyone in the house is affected by her unexpected behavior. Cast: Regina Casé, Michel Joelsas, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli. World Premiere
Slow West / New Zealand (Director: John Maclean, Screenwriters: John Maclean, Michael Lesslie) — Set at the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann, Ben Mendelsohn, Brooke Williams, Caren Pistorius. World Premiere
Strangerland / Australia, Ireland (Director: Kim Farrant, Screenwriters: Fiona Seres, Michael Kinirons) — When Catherine and Matthew Parker's two teenage kids disappear into the remote Australian desert, the couple's relationship is pushed to the brink as they confront the mystery of their children's fate. Cast: Nicole Kidman, Joseph Fiennes, Hugo Weaving, Lisa Flanagan, Meyne Wyatt, Maddison Brown. World Premiere
The Summer of Sangaile / Lithuania, France, Holland (Director and screenwriter: Alanté Kavaïté) — Seventeen-year-old Sangaile is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age at the summer aeronautical show, nearby her parents’ lakeside villa. Sangaile allows Auste to discover her most intimate secret and in the process finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly. Cast: Julija Steponaitytė, Aistė Diržiūtė. World Premiere. Isa: Films Distribution.
Umrika / India (Director and screenwriter: Prashant Nair) — When a young village boy discovers that his brother, long believed to be in America, has actually gone missing, he begins to invent letters on his behalf to save their mother from heartbreak, all the while searching for him. Cast: Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Smita Tambe, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang, Prateik Babbar. World Premiere
World Cinema Documentary Competition
Twelve documentaries by some of the most courageous and extraordinary international filmmakers working today.
The Amina Profile / Canada (Director: Sophie Deraspe) — During the Arab revolution, a love story between two women — a Canadian and a Syrian American — turns into an international sociopolitical thriller spotlighting media excesses and the thin line between truth and falsehood on the Internet. World Premiere
Censored Voices / Israel, Germany (Director: Mor Loushy) — One week after the 1967 Six-Day War, renowned author Amos Oz and editor Avraham Shapira recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing only a fragment of the conversations to be published. Censored Voices reveals these recordings for the first time. World Premiere
The Chinese Mayor / China (Director: Hao Zhou) — Mayor Geng Yanbo is determined to transform the coal-mining center of Datong, in China’s Shanxi province, into a tourism haven showcasing clean energy. In order to achieve that, however, he has to relocate 500,000 residences to make way for the restoration of the ancient city. World Premiere
Chuck Norris vs Communism / United Kingdom, Romania, Germany (Director: Ilinca Calugareanu) — In 1980s Romania, thousands of Western films smashed through the Iron Curtain, opening a window to the free world for those who dared to look. A black market VHS racketeer and courageous female translator brought the magic of film to the masses and sowed the seeds of a revolution. World Premiere. Producers Rep: UTA
Dark Horse / United Kingdom (Director: Louise Osmond) — Dark Horse is the inspirational true story of a group of friends from a workingman's club who decide to take on the elite "sport of kings" and breed themselves a racehorse. World Premiere
Dreamcatcher / United Kingdom (Director: Kim Longinotto) — Dreamcatcher takes us into a hidden world seen through the eyes of one of its survivors, Brenda Myers-Powell. A former teenage prostitute, Brenda defied the odds to become a powerful advocate for change in her community. With warmth and humor, Brenda gives hope to those who have none. World Premiere
How to Change the World / United Kingdom, Canada (Director: Jerry Rothwell) — In 1971, a group of friends sails into a nuclear test zone, and their protest captures the world’s imagination. Using rare, archival footage that brings their extraordinary world to life, How to Change the World is the story of the pioneers who founded Greenpeace and defined the modern green movement. World Premiere. Day One Film
Listen to Me Marlon / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stevan Riley, Co-writer: Peter Ettedgui) — With exclusive access to previously unheard audio archives, this is the definitive Marlon Brando cinema documentary. Charting his exceptional career and extraordinary life away from the stage and screen, the film fully explores the complexities of the man by telling the story uniquely in Marlon’s own voice. World Premiere
Pervert Park / Sweden, Denmark (Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors) — Pervert Park follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed. International Premiere
The Russian Woodpecker / United Kingdom (Director: Chad Gracia) — A Ukrainian victim of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster discovers a dark secret and must decide whether to risk his life by revealing it, amid growing clouds of revolution and war. World Premiere
Sembene! / U.S.A., Senegal (Directors: Samba Gadjigo, Jason Silverman) — In 1952, Ousmane Sembene, a Senegalese dockworker and fifth-grade dropout, began dreaming an impossible dream: to become the storyteller for a new Africa. This true story celebrates how the “father of African cinema,” against enormous odds, fought a monumental, 50-year-long battle to give Africans a voice. World Premiere
The Visit / Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Finland, Norway (Director: Michael Madsen) — “This film documents an event that has never taken place…” With unprecedented access to the United Nations' Office for Outer Space Affairs, leading space scientists and space agencies, The Visit explores humans' first encounter with alien intelligent life and thereby humanity itself. "Our scenario begins with the arrival. Your arrival." World Premiere
Next <=>
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Digital technology paired with unfettered creativity promises that the films in this section will shape a “greater” next wave in American cinema. Presented by Adobe.
Bob and the Trees / U.S.A., France (Director: Diego Ongaro, Screenwriters: Diego Ongaro, Courtney Maum, Sasha Statman-Weil) — Bob, a 50-year-old logger in rural Massachusetts with a soft spot for golf and gangsta rap, is struggling to make ends meet in a changed economy. When his beloved cow is wounded and a job goes awry, Bob begins to heed the instincts of his ever-darkening self. Cast: Bob Tarasuk, Matt Gallagher, Polly MacIntyre, Winthrop Barrett, Nathaniel Gregory. World Premiere
Christmas, Again / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Charles Poekel) — A heartbroken Christmas tree salesman returns to New York, hoping to put the past year behind him. He spends the season living in a trailer and working the night shift, until a mysterious woman and some colorful customers rescue him from self-destruction. Cast: Kentucker Audley, Hannah Gross, Jason Shelton, Oona Roche. North American Premiere
Cronies / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Larnell) — Twenty-two-year-old Louis doesn’t know whether his childhood friendship with Jack will last beyond today. Cast: George Sample III, Zurich Buckner, Brian Kowalski. World Premiere
Entertainment / U.S.A. (Director: Rick Alverson, Screenwriters: Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker) — En route to meeting with his estranged daughter, in an attempt to revive his dwindling career, a broken, aging comedian plays a string of dead-end shows in the Mojave Desert. Cast: Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sheridan, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek. World Premiere
H. / U.S.A., Argentina (Directors and screenwriters: Rania Attieh, Daniel Garcia) — Two women, each named Helen, find their lives spinning out of control after a meteor allegedly explodes over their city of Troy, New York. Cast: Robin Bartlett, Rebecca Dayan, Will Janowitz, Julian Gamble, Roger Robinson. World Premiere
James White / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Josh Mond) — A young New Yorker struggles to take control of his reckless, self-destructive behavior in the face of momentous family challenges. Cast: Chris Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi, Makenzie Leigh, David Call. World Premiere
Nasty Baby / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sebastian Silva) — A gay couple try to have a baby with the help of their best friend, Polly. The trio navigates the idea of creating life while confronted by unexpected harassment from a neighborhood man called The Bishop. As their clashes grow increasingly aggressive, odds are someone is getting hurt. Cast: Sebastian Silva, Tunde Adebimpe, Kristin Wiig, Reg E. Cathey, Mark Margolis, Denis O'Hare. World Premiere
The Strongest Man / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kenny Riches) — An anxiety-ridden Cuban man who fancies himself the strongest man in the world attempts to recover his most prized possession, a stolen bicycle. On his quest, he finds and loses much more. Cast: Robert Lorie, Paul Chamberlain, Ashly Burch, Patrick Fugit, Lisa Banes. World Premiere
" Take Me To The River " / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matt Sobel) — A naive California teen plans to remain above the fray at his Nebraskan family reunion, but a strange encounter places him at the center of a long-buried family secret.Cast: Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker, Azura Skye. World Premiere. Producer rep: Cinetic Media
Tangerine / U.S.A. (Director: Sean Baker, Screenwriters: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch) — A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanyan, James Ransone. World Premiere
Spotlight
Regardless of where these films have played throughout the world, the Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love.
6 Desires: Dh Lawrence and Sardinia / United Kingdom, Italy (Director: Mark Cousins) — In winter 1921, Dh Lawrence and his wife journeyed to Sardinia, and he chronicled their experiences in Sea and Sardinia. Now, Mark Cousins retraces Lawrence’s footsteps. The film is conceived partly as a letter to Lawrence — or “Bert” — a detail that’s typical of the film’s inviting sense of conversational intimacy.International Premiere
'71 / United Kingdom (Director: Yann Demange, Screenwriter: Gregory Burke) — ‘71 takes place over a single night in the life of a young British soldier accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. Unable to tell friend from foe, he must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. Cast: Jack O'Connell, Paul Anderson, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, Martin McCann.
99 Homes / U.S.A. (Director: Ramin Bahrani, Screenwriters: Ramin Bahrani, Amir Naderi, Bahareh Azimi) — A father struggles to get back the home that his family was evicted from by working for the greedy real-estate broker who's the source of his frustration. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon, Laura Dern, Tim Guinee, Cullen Moss, J.D. Evermore.
Aloft / Spain, France, Canada (Director and screenwriter: Claudia Llosa) — Aloft tells the story of a struggling mother, Nana, and her evolution to becoming a renowned healer. When a young artist tracks down Nana's son 20 years after she abandoned him, she sets in motion an encounter between the two that will bring the meaning of their lives into question. Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Cillian Murphy, Mélanie Laurent, William Shimell. North American Premiere
Eden / France (Director: Mia Hansen-løve, Screenwriters: Mia Hansen-løve, Sven Hansen-løve) — Mia Hansen-løve's electronic-dance-music epic follows the rise and fall of a DJ (based on her brother, Sven, a contemporary of Daft Punk) who gets into the rave scene in 1994 and spends the next 20 years navigating the French club scene. Cast: Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Greta Gerwig, Brady Corbet, Arsinee Khanjian, Vincent Macaigne.
Girlhood / France (Director and screenwriter: Céline Sciamma) — Oppressed by her family, dead-end school prospects, and the boys law in the neighborhood, Marieme starts a new life after meeting a group of free-spirited girls. She changes her name and dress, and quits school to be accepted in the gang, hoping to find a way to freedom. Cast: Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Simina Soumaré.
The Tribe / Ukraine (Director and screenwriter: Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy) — Set at a Ukrainian boarding school for the deaf, the film’s narrative unfolds purely through sign language without the need for employing subtitles or voiceover, resulting in a unique, never-before-seen cinematic experience that engages the audience on a new level. Cast: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich.
White God / Hungary (Director: Kornél Mundruczó, Screenwriters: Kata Wéber, Kornél Mundruczó, Viktória Petrányi) — When young Lili is forced to give up her beloved dog, Hagen, because its mixed-breed heritage is deemed “unfit” by The State, she and the dog begin a dangerous journey back toward each other. Cast: Zsófia Psotta, Sandor Zsótér, Szabolcs Thuróczy, Lili Monori, László Gálffi, Lili Horváth. U.S. Premiere
Wild Tales / Argentina, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Damián Szifrón) — Inequality, injustice, and the demands of the world cause stress and depression for many people. Some of them, however, explode. This is a movie about those people. Vulnerable in the face of an unpredictable reality, the characters of Wild Tales cross the thin line dividing civilization and barbarism. Cast: Ricardo Darín, Julieta Zyberberg, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti, Erica Rivas, Oscar Martínez.
Park City At Midnight
From horror flicks to comedies to works that defy any genre, these unruly films will keep you edge-seated and wide awake.
Cop Car / U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) — Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim. World Premiere
The Hallow / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) — When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground, he unwittingly disturbs a horde of terrifying beings and must fight to protect his family. Cast: Joseph Mawle, Bojana Novakovic, Michael McElhatton, Michael Smiley. World Premiere
Hellions / Canada (Director: Bruce McDonald, Screenwriter: Pascal Trottier) — Teenage Dora Vogel must survive a Halloween night from hell when malevolent trick-or-treaters come knocking at her door. Cast: Chloe Rose, Robert Patrick, Rossif Sutherland, Rachel Wilson, Peter DaCunha, Luke Bilyk. World Premiere
It Follows / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Robert Mitchell) — After a strange sexual encounter, a teenager finds herself haunted by nightmarish visions and the inescapable sense that something is after her. Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, Olivia Luccardi, Lili Sepe.
Knock Knock / U.S.A. (Director: Eli Roth, Screenwriters: Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez, Guillermo Amoedo) — Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, Colleen Camp. World Premiere
The Nightmare / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher) — A documentary-horror film exploring the phenomenon of sleep paralysis through the eyes of eight people. They (and a surprisingly large number of others) often find themselves trapped between the sleeping and awake realms, unable to move but aware of their surroundings while subject to disturbing sights and sounds. World Premiere
Reversal / U.S.A. (Director: J.M Cravioto, Screenwriters: Rock Shaink, Keith Kjornes) — A gritty psychological thriller about a young woman chained in a basement of a sexual predator and manages to escape. However, right when she has a chance for freedom, she unravels a hard truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor. Cast: Tina Ivlev, Richard Tyson, Bianca Malinowski. World Premiere
Turbo Kid / Canada, New Zealand (Directors: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell, Screenwriters: Anouk Whissell, Francois Simard, Yoann-Karl Whissell) — In a post-apocalyptic future, The Kid, an orphaned outcast, meets a mysterious girl. They become friends until Zeus, the sadistic leader of the Wasteland, kidnaps her. The Kid must face his fears, and journey to rid the Wasteland of evil and save the girl. Cast: Munro Chambers, Laurence Leboeuf, Michael Ironside, Aaron Jeffery, Edwin Wright. World Premiere
New Frontier Films
The Forbidden Room / Canada (Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Screenwriters: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Robert Kotyk) — A submarine crew, a feared pack of forest bandits, a famous surgeon, and a battalion of child soldiers all get more than they bargained for as they wend their way toward progressive ideas on life and love. Cast: Geraldine Chaplin, Caroline Dhavernas, Roy Dupuis, Udo Kier, Charlotte Rampling, Karine Vanasse. World Premiere
Liveforever / Colombia, Mexico (Director: Carlos Moreno, Screenwriters: Alberto Ferreras, Alonso Torres, Carlos Moreno) — Driven by the music and dancing she finds along the way, a teenager leaves home willing to try anything her provocative and tolerant city has to offer, even if she burns out in the process. Inspired by the best-selling novel "Que viva la música" by Andres Caicedo. Cast: Paulina Davila, Alejandra Avila, Luis Arrieta, Juan Pablo Barragan, Nelson Camayo, Christian Tappan. World Premiere
The Royal Road / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jenni Olson) — This cinematic essay, a defense of remembering, offers up a primer on the Spanish colonization of California and the Mexican American War alongside intimate reflections on nostalgia, butch identity and Alfred Hitchcock'sVertigo — all against a contemplative backdrop of 16mm urban California landscapes. Cast: Jenni Olson, Tony Kushner. World Premiere
Sam Klemke's Time Machine / Australia (Director: Matthew Bate) — Sam Klemke has filmed and narrated 50 years of his life, creating a strange and intimate portrait of what it means to be human. World Premiere
Station to Station / U.S.A. (Director: Doug Aitken) — Station to Station is composed of 60 individual one-minute films featuring different artists, musicians, places, and perspectives. This revolutionary feature-length film reveals a larger narrative about modern creativity. World Premiere
Things of the Aimless Wanderer / Rwanda, United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Kivu Ruhorahoza) — A white man meets a black girl, then she disappears. The white man tries to understand what happened to her while also trying to finish a travelogue. Things of the Aimless Wanderer is a film about the sensitive topic of relations between “locals” and Westerners, about paranoia, mistrust, and misunderstandings. Cast: Justin Mullikin, Grace Nikuze, Ramadhan Bizimana, Eliane Umuhire, Wesley Ruzibiza, Matt Ray Brown. World Premiere
New Frontier Installations
1979 Revolution Game
Artists: Navid Khonsari, Vassiliki Khonsari
1979 Revolution Game presents an innovative approach to non-fiction storytelling. Designed to engage players with an immersive "on the ground" experience of the Iranian Revolution, the game integrates an emotionally impactful narrative with interactive moral choices and intuitive touchscreen gameplay while remaining true to history.
Assent
Artist: Oscar Raby
This immersive documentary uses virtual reality technology to put the user in the footsteps of Director Oscar Raby's father, who in 1973 was a 22-year-old army officer stationed in the north of Chile, on the day when the Caravan of Death came to his regiment.
Birdly
Artist: Max Rheiner
Flying is one of the oldest dreams of humankind. Birdly is an experiment to capture this dream, to simulate the experience of being a bird from a first-person perspective. This embodiment is conducted through a full-body virtual reality setup.
Dérive
Artist: François Quévillon
This interactive installation uses the audience’s body motions and positions to explore 3-D reconstructions of urban and natural spaces that are transformed according to live environmental data, including meteorological and astronomical phenomena.
Evolution of Verse
Artist: Chris Milk
Chris Milk, working with visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain and virtual reality production company Vrse.works, has created this photo-realistic CGI-rendered 3-D virtual reality film that takes the viewer on a journey from beginning to new beginning.
Kaiju Fury!
Artist: Ian Hunter
A dark energy experiment leads to a devastating attack by monstrous Kaiju, and you are standing at ground zero — all in 360-degree, stereoscopic 3-D cinematic virtual reality. You will "be there" as the beasts lay waste to a crumbling city and humanity makes its last stand. Cast: Susie Abromeit, Bill Lippincott, Daniel Martin, Brian Dodge, Vincient Chiantelli.
Paradise
Artist: Pleix
Paradise is certainly not paradisiacal if you look at it through our eyes. But neither is it totally devoid of humor, melancholy and absurdity. Perhaps it is first and foremost life as it is, and then a touch exaggerated in the digital overdrive.
Perspective; Chapter I: The Party
Artists: Rose Troche, Morris May
A young college woman attends a party with the intention of shedding her "shy girl" persona. At the same party, a young man is after a similar reinvention. They meet, drink, and misinterpreted signals turn into things that cannot be undone. Virtual reality simulators let viewers experience both characters. Cast: Tabitha Morella, Caleb Thomas, Zachary Zagoria, Anna Grace Barlow.
Possibilia
Artists: Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
tt3694760 autoPossibil...
- 12/6/2014
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
Fans of writer/director Eli Roth have two very different films to look forward to: The Green Inferno, an homage to Italian cannibal movies, and Knock Knock, a home intrusion psychological thriller. While the theatrical release of the former is delayed, the latter, which stars Keanu Reeves, will make its world premiere as part of Sundance’s Park City at Midnight lineup, and the first batch of photos from the film have been unveiled.
“Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare.”
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
In addition to Knock Knock, the Park City at Midnight selections also include Hellions, It Follows, The Hallow, and more. The Sundance Film Festival...
“Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man’s life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare.”
Directed by Eli Roth off a script he wrote with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo, Knock Knock stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp.
In addition to Knock Knock, the Park City at Midnight selections also include Hellions, It Follows, The Hallow, and more. The Sundance Film Festival...
- 12/5/2014
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
99 Homes
Following yesterday’s announcement of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival’s In-Competition films, the festival has released its lineup of Spotlight, Park City At Midnight and New Frontier Films.
Among the lineup is 99 Homes, Ramin Bahrani’s Middle-America drama on foreclosures starring Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield. The film premiered at Toronto and Venice earlier this year and will finally get a release early in 2015. Joining it are the British Independent Film Award-nominated ’71, and the much hyped Eden from Mia Hansen-Løve and Girlhood from Céline Sciamma.
On the At Midnight circuit, the hot ticket is Knock Knock from Director Eli Roth and starring Keanu Reeves in what Deadline describes as a “psychosexual home invasion pic”.
Also included in this announcement is a lineup of New Frontier art installations that will be visible across Park City, including one called Way to Go by artist Vincent Morisset, a big collaborator with Arcade Fire.
Following yesterday’s announcement of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival’s In-Competition films, the festival has released its lineup of Spotlight, Park City At Midnight and New Frontier Films.
Among the lineup is 99 Homes, Ramin Bahrani’s Middle-America drama on foreclosures starring Michael Shannon and Andrew Garfield. The film premiered at Toronto and Venice earlier this year and will finally get a release early in 2015. Joining it are the British Independent Film Award-nominated ’71, and the much hyped Eden from Mia Hansen-Løve and Girlhood from Céline Sciamma.
On the At Midnight circuit, the hot ticket is Knock Knock from Director Eli Roth and starring Keanu Reeves in what Deadline describes as a “psychosexual home invasion pic”.
Also included in this announcement is a lineup of New Frontier art installations that will be visible across Park City, including one called Way to Go by artist Vincent Morisset, a big collaborator with Arcade Fire.
- 12/5/2014
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
Last year’s batch of eight films included the almost critic-proof trio of Adam Wingard’s The Guest, Taika Waititi & Jemaine Clement’s What We Do in the Shadows and the major revelation in Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook. After showings at Cannes and Tiff, David Robert Mitchell finds his It Follows (see pic above) also landing at Sundance and being surrounded by seven world preem titles coming from a little bit everywhere on the planet. Here are the fearful eight:
Cop Car/ U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) —Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim.World Premiere
The Hallow/ Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) —When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground,...
Cop Car/ U.S.A. (Director: Jon Watts, Screenwriters: Christopher D. Ford, Jon Watts) —Two 10-year-old boys steal an abandoned cop car. Cast: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Shea Whigham, Camryn Manheim.World Premiere
The Hallow/ Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Corin Hardy, Screenwriters: Corin Hardy, Felipe Marino) —When a London-based conservationist is sent to Ireland to survey an area of ancient forest believed by the superstitious locals to be hallowed ground,...
- 12/4/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
Here's what we know about Knock Knock, the upcoming Eli Roth-directed film that will premiere in the Midnight section at January's Sundance Film Fest. Two beautiful young girls walk into a married man's life and turn a wild fantasy into his worst nightmare. The movie stars Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana De Armas, Aaron Burns, Ignacia Allamand, and Colleen Camp. It's written by Roth along with Aftershock director Nicolas Lopez and frequent collaborator Guillermo Amoedo. We've got 6 hot stills for you to check out below....
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 12/4/2014
- Screen Anarchy
It’s less than two months until the streets and theaters of Park City are going to be packed with filmmakers, film fans and buyers attending the 2015 Sundance Film Festival from January 22 to February 1. Yesterday the Robert Redford-founded fest announced its U.S. and World Cinema dramatic and documentary competition selections along with the pics in its Next section. Today, with some Andrew Garfield, Keanu Reeves, Greta Gerwig, Kevin Bacon and Charlotte Rampling starrers among them, Sundance revealed its non-competitive Spotlight and Park City At Midnight slates along with the films and installations of the New Frontier category - see the full list below.
Like yesterday’s slate announcements there are some big, big screen names appearing at Sundance this year. Garfield, who has that other gig as certain webslinger, is in the Ramin Bahrani-directed 99 Homes with Michael Shannon and Laura Dern. Having played at Tiff and Venice,...
Like yesterday’s slate announcements there are some big, big screen names appearing at Sundance this year. Garfield, who has that other gig as certain webslinger, is in the Ramin Bahrani-directed 99 Homes with Michael Shannon and Laura Dern. Having played at Tiff and Venice,...
- 12/4/2014
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline
Each year, the midnight shift at Sundance belongs to me, and that's the way I like it. I've had some of my most memorable experiences at the festival happen as part of the midnight screenings, and I look forward to this announcement every year. I'm surprised to see "It Follows" there. That's been playing festivals since Cannes, and while it's good, I wouldn't expect to see Sundance use one of the slots for a film that's been seen as much as this one has already. The hottest ticket will most likely be "Knock Knock," with Eli Roth directing Keanu Reeves. I like that Eli has fallen in with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo as his new constant collaborators, and this one sounds like it could be nasty fun, which is Eli's sweet spot. I'm excited about the Kevin Bacon movie, which sounds like a darker, actual-real-world-repercussions version of "Let's Be Cops,...
- 12/4/2014
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
The 2015 selection includes a strong Latin American flavour, led by Eli Roth’s Chilewood psychosexual Park City At Midnight entry Knock Knock starring Keanu Reeves and Lorenza Izzo.
Mexico-based Dark Factory’s thriller Reversal also premieres in the section, while the New Frontier film slate includes Carlos Moreno’s Liveforever from Colombia-Mexico.
Spotlight — Sundance programmers’ tribute to their favourite films of 2014 — includes Argentinean box office smash and Academy Awards submission Wild Tales (pictured) from Damián Szifrón.
Among the Midnight films are Rodney Ascher’s sleep paralysis documentary The Nightmare, Bruce McDonald’s Hellions from Canada, Cop Car from the Us starring Kevin Bacon and Irish-uk forest-set The Hallow from Corin Hardy.
Spotlight selections also feature Yann Demange’s feted UK thriller ‘71, Kornél Mundruczó’s Hungarian drama White God and Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden from France. Canadian auteur Guy Maddin is back withThe Forbidden Room, which he co-directed with Evan Johnson, in New Frontier...
Mexico-based Dark Factory’s thriller Reversal also premieres in the section, while the New Frontier film slate includes Carlos Moreno’s Liveforever from Colombia-Mexico.
Spotlight — Sundance programmers’ tribute to their favourite films of 2014 — includes Argentinean box office smash and Academy Awards submission Wild Tales (pictured) from Damián Szifrón.
Among the Midnight films are Rodney Ascher’s sleep paralysis documentary The Nightmare, Bruce McDonald’s Hellions from Canada, Cop Car from the Us starring Kevin Bacon and Irish-uk forest-set The Hallow from Corin Hardy.
Spotlight selections also feature Yann Demange’s feted UK thriller ‘71, Kornél Mundruczó’s Hungarian drama White God and Mia Hansen-Løve’s Eden from France. Canadian auteur Guy Maddin is back withThe Forbidden Room, which he co-directed with Evan Johnson, in New Frontier...
- 12/4/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
You gotta love a guy who allows (hell, he probably wrote the copy!) for a movie to be sold as being from his “twisted mind.” Then again, when you’re Eli Roth and you make your living cranking out snuff films disguised as horror movies, there are worse ways to be described, I suppose. Check out the new trailer for his latest “The Green Inferno,” which finds a group of pretty American college students going to the Amazon to save the rain forest or some dumb shit like that. Their plane ends up crashing and the locals decide to snack on them. I think they call that ironic. Or tragic. Or one of those. Either way: Yummy! The flick stars Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy, Daryl Sabara, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Sky Ferreira, Magda Apanowicz, Nicolás Martínez, Aaron Burns, and Ignacia Allamand, and comes for dinner this September 5th.
- 6/2/2014
- by Nix
- Beyond Hollywood
Exclusive: The biggest title announced so far for the upcoming Cannes market is an erotic psycho-thriller that pairs director Eli Roth with Keanu Reeves.
Production on the Camp Grey, Black Bear Pictures and Sobras International Pictures co-production is underway in Santiago, Chile, and Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier hopes to show footage on the Croisette.
Knock Knock stars Reeves as a married man home alone who is visited by two beauties who throw his life into disarray.
Lorenza Izzo, the star of Roth’s upcoming cannibal horror The Green Inferno, also stars alongside Ana de Armas.
The cast includes Ignacia Allamand, the Chilean telenovela star whose feature credits include The Green Inferno and Aftershock, which Roth co-wrote and produced and Nicolas Lopez directed.
Producers are Colleen Camp, Roth, Lopez, Miguel Asensio, Tim DeGraye and Cassian Elwes, who represents Us rights with CAA.
Reeves serves as executive producer alongside Teddy Schwarzman, Peter Traynor, Larry Spiegel and [link...
Production on the Camp Grey, Black Bear Pictures and Sobras International Pictures co-production is underway in Santiago, Chile, and Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier hopes to show footage on the Croisette.
Knock Knock stars Reeves as a married man home alone who is visited by two beauties who throw his life into disarray.
Lorenza Izzo, the star of Roth’s upcoming cannibal horror The Green Inferno, also stars alongside Ana de Armas.
The cast includes Ignacia Allamand, the Chilean telenovela star whose feature credits include The Green Inferno and Aftershock, which Roth co-wrote and produced and Nicolas Lopez directed.
Producers are Colleen Camp, Roth, Lopez, Miguel Asensio, Tim DeGraye and Cassian Elwes, who represents Us rights with CAA.
Reeves serves as executive producer alongside Teddy Schwarzman, Peter Traynor, Larry Spiegel and [link...
- 4/28/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: The biggest title announced so far for the upcoming Cannes market is an erotic psycho-thriller that pairs director Eli Roth with Keanu Reeves.
Production on the Camp Grey, Black Bear Pictures and Sobras International Pictures co-production is underway in Santiago, Chile, and Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier hopes to show footage on the Croisette.
Knock Knock stars Reeves as a married man home alone who is visited by two beauties who throw his life into disarray.
Lorenza Izzo, the star of Roth’s upcoming cannibal horror The Green Inferno, also stars alongside Ana de Armas.
The cast includes Ignacia Allamand, the Chilean telenovela star whose feature credits include The Green Inferno and Aftershock, which Roth co-wrote and produced and Nicolas Lopez directed.
Producers are Colleen Camp, Roth, Lopez, Miguel Asensio, Tim DeGraye and Cassian Elwes, who represents Us rights with CAA.
Reeves serves as executive producer alongside Teddy Schwarzman, Peter Traynor, Larry Spiegel and [link...
Production on the Camp Grey, Black Bear Pictures and Sobras International Pictures co-production is underway in Santiago, Chile, and Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier hopes to show footage on the Croisette.
Knock Knock stars Reeves as a married man home alone who is visited by two beauties who throw his life into disarray.
Lorenza Izzo, the star of Roth’s upcoming cannibal horror The Green Inferno, also stars alongside Ana de Armas.
The cast includes Ignacia Allamand, the Chilean telenovela star whose feature credits include The Green Inferno and Aftershock, which Roth co-wrote and produced and Nicolas Lopez directed.
Producers are Colleen Camp, Roth, Lopez, Miguel Asensio, Tim DeGraye and Cassian Elwes, who represents Us rights with CAA.
Reeves serves as executive producer alongside Teddy Schwarzman, Peter Traynor, Larry Spiegel and [link...
- 4/28/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Back in February, Eli Roth announced that he would next make suburban thriller pic Knock, Knock. With production set to kick off this month, he has gathered a cast that includes Keanu Reeves, Lorenza Izzo, Ana de Armas, Ignacia Allamand, Coleen Camp and Aaron Burns.While it’s not strictly a horror movie, it’s the closest Reeves has come to the genre in a long time: though Constantine had some scary elements, it was more of a supernatural superhero film and you have to stretch all the way back to Dracula for real horror (hold the jokes about Reeves’ accent, please). But he’s clearly ready to give something more scaresome a try, agreeing to star in and executive produce the movie that Roth wrote alongside Aftershock/Green Inferno collaborators Guillermo Amoedo and Nicolas Lopez.Knock, Knock finds Reeves as a seemingly happily married man living with his wife...
- 4/6/2014
- EmpireOnline
Washington, April 5: Keanu Reeves has teamed up with filmmaker Eli Roth on an upcoming psychological thriller 'Knock Knock'.
The actor will play a happily married family man whose life is turned upside down when 2 beautiful girls, played by 'The Green Inferno' star Lorenza Izzo and 'Hands Of Stone' actress Ana de Armas, show up at his house when he's alone, Deadline.com reported.
The film, which has been scripted by Roth, will also star Ignacia Allamand, who also starred in 'Green Inferno', as Reeves' wife.
Reeves will also act as the executive producer of the film, which will go into production soon in Santiago,.
The actor will play a happily married family man whose life is turned upside down when 2 beautiful girls, played by 'The Green Inferno' star Lorenza Izzo and 'Hands Of Stone' actress Ana de Armas, show up at his house when he's alone, Deadline.com reported.
The film, which has been scripted by Roth, will also star Ignacia Allamand, who also starred in 'Green Inferno', as Reeves' wife.
Reeves will also act as the executive producer of the film, which will go into production soon in Santiago,.
- 4/5/2014
- by Smith Cox
- RealBollywood.com
Keanu Reeves has signed on to star in and executive produce Eli Roth's psychosexual thriller "Knock Knock".
Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas play two young girls who show up unexpectedly at the home of a married man (Reeves) where they seduce him and wreak havoc on his perfect life.
Ignacia Allamand plays Reeves’ wife, while Colleen Camp and Aaron Burns have supporting roles. The sub-$10 million project begins filming later this month in Chile.
Roth co-wrote the script with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo. Roth and Lopez will produce alongside Camp, Miguel Asensio and Tim DeGraye.
Source: Vulture...
Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas play two young girls who show up unexpectedly at the home of a married man (Reeves) where they seduce him and wreak havoc on his perfect life.
Ignacia Allamand plays Reeves’ wife, while Colleen Camp and Aaron Burns have supporting roles. The sub-$10 million project begins filming later this month in Chile.
Roth co-wrote the script with Nicolas Lopez and Guillermo Amoedo. Roth and Lopez will produce alongside Camp, Miguel Asensio and Tim DeGraye.
Source: Vulture...
- 4/5/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.