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SEPTEMBER
22,
2009
THE COVE
An
interview with CHARLES HAMBLETON the
producer of THE COVE — a
story that begins in Taiji, Japan, where former dolphin trainer Ric O’Barry
has come to set things right after a long search for redemption. In the
1960s, it was O’Barry who captured and trained the 5 dolphins who
played the title character in the international television sensation “Flipper.” But
his close relationship with those dolphins – the very dolphins who
sparked a global fascination with trained sea mammals that continues to
this day -- led O’Barry to a radical change of heart. One fateful
day, a heartbroken Barry came to realize that these deeply sensitive,
highly intelligent and self-aware creatures so beautifully adapted to
life in the open ocean must never be subjected to human captivity again.
This mission has brought him to Taiji, a town that appears to be devoted
to the wonders and mysteries of the sleek, playful dolphins and whales
that swim off their coast.
SEPTEMBER
15,
2009
CRUDE: THE REAL PRICE OF OIL
An
Interview with JOE
BERLINGER the director of CRUDE:
THE REAL PRICE OF OIL — the story of a lawsuit by tens of thousands
of Ecuadorans against Chevron over contamination of the Ecuadorean Amazon.
One of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet — an
inside look at the infamous $27 billion "Amazon Chernobyl" case,
CRUDE is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of
the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human
rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing
indigenous cultures. Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints,
the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines
a complicated situation from all angles while bringing an important story
of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. Joe Berlinger is
an award-winning filmmaker, journalist and photographer, whose films include
the celebrated documentaries Brother’s Keeper, Paradise Lost, and
Metallica: Some Kind of Monster.
SEPTEMBER
8,
2009
NO IMPACT MAN
An
interview with LAURA GABBERT and JUSTIN
SCHEIN the directors of NO IMPACT
MAN — a documentary about Colin Beavan who decides to completely
eliminate his personal impact on the environment for the next year. It
means eating vegetarian, buying only local food, and turning off the refrigerator.
It also means no elevators, no television, no cars, busses, or airplanes,
no toxic cleaning products, no electricity, no material consumption, and
no garbage. No problem – at least for Colin – but he and his
family live in Manhattan. So when his espresso-guzzling, retail-worshipping
wife Michelle and their two-year-old daughter are dragged into the fray,
the No Impact Project has an unforeseen impact of its own. Laura Gabbert
and Justin Schein's film provides an intriguing inside look into the experiment
that became a national fascination and media sensation, while examining
the familial strains and strengthened bonds that result from Colin and
Michelle’s struggle with their radical lifestyle change.
SEPTEMBER
1,
2009
EARTH DAYS
An
interview with ROBERT STONE the
director of EARTH DAYS — a
documentary that traces the origins of the modern environmental movement
through the eyes of nine Americans who propelled the movement from its
beginnings in the 1950s to its moment of triumph in 1970 with the original
Earth Day, and to its status as a major political force in America. Drawing
heavily on eyewitness testimony and a wealth of never-before-seen archival
footage, Stone examines the revolutionary achievements—and missed
opportunities—of a decade of groundbreaking activism. The result
is both a poetic meditation on man’s complex relationship with nature
and a probing analysis of past responses to environmental crisis. Earth
Days’ interviewees represent a diverse cross section of American
life and politics. Stone is a multi-award-winning, Oscar®-nominated
and Emmy®- nominated documentary filmmaker. He gained considerable
recognition for his first film, Radio Bikini (1987) which premiered at
Sundance and was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Feature
Documentary. His work includes Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst (2004),
which premiered at Sundance (under the title Neverland) and went on to
become one of the most highly acclaimed theatrical documentaries of the
year. His most recent film is the documentary feature Oswald’s Ghost
(2007).
AUGUST
25,
2009
FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN
An
interview with OLIVER HIRSCHBIEGEL the
director of FIVE
MINUTES OF HEAVEN — a unique one off drama that explores aspects
of Northern Ireland’s troubled past and the challenges the future
holds in coming to terms with it. The film recently won two awards at
Sundance, including the World Cinema Directing Award and World Cinema
Screenwriting Award. The story begins in 1975 when 17-year-old Alistair
Little, a member of the UVF murdered a 19-year-old Catholic, Jim Griffin,
in Lurgan. He was arrested two weeks later, along with three others involved
in the shooting, and convicted. Jim’s murder was witnessed by his
11-year-old brother, Joe Griffin. Five Minutes of Heaven, directed by
Hirschbiegel (Downfall) and written by Guy Hibbert (Omagh) is a fiction
inspired by real people. Working closely with both men, screenwriter Guy
Hibbert creates a unique and compelling film that moves from a powerful
re-enactment of these tragic events to a fictional interpretation of what
might happen should these two men ever come face to face. The film explores
the impact of the legacy of violence on both men.
AUGUST
18,
2009
BEESWAX
An
interview with ANDREW BUJALSKI the
director of BEESWAX — a
story that revolves primarily around a pair of twin sisters – Jeannie,
who has been in a wheelchair since youth, and Lauren. (Same face, different
bodies...) Jeannie co-owns a used & vintage clothing store with her
semi-estranged friend Amanda, while Lauren is between jobs (picking up
some days filling in with landscaper friends) and between boyfriends,
considering going overseas to teach English. Tensions are mounting between
Jeannie and Amanda, their management styles clashing and communication
problems getting exacerbated. This is the third feature film directed
by Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Mutual Appreciation). Like Bujalski’s
previous films, the cast is made up of non-professional (but carefully
cast) actors and filmed with a light, fast-moving crew. The goal is to
tell an intimate, peculiar story the likes of which one could not achieve
via a more traditional, large-scale mode of production.
AUGUST
11,
2009
GARBAGE DREAMS
An
interview with MAI ISKANDER the
director of GARBAGE DREAMS — a
documentary that follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade
and growing up in the world's largest garbage village. It is the home
to 60,000 Zaballeen, Egypt's 'garbage people.' When their community is
suddenly faced with the globalization of their trade, each boy is forced
to make choices that will impact his life and the future of his community.
Garbage Dreams is Iskander’s directorial debut. The documentary
will screen at Docuweeks in
Los Angeles from August 14 – 20.
AUGUST
4,
2009
IN THE LOOP
An
interview with ARMANDO
IANNUCCI the director of IN
THE LOOP — a foul-mouthed comedy that draws on non-specific
events to create a world that is terrifyingly familiar. Britain and America;
friends and allies as far back as anyone can remember. Both the US President
and UK Prime Minister fancy a war but not everyone agrees including US
Assistant Secretary for Diplomacy, US Army General (James Gandolfini)
and a floundering British Minister Simon Foster (Tom Hollander). When
Foster accidentally announces on national TV that war is unforeseeable,
the British government is sent into a spiral of chaos and spin propagated
by verbosely aggressive Director of Communications, Malcom Tucker (Peter
Capaldi). Iannucci is a Scottish comedian, writer, director, performer
and radio producer. His work includes The Day Today, I’m Alan
Partridge and the BAFTA award-winning The Thick Of It.
JULY
28,
2009
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
An
interview with MARK WEBB the director
of (500) DAYS
OF SUMMER — an offbeat romantic comedy about a woman (Zooey
Deschanel) who doesn't believe true love exists, and a neurotic young
man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who falls for her. Over a span of 500 days,
the story moves in a non-linear style from the man’s perspective,
who goes from ecstatic giddiness one moment to crippling depression the
next. Marc Webb directs stuff: short films, videos, commercials, drinking
games. Whatever. He's made videos with everyone from Santana to Hot Hot
Heat, My Chemical Romance, and bands you've never heard of. His short
film, Seascape, premiered at the Aspen Comedy Festival, which is weird
because he didn't think it was funny. To ensure he wouldn't make another
comedy, he went to Baghdad to direct a documentary on the first day of
school in postwar Iraq, but people there laughed at him, too. He makes
his directorial feature-film debut with 500 Days of Summer.
JULY
21,
2009
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
An
interview with MARK HARTLEY the
director of NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD — the
first detailed examination and celebration of Australian genre cinema
of the 70s and 80s. In 1971, with the introduction of the R-certificate,
Australia’s censorship regime went from repressive to progressive
virtually overnight. This cultural explosion gave birth to arthouse classics,
such as PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK and MY BRILLIANT CAREER, but also spawned
a group of demon-children: maverick filmmakers who braved assault from
all quarters to bring films like ALVIN PURPLE, THE MAN FROM HONG KONG,
PATRICK, TURKEY SHOOT and MAD MAX to the big screen. As explicit, violent
and energetic as their northern cousins, Aussie genre movies presented
a unique take on established conventions. NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD won both
the 2009 Filmink award and the Film Critics Circle Association award for
Best Documentary . It will begin screening Friday, July 31 at the Nuart
Theatre in Los Angeles.
JULY
14,
2009
SEVERED WAYS
An
return interview with TONY
STONE the
director of SEVERED WAYS. In
the year 1007, an expedition of Vikings arrives on the shores of the New
World and travels south in search of a fabled Vinland. When their party
is attacked by "Skraelings" and must flee to safety, two men
who had gone ahead to explore the interior are left behind, assumed dead.
Very much alive but stranded on the rocky shore, the two move north in
hopes of reuniting with their countrymen. Haunted by memories and visions
of the Old World, the Norsemen face the challenges of an unfamiliar landscape
in very different ways. And though the terrain seems dense and deserted,
they are not the only people in the woods: both Indians and Irish Monks
factor in their epic adventure in the Americas. SEVERED WAYS will screen
at the Laemmle
Sunset 5 beginning Friday, July 17.
JULY
7,
2009
UNDER OUR SKIN
An
interview with ANDY
ABRAHAMS WILSON the producer and director of the documentary UNDER
OUR SKIN — a gripping tale of microbes, medicine & money.
UNDER OUR SKIN investigates the untold story of Lyme disease, an emerging
epidemic larger than AIDS. Each year thousands go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed,
often told that their symptoms are "all in their head." Following
the stories of patients and physicians fighting the disease, the film
brings into focus a haunting picture of the health care system and a medical
establishment all too willing to put profits ahead of patients. Founder
of Open Eye Pictures, Andy Wilson is an Emmy-nominated producer, director
and cinematographer. Past productions include the HBO special BUBBEH LEE & ME,
and HOPE IS THE THING WITH FEATHERS, broadcast on the Sundance Channel.
Andy was the Director of Photography for the PBS special TWISTED and the
award-winning documentary TOUCHED, as well as cinematographer for the
Sundance hit DADDY & PAPA.
JUNE
30,
2009
THE STONING OF SORAYA M.
An
interview with CYRUS
NOWRASTEH the director of THE STONING
OF SORAYA M. - a classic fable of good vs. evil and an inspiring tribute
to courageous women fighting against violence all around the world. In
a world of corruption and injustice, a single courageous voice can tell
a story that changes everything. This is what lies at the heart of this
emotionally charged film. Based on a true story, this tale of a village's
persecution of an innocent woman becomes both a daring act of witness
and a parable about how people react when someone in their community is
turned into a scapegoat: who will join forces with the plot, who will
surrender to the mob, and who will dare to stand up for what's right.
THE STONING OF SORAYA M. is inspired by French-Iranian journalist Freidoune
Sahebjam's acclaimed international best-seller of the same name which
first brought global attention to the real Soraya, who in 1986 was stoned
to death by her fellow villagers, in the presence of her children.
VISIT
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