Festival Movies A to Z
provided by Edhat Online Magazine

See the movie schedule

3:19   [ showtimes ]
What if everything in life happens by mere chance? What if the laws that rule our existence cannot be escaped or conquered? What do Genesis, Galois, Bauhaus and THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING say about each other? What if the sweat of our brows cannot save us from the dust to which we will inevitably return? This beautifully told, whimsical film asks these questions and many more. 3:19 is a story of profound loss, courage, and humor. It insists that life does not end with our final breath, that significance can be found in the gaze of a stranger. As a group of young adults cope with the terminal cancer of their 26-year-old friend Ilan, in abiding by his ultimate requests, they discover in the process life itself.

-Ilana Luna

A Mighty Heart   [ showtimes ]
This poignant film is based on the true story of Wall Street Journal reporter, Danny Pearl, who was abducted by terrorists in Karachi, Pakistan. The story is based on the adaption of Mariane Pearls memoir of her husbands terrifying and unforgettable story. Angelina Jolie, recipient of this years Outstanding Performance Award, plays Mariane who must now write about the disappearance and murder of her husband. Six months pregnant, she writes the book, to introduce her son Adam to the father he would never meet. Refusing to succumb to hate and fear, Mariane remains devoted to her husbands principle of truthful journalism in hopes that it will one day bridge communities in conflict. The film weaves an unbearably tense, tortuous account of Pearls own desperate search for answers.

-Rachel Hommel

A Plumm Summer   [ showtimes ]
The innocence of an idyllic Montana hamlet is torn asunder when Happy Herbs (Henry Winkler) superstar TV puppet Froggy Doo is kidnapped and held for ransom. Based on a true-story as reported on the nightly news by David Brinkley, A PLUMM SUMMER tells the story of two young brothers, Elliott and Rocky Plumm (Chris J. Kelly and Owen Pearce), who go head to head with the FBI in order to crack the frog-napping case and get their beloved Froggy Doo back on the air, all the while becoming local heroes and best friends.

A Promise to the Dead: The Exile Journey of Ariel Dorfman   [ showtimes ]
Ariel Dorfman has lead an interesting life, certainly worth of a documentary such as A PROMISE TO THE DEAD: THE EXILE JOURNEY OF ARIEL DORFMAN which tells the story of the playwright/author/activist''s beginning with his birth in Argentina, his youth in New York and Chile, and his work as the cultural advisor to the socialist president of Chile, Salvador Allende. When the Allende administration was overthrown in a military coup on September 11, 1973, Dorfman was among a few of Allende''s close advisors to survive the revolution, thanks to a combination of adept decisions and sheer luck. Exiled from the nation he loves for more than thirty years, the documentary follows Dorfman as he returns to his adopted country and offers both his emotional and political commentary on the homecoming.

-Jeremy Jackson

A Room With a View   [ showtimes ]
Scripted by Andrew Davies (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, BRIDGET JONESS DIARY), E.M. Forsters classic story of love straining against class barriers is revisited in this sprightly new production. Young and precocious, Lucy Honeychurch lives and breathes within the suffocating confines of Edwardian social norms. During a trip to Italy, a stolen kiss with the handsome but unsuitable George Emerson ignites a curious, unrequited love. Facing a nosy chaperone, a rushed engagement to the suitable but dull Cecil, and her own repressed feelings, Lucy must choose between heart and duty when she again encounters George back in England. Adorned by the sensuous art and architecture of Florence and Rome, this new version of A ROOM WITH A VIEW is handsomely mounted and delights in Forsters playful comedy of manners.

-Mahil Senathirajah

A Snow Mobile for George   [ showtimes ]
Filmmaker Todd Darling gets fired up when his son asks why the familys snowmobile belches out so much smoke. Motoring across America, with snowmobile Sindy in tow, Darling searches for what has driven environmental policy changes in the Bush White House to allow these emissions. He sees the Yurok Indians in Northern California whose salmon runs are decimated when scarce water is diverted to irrigation districts; he goes a thousand miles east, where Wyoming cowboys are locked in a range war with oil companies; and he moves on to Wall Street where workers worry about their health. Darling reveals the personal costs of deregulation, and with a steady pull on a very small thread, A SNOW MOBILE FOR GEORGE unravels a much larger political mystery.

-Candace Schermerhorn

A Walk to Beautiful   [ showtimes ]
A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL follows the experiences of five women suffering from Fistula, a rare disease which causes bladder leakage usually caused by childbirth injuries. The effects of the disease make the women social outcasts from their village and with no medical assistance around them, the women are forced to take a long journey to a hospital in Addis Ababa which has a center that can treat them. A WALK TO BEAUTIFUL is a powerfully emotional documentary that shows the hard struggles these women go through and the people who dedicate their lives to help them.

-Vince Palomarez

Peoples Choice Award, Denver International Film Festival; Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, San Francisco International Film Festival

Against the Grain   [ showtimes ]
AGAINST THE GRAIN is a feature length documentary narrated by Alecia "Pink" Moore. The film provides a unique look into the life of one of snowboardings most celebrated athletes, Tara Dakides. Tara hasnt triumphed in the snowboard world alone; she has triumphed in life, overcoming amazing odds and many career-threatening injuries. From an early-age drug addiction to near-suicide, "Against The Grain" documents Taras darkest experiences, as well as her most beloved accomplishments as one of the most influential female snowboarders of our time.

Screening with: PICTURE THIS

Alexandra   [ showtimes ]
Russian director Alexander Sokurovs new film situates us in the heart of a Russian battlefield. One grandmothers journey to reunite with her 27-year-old grandson Denis whom she has not seen in 7 years leads to surprising discoveries. Through observation of the soldiers routine and their schemes for an endless war, she gains new perspective on the military barracks. While we never see a battle scene, we are positioned firsthand to experience the trauma of the characters on-screen. Characteristic of Sokurovs filmic tendencies, ALEXANDRA is meant to represent not only Chechnya but every war, meditating on the psychological suffering that war produces.

-Joan Sim

Nominated for Golden Palm, Cannes

Alice, Upside Down   [ showtimes ]
Having just transferred to a new school, Alice McKinley (Alyson Stoner) has trouble surviving the day without embarrassing herself in front of the entire sixth grade class. Everything just seems to go wrong—from getting Mrs. Plotkin (Penny Marshall), the least liked teacher, as the one in charge of her homeroom, to performing a far from perfect audition for the lead role in the school play. Additionally, Alice still mourns the death of her mother and has to cope with the idea of her father (Luke Perry) dating other women. To deal with these stresses, Alice turns to daydreams, but even these sometimes get her into trouble. Through the surprising guidance of Mrs. Plotkin, Alice learns valuable lessons about growing up and finds that people should not be judged at first glance.

-Liz Buda

All Roads Lead Home   [ showtimes ]
Peter Boyles last film, ALL ROADS LEAD HOME, is inspired by a true story and tells the heart-wrenching tale of a familys struggle to cope with the death of a mother. Twelve-year-old Belle (Vivien Cardone) fails to express her feelings of mourning to her father (Jason London), whom she blames for her mothers fatal car accident. Soon she begins to act rebelliously, causing her father to send her away to live with her grandfather, Hock (Peter Coyote). However, Hock cannot help but think of his deceased daughter when looking at Belles face, thus furthering Belles feelings of alienation. Ultimately, it is the surprising relationship between Belle and the dog Atticus that begins the rejuvenate transformation for Belle and all those around her.

-Liz Buda

Amal   [ showtimes ]
In a revision of his own movie from 2004, director Richi Mehta tells the story of AMAL, an auto-rickshaw driver in New Delhi. Content with his place in the world, humble Amal suddenly learns that he is the beneficiary of an dying billionaires entire estate. Now, with only one month to track down and claim his new fortune, he encounters roadblocks by all those around him. Be it an injured street girl, a shrewd store merchant or the dead mans own friends and family, Amal will have to content with many greedy hands before he can claim the fortune and begin a new life.

-Christopher Nevin Johnston

American Riviera Award - Tommy Lee Jones   [ showtimes ]

Angels in the Dust   [ showtimes ]
ANGELS IN THE DUST is an inspiring story about Marion Cloete, a university-trained therapist whose self-sacrificial courage motivates change and hope. In a nation plagued by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, orphans, rape, and violence, Marion abandons a life of privilege in Johannesburg to build Botshabelo, a village and school that provides orphaned children with shelter, food and education. The stories of the orphaned children are paralleled with the orphaned elephants of Pilanesberg National Park in South Africa. In this poignant film, Marion attempts a similar strategy by re-parenting the orphaned children.

-Joan Sim

Emerging Pictures/Full Frame Audience Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; Special Jury Prize for Best Documentary, Seattle International Film Festival

Arctic Tale   [ showtimes ]
ARCTIC TALE tells the story of polar cub, Nanu, and walrus pup, Seela, from their birth through their adolescence and, eight years later, to their maturity. Nanu and Seela survive the harsh climates of the Arctic with the help of their mothers, who will stop at nothing to protect them from predators. But the love and guidance of their mothers cannot keep them safe from their greatest danger yet: the changing climate of the north which threatens to diminish their food supply. The frozen landscape seems harsh and unforgiving, but it is home to a wealth of wildlife and cannot be lost. ARCTIC TALE shows that animals such as Nanu and Seela depend on this frozen environment to ensure the survival of future generations.

-Jeremy Jackson

Armin   [ showtimes ]
An award-winning film by writer-director Ognjen Svilicic. The film centers on the experiences of Ibro and Armin, a father-son duo on a lengthy road trip. In order for Armin to attend a film audition, he must journey with his father from their home village in Bosnia to a movie studio in Croatia. The film to be made is a German film regarding the Balkan conflict. ARMIN examines the idealism of the "New Europe," while focusing at the same time on the shifting dynamics in the relationship between these two men. Armins desire to please his father parallels his fathers desire to make his son happy. This is an engaging drama that explores the depths of human emotions.

-Joan Sim

Autism: The Musical   [ showtimes ]
Taking an intimate and personal look at children with autism, director Tricia Regan takes you into the lives of five children as they work on creating their own musical. We are first introduced to the parents who learn to come to grips with having a disabled child and then enter the worlds of the children themselves. As the kids practice and rehearse, and the parents hash out their issues and concerns (and there is drama to be had), we begin to have a better understanding of what makes these kids special and why the rest of the world needs to work so hard to accept and value them. Shortlisted for the best documentary Oscar, AUTISM: THE MUSICAL is sure to be an eye-opening experience, no matter how familiar with autism you may be.

-Ryan Hedge

Away From Her   [ showtimes ]
Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent give finely rendered portraits of a deeply devoted couple, Grant and Fiona Anderson, married for decades and enjoying an active retirement. Fiona has begun to lose her memory, however, and when she is diagnosed with Alzheimers she decides to take control of her future. She moves into an assisted care facility, where Grant cannot visit her for the first 30 days. When they next see each other, their relationship is very different, and it requires heroic effort on Grants part to navigate. Sensitively written and directed by Canadian actress Sarah Polley in her feature film debut, AWAY FROM HER tells an achingly touching story of marriage and commitment, aging and memory, adapted from Canadian author Alice Munros short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain."

-Jacqueline Spafford

Barely Dead: The Saga of Modern Rollerblading   [ showtimes ]
BARELY DEAD is the story of a sport that is fighting to survive. Rollerblading was at one time the fastest growing sport in human history. In 1995 Rollerblading made its debut on the X-Games. The sport got a lot of exposure, which seemed like a triumph. This success was soon destroyed by a backlash from the common public. This documentary follows a group of rollerbladers that still believe in the sport. The story of bringing back a sport that became popular too quickly, they are now trying to rebuild the sport by fixing the cracks that were apparent when the sport first became mainstream. This film reveals why the culture of rollerblading is going to be the next great anti-establishment movement for the 21st century.

-Max Hickman

Beautiful Bitch   [ showtimes ]
With quick hands and lightning speed, Bica is a feisty young thief living on the streets of Romania. After her brother is taken away by child services, she joins a gang of young pickpockets under the guidance of Cristu, a devil of a guardian angel. Together they travel to Germany, where Bica excels at her job and has no pity for her victims. After stealing the wallet of a wealthy man, she begins a friendship with his spoiled and beautiful daughter Milka. Milka cant pronounce Bicas name, so she just calls her "bitch." Through her relationship with this equally turbulent girl, Bica catches a glimpse of the supposed good life for privileged youth. This film offers a powerful and honest look at friendship across social boundaries and will to break free.

-Christy Zwicke

Bee Movie   [ showtimes ]
From creator Jerry Seinfeld comes BEE MOVIE, a quirky comedy about the lives of bees. Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) plays a recent college graduate who wants to overcome the inevitable career path that awaits him --- a job at Honex, making honey. On an adventure out of the hive, Barry meets Vanessa, a NYC florist who he subsequently develops a friendship with. As their relationship grows, Barry soon discovers the ways of the human race. When he uncovers the shocking truth about honey consumption, he decides to sue the human race for capitalizing on the bees precious honey. Come along with Barry as he goes on a mission to fight this injustice and restore dignity for his fellow bees.

-Joan Sim

Ben X   [ showtimes ]
Ben lives his life stuck between two worlds; as a hero in his favorite MMORPG video game, and as a troubled high school student in his day to day existence. With the support of his mother Ben tries hard to prepare himself for the real world, but instead the tortures and humiliation inflicted on him at school become so overwhelming that suicide becomes the only answer. Scarlite, his in-game girlfriend and companion, arrives to help Ben concoct a plan that sends shock waves through the community. Belgiums official Oscar entry, BEN X is an immensely powerful and gripping film from debut writer/director Nic Balthazar that examines how confidence can be built from the most unlikely of places.

-Ryan Hedge

Most Popular Film/Grand Prix des Ameriques/Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Montreal World Film Festival

Best Wishes for Tomorrow (Ashita e no yuigon)   [ showtimes ]
Director/co-writer Takashi Koizumi and producer Masato Hara, who combined to work with the great filmmaker Akira Kurosawa in 1985s RAN, once again unite for ASHITA NO YUIGON (BEST WISHES FOR TOMORROW)-a drama that addresses the truth behind one of the horrific, yet relatively unknown actions that occurred during WW II. Based on the novel "Nagai Tabi (A Long Journey)" by Shohei Ooka, ASHITA is the story of the war crimes trial of Lieutenant General Tasuku Okada (played by veteran actor Makoto Fujita), who without the required military tribunal, executed 38 American POWs for carpet bombing the city of Nagoya during World War II. During the trial, ASHITA delves deep into Okadas reasoning for the bombing and his subsequent efforts to protect his men from certain execution earning the respect of the entire courtroom--especially his defense attorney Joseph Featherstone (played by Santa Barbaras Robert Lesser).

-Mike "Tak" Takeuchi

Blind Mountain (Mang shan)   [ showtimes ]
Set in Northern China in the early 1990s, BLIND MOUNTAIN is about an antiquated tradition that lingers in rural China. Bai Xeumei is a recent university graduate who sets out with a fellow student to make money selling medical supplies to the people of isolated villages. After being drugged, Xeumei awakes to find her companions have taken her ID and sold her to a man named Degui to be his wife. Angry and frightened, she demands to be set free, but Deguis parents inform her that she has been purchased and cannot leave. Xeumei finds solace and companionship in the local teacher, Huang Decheng. BLIND MOUNTAIN reveals that oppressive traditions are not a thing of the past, but an issue that persists.

-Jeremy Jackson

Blue Meadow   [ showtimes ]
And yet barely a girl, and leaping
out of this happy harmony of song and lyre,
and shining clearly through her veils of Spring,
and made herself a bed inside my ear.

And slept in me. And her sleep was all.
The trees I always marveled at, those
palpable distances, the felt meadows,
and every mystery that filled me with awe.

Rainier Maria Rilke
From "The Sonnets to Orpheus"
(trans. A. Poulin, Jr)

Bluff   [ showtimes ]
Every house has its share of skeletons buried in the closet, but if that house has been rented out over the last fifteen years how do you tell whose skeleton it is? That is the question posed by this French Canadian comedy of "manors" when a contractor and a landlord discover something disturbing hidden beneath the kitchen floorboards. Directed by first timers Marc-Andr Lavoie and Simon Olivier Fecteauter, a wild ensemble cast leads us through the interconnecting stories of the past tenants. Each of the tales start off lightly even a bit predictable at first, but then they take these unexpected dark comic turns towards disaster. The play between comedy and drama calls to mind the early films of Francis Veber.

-Joe Palladino

Body of War   [ showtimes ]
BODY OF WAR follows an Iraq War veteran named Tomas Young on his journey from soldier to anti-war activist after a bullet to the spine paralyzes him. The documentary depicts the emotional and physical adaptations Tomas must go through in the time after his return home. In addition to coping with his experiences during the war, he must also deal with the limits of his new body. Following both Tomass personal struggle as he goes from a war hero to one of the most powerful voices for peace as well as the ongoing debate in Congress regarding the still continuing war, BODY OF WAR explores the ramifications of the Iraq War not just politically, but also on the personal and physical levels of those fighting.

-Jeremy Jackson

National Board of Review Award for Best Documentary

Bog of Beasts (Baixio das Bestas)   [ showtimes ]
In the film, the dystopic Everardo tells the camera, you can do anything… and BAIXIO DAS BESTAS takes us on a journey to the depths of depravity, where the film does just that. Anything. Acclaimed Brazilian director Claúdio Assis constructs a visually poetic exploration of the unraveling of a small town, the unraveling of a man, digging a cesspool and dancing Samba, and a girl, washing laundry in the river, and stripped naked for the world to see by her jealous grandfather, with no moralizing distance. The BOG OF BEASTS is a place of red earth, fire, cachaça and prostitution; a limitless pit of poverty, wasted youth, and mythological time, where the gaping maw of the sugar mill slowly devours everything, without distinction.

-Ilana Luna

Tiger Award, Rotterdam International Film Festival

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Bustin Down the Door   [ showtimes ]
In the mid-1970s, a small crew of surfers from Australia and South Africa had a vision. They wanted to take the sport of surfing and turn it into a legitimate professional industry. BUSTIN DOWN THE DOOR, produced by Santa Barbaras Shaun Tomson, shows how pioneering surfers like Peter Townsend, Mark Richard, Wayne Bartholomew, Ian Cairns and Tomson himself invaded the North Shore of Oahu and became the first real superstars of surfing. This groundbreaking surf movie features never before seen historic footage and a soundtrack that includes classics from the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Blind Faith, and more.

Circus Rosaire   [ showtimes ]
The Rosaire family has been entertaining for nine generations. Earlier generations traveled through Europe and North America with their circus, entertaining politicians, royalty, and huge crowds. In CIRCUS ROSAIRE were given an intimate look at the extended familys struggles to carry on the long-standing traditions of circus life. We meet three generations of Rosaires, now based in Florida with their bears, tigers, lions, chimpanzees, horses and dogs. Their love of animals is clear--they treat them like family members, and many sacrifices are made to ensure their comfort. However, dwindling public interest in circuses, and vocal opposition from animal rights activists, have seriously affected the Rosaires way of life. After presenting many personal and professional ups and downs, CIRCUS ROSAIRE culminates with their first-ever all-family circus performance.

-Jacqueline Spafford

Creative Forces: Women in the Biz   [ showtimes ]
The ever popular "Creative Forces: Women in the Biz" spotlights the women who make things happen in film. This years panel consists of costumers, screenwriter, producer and editor and will be held on Saturday, February 2nd, 2:00 p.m. at the Lobero Theater. Moderated by the Chief Marketing Officer of Variety Madelyn Hammond, the panel will include Nancy Oliver (screenwriter of Lars and the Real Girl), Rita Ryack (costume designer of Hairspray), Tatiana Rigel (editor of There Will Be Blood), Mary Zophres (costume designer for No Country for Old Men) and Leslie Iwerks (producer of The Pixar Story). The panel is sponsored by Sandy Stahl, Girls Inc., Domestic Violence Solutions and Pacifica Graduate institute.

Crude   [ showtimes ]
Nearly seven billion citizens depend on it, but very few know exactly what it is, where it comes from, or how its affecting the future of life on earth as we know it. Following the story of crude oil from its geological origins to the present, CRUDE describes how society has developed and exploited oil to reach its current levels of technology. The story allows for a deeper understanding of how peak oil and global warming are intimately connected, creating great dangers threatening human civilization. CRUDE also explores how the Earth, along with current society, is being pushed into places it cannot afford to go. Devastating changes are approaching fast and our contemporary way of life is not prepared for the consequences.

-Stacy Kaney

D Tour: A Tenacious Documentary   [ showtimes ]
When Jack Black and Kyle Gass first appeared in small clubs as the power duo, Tenacious D, their unique blend of humor and rocking guitar riffs were an instant hit. As their popularity and stage act grew, the two friends decided to embark on a worldwide tour to promote the release of their very own feature film, TENACIOUS D IN THE PICK OF DESTINY. For the first couple of weeks on the road, everyone was hopeful as the band performed in front of massive sold-out crowds. But when the movie failed at the box office and was unanimously ripped apart by critics, it seemed that their rock-comedy shtick was beginning to wear thin. Packed with backstage drama and onstage antics, D-TOUR captures the many highs and lows of "the greatest rock band in the world."

-Christopher Nevin Johnston

Dasepo Naughty Girls   [ showtimes ]
Its just your typical everyday Korean high school. Students learn atheism, the teacher is an S&M addict, the lonely Cyclops is lusted after by another boy, the popular guy falls for a dude in a dress, the penniless shy girl becomes a hip-shaking sensation, people burst out into spontaneous yodeling, and the principal installs instant virgin chips into all the girls to turn them into obedient prudes. You know, normal teenage stuff. DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS is crazy, sexy fun wrapped in a bright eye-popping package. The humor may stay primarily in the gutter, but writer/director E. J-yong has a distinct social agenda to get across, and he does it with a kind of nutty pop kick that will leave you floored.

-Ryan Hedge

Death Note (Desu Noto)   [ showtimes ]
Light Yagami stumbles upon a notebook that enables him to kill anyone simply by writing their name down. With this newfound ability, Light sets out on a mission to kill criminals, making him a local hero. A mysterious investigator, known only as L, begins to narrow down the suspects and is hot on Lights trail. Things get even more complicated when Lights father is put in charge of the investigation and members of the team begin to die. Based on an immensely popular manga, this thrilling mystery/action film has been a pop-culture phenomenon all across Asia—destroying box office competition and packing houses. Unique in that it relies on an intense story more than slick action, this gem is a must for any J-horror fan.

-Ryan Hedge

Definitely Maybe   [ showtimes ]
DEFINITELY, MAYBE is a romantic comedy about the tribulations of love. Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is a 30-something Manhattan dad in the midst of a divorce. His 10-year-old daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin) is curious about his life prior to marriage. The story weaves nostalgically through Wills past, recounting both his idealism for politics and his romantic relationships with three very different women. In order to figure out who her mother is, Maya has to assemble the broken bits and pieces of her fathers romantic puzzle. Maya soon realizes the complexity of love, and Will, with his daughters help, realizes that it is never too late to go back. Filled with hope and optimism, this is a film to feel good about.

-Joan Sim

Diamond Dog Caper   [ showtimes ]
Santa Barbara local and acclaimed documentary director Mark Stouffer ventures into new territory with this fast-paced family comedy. After a successful heist, a diamond thief (French Stewart) and his two accomplices stash their $5 million in jewels on their badly mistreated dog. Twelve-year-old Owen (Luke Benward), seeing the thieves abusing the dog, decides it is his job to protect the animal. After the dog runs away, Owen brings it to his secret fort, located where the legendary "Madman of the Mountain" supposedly lives. The crooks want their money and they will do whatever it takes to get it back. Luckily, Owens fort is well fortified and he is ready for the challenge.

-Liz Buda

Directors on Directing: Directors Panel   [ showtimes ]
On Saturday, February 2nd, 11:00 a.m. at the Lobero Theater, accomplished directors provide insight into their process and offer inspiration to new filmmakers and audience members alike during the "Directors on Directing" panel, moderated by Peter Bart of Variety and co-host of AMCs "Sunday Morning Shootout." Scheduled to participate are Adam Shankman (Hairspray), Julian Schnabel (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Jason Reitman (Juno), Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Superbad), Brad Bird (Ratatouille) and Craig Gillespie (Lars and the Real Girl). The panel is sponsored by Variety and Andrew Butcher.

Disfigured   [ showtimes ]
DISFIGURED opens at a meeting of the Fat Acceptance Group, an activist organization for overweight people trying to accept their bodies and change societys negative perception of them. The members discuss the shame and self-loathing they often feel, issues around their sexuality, and the hostility they encounter. One member, Lydia, feels confusion about her appearance--she alternates between strong desires to change it and accept it. At one of the gatherings she meets Darcy, an anorexic who is also searching for self-acceptance. The two embark on a tentative friendship founded on battles with their bodies and very different attitudes about food. DISFIGURED examines complex and painful issues around weight and body image with honesty and unswerving focus.

- Jacqueline Spafford

Dope   [ showtimes ]
DOPE (Death or Prison Eventually) looks at four legendary world champion skateboarders: Jay Adams from Dogtown''s Z Boys, Christian Hosoi, Dennis Martinez (world champion), Bruce Logan (world skateboarding champion owner of Logan Earth Skis) and examines their rise to the top and their eventual descent into the drug and crime culture. By concentrating on their redemption and current lives as well as their fame and fall from grace, this film carves a unique posture in the world of sports/skater pictures and documentaries. Narration by Danny Trejo and including an interview with legend Stacy Peralta.

Dreams of Flight   [ showtimes ]
After years of living as a recluse, studying reindeer in the Yukon, surveying the Arctic Polar Shelf, and skippering the first private vessel to sail through the Northwest Passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Sven Johansson had a groundbreaking idea. Inspired by movement and form in nature, this recluse turned choreographer created an innovative dance technique allowing performers to flout gravity and to dance in midair! Through his creativity and unique vision, Sven Johansson has carved out a niche as one of Canadas most rebellious and most original dance choreographers. And at the age of 83, Sven is not slowing down.

-Candace Schmerhorn

Epitaph   [ showtimes ]
Filled with great visuals and thrilling images, EPITAPH is really 4 ghost stories set in an old hospital about to be torn down. Creepy, dread-filled tales lead us through the stories of a dead Japanese soldier who comes back to life during an autopsy; an intern who falls in love with a beautiful corpse; a young girl, admitted to the hospital after an auto accident, who is haunted by the presence of her dead mother and stepfather; and a doctor who discovers that his marriage to his almost perfect wife has only one problem: she doesnt have a shadow. The Jeong brothers, first-time directors, have a strong visual sense which lends tremendous strength and tension to this K-horror film. Creepy, scary, and overall, a fine ride.

-Tim Matthieson

Fighter   [ showtimes ]
With unprecedented access behind the scenes, Fighter takes an irreverent yet brutally honest look at the world of Reality fighters from their own perspective, through tournaments, training, and daily lives. From gentle giant Randy The Natural Couture attempting to re-gain the Ultimate Fighting Championships heavyweight crown to Victoria Schiltz winning inspiration from her boyfriend/managers ringside cheers, World Cup gold medalist and training guru Rico Chiapparelli deftly captures the skill, dedication, rivalry, camaraderie, and tremendous mutual respect among ultimate athletes.

Fix   [ showtimes ]
How can you save someone who doesnt want to save himself? Thats the problem that plagues documentary filmmakers Milo and Bella who are given the responsibility of taking Milos brother, Leo, from jail to rehab by 8 p.m.—or else Leo goes back to jail. Not only do Milo and Bella have to deal with Leos carefree attitude, but they lack the $5,000 needed to get Leo into rehab. The trio decides to embark on a journey through the underbelly of Los Angeles to do whatever it takes to get the money and get Leo into rehab on time. FIX is a visually kinetic experience that is as much a social commentary about the gang and drug culture in Los Angeles as it is a modern day version of the Odyssey.

-Vince Palomarez

Frank & Cindy   [ showtimes ]
In FRANK & CINDY, filmmaker G. J. Echternkamp explores the life and the marriage between a one-hit wonder pop star and the woman devoted to him—Echternkamps parents. In 1983, with her husbands group OXO producing a chart-shaking single ("Whirly Girl"), Cindy Brown thought she had caught a lucky star. But after two decades of living with Frank Garcias bankruptcy, addiction, and other self-destructive behaviors, Cindys tune and attitude began to change. Through all of this, Echternkamp captures his parents completely bare, culminating in an unforgettable scene that is filled simultaneously with love and hate. Featured in a Showtime segment of Ira Glasss "This American Life" and the winner of best documentary at Englands Raindance Festival, FRANK & CINDY is a mesmerizingly poignant story that alternates between joy and pain—often in consecutive moments.

-Mike "Tak" Takeuchi

Frayed   [ showtimes ]
After being scolded for acting out at his sisters birthday 8 year-old Kurt is sent to his room. When his mother goes to check on him she is beaten to death. Young Kurt is diagnosed as a dangerous sociopath and locked away in an asylum. Years later he breaks free leaving a trail of death behind him as he stocks his way home. At first glance Frayed seems deceptively like a simple but well crafted horror film paying its homage to Carpenters HALLOWEEN but by the storys end it merges into the realm of the inexplicable leaving the audience to rethink and piece together what they have just watched. This films opening is defiantly not for the squeamish and may be much too violent for many.

-Joe Palladino

Freesia: Bullets Over Tears (Furîjia )   [ showtimes ]
Revenge for hire is not only popular amongst the citizenry of a near-future Japan, its legal and carried out with startling efficiency. Hiroshi Kanou, a new assassin for a revenge firm, is incapable of feeling emotions due to the effects of a botched military weapons experiment he suffered through as a child. His stoic demeanor and focus turn out to be the perfect assets for a professional killer. Still, haunted by the memory of a young girl from his past he finds himself lost in a world that seems to run on rage. Taking on the feel of a 70s noir at times, this sci-fi action drama with brains paints a picture of a bleak future that doesnt seem all too different from our present. Scary, isnt it?

-Ryan Hedge

Fugitive Pieces   [ showtimes ]
Based on the international bestselling novel by Anne Michaels, FUGITIVE PIECES is a poetic and emotionally charged film about love, loss and redemption. The film, written and directed by Jeremy Podeswa (INTO THE WEST, HBO mini-series THE PACIFIC) and produced by Robert Lantos (EASTERN PROMISES, BEING JULIA) tells the story of Jakob Beer, a man whose life is haunted by his childhood experiences during World War II. As a child in Poland, Jakob is orphaned during wartime only to be saved by a compassionate Greek archeologist. Over the course of his life, he attempts to deal with the losses he has endured. Through writing and the discovery of true love, Jakob is ultimately freed from the legacy of his past.

Garbage Warrior   [ showtimes ]
GARBAGE WARRIOR is a 30 year overview of Michael Reynolds who has been fighting the good fight pushing the envelope for what we look at as sustainable housing. Reynolds is part architect, part artist, and part wild environmental visionary. For building materials he has been using discarded beer cans, old tires, and packed mud creating houses that supply both their own power and water. While his revolutionary efforts in the 80s created communities that were entirely self-sustained and off the grid of public utilities the 90s brought him big troubles with planning boards and legal actions. This film documents his early trials and successes with his "Earthship" designs in Taos, his battles with the government regulations, and his recent relief efforts in the tsunami torn Andman Islands and Mexico.

-Joe Palladino

George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead   [ showtimes ]
George A. Romeros DIARY OF THE DEAD is the fifth film in the Dead series. A college filmmaking project takes an unexpected turn when the subjects of the film take on a life of their own. Jason and a group of film students are in the Pennsylvania woods shooting a low-budget mummy flick. Unbeknownst to them, the dead are returning to life. Their fiction film soon turns into a documentary on their real-life horror experience. Can these filmmakers escape the insatiable, ravenous corpses? Or will they become yet another casualty in the corpses path of destruction? Panic and chaos will ensue.

-Joan Sim

Glory to the Filmmaker (Kantoku · Banzai!)   [ showtimes ]
Legendary Japanese filmmaker Takeshi Kitano (ZATOICHI , KIKUJIRO) goes on a journey of epic proportions via his acting alter ego Beat Takeshi in search of his ideal "next project". Interweaving nods to his past films, pop culture, and his countrymens expectations of his work, no genre of Japanese filmmaking escapes Kitanos good natured wrath via uproarious comedy that often comes in the form of a third Kitano ego- a life sized paper mache dummy. As the protagonist experiences failure after failure to produce an acceptable result, he finally turns to the story of a con artist mother and daughter. Their meeting with the alter egos (alive and stuffed), produce an outrageous story that has ramifications that may affect the future of this planet.

-Mike "Tak" Takeuchi

Goliath   [ showtimes ]
GOLIATH is a cat; the sweetest, most wonderful cat in the world. And when Goliath goes missing, David absolutely loses it. In the midst of a divorce and stuck in a dead-end job, he hardly has anything to cherish or look forward to in his dreary life, with the exception of Goliath. Focusing all of his pent up frustrations and energy on finding his beloved cat, David completely devotes himself to the search which not only includes putting up flyers and asking neighbors but also going as far as to hire a private investigator. Davids obsession resonates with great insight into the human condition and the universal search for happiness in this stripped down, quirky comedy that finds humor in the ordinary and mundane parts of life.

-Jeremy Jackson

Gone Baby Gone   [ showtimes ]
When a young girl named Amanda disappears and the police seem incapable of finding her, the girls aunt desperately hires two private detectives with little experience in this line of work. They do posses two very strong advantages, however: they have intimate knowledge of the tough Boston neighborhood and they are not cops. This allows them to penetrate into the seedy underbelly of the city in search of any information that might help them find the girl before it is too late. Based on the novel of the same name and featuring knock out performances from two of our very own Virtuoso Honorees, Amy Ryan and Casey Affleck, GONE BABY GONE tells the story of a world that few are ever capable of truly understanding.

-Jeremy Jackson

Imitation   [ showtimes ]
Teresa, a vivacious young woman of uncertain motivations, has journeyed from Mexico to Montreal in a blind search for her husband, Angel, who disappeared while trying to exact payment from a company that swindled him. Teresa casually enlists the aid of Fenton, a guileless English Canadian whose intentions are both noble and naively romantic. As they piece together Angels comic, chameleonic reinvention in Montreal, Teresa is slowly forced to reveal their carefully hidden past; revelations that threaten her new and fragile connection with Fenton. Graced with lush cinematography, Montreal cityscapes and a murky, mystical sensibility, Imitation is a harsh but ultimately romantic tale of lost and newfound love and the unburdening of past relationships.

-Mahil Senathirajah

In Bruges   [ showtimes ]
Tourists are welcome in Bruges, one of the most well-preserved medieval cities in Belgium. But when the tourists are Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), hitmen that get ordered by their London boss (Ralph Fiennes) to lay low after a difficult job, this dark comedy features humorous exploits that offer insight into Rays dislike of the place and Kens mind and soul expansion due to the citys quiet beauty. Rather than just blending in and waiting for a call from their boss, these unlikely sightseers immerse themselves in their impromptu vacation through weird encounters with locals, art, film shoots, prostitutes and the like. IN BRUGES ends up becoming a comedic life-and-death struggle allowing for surprise emotional consequences to develop and flourish.

-Jillian Myers

In Plain Sight: Public Art in Santa Barbara   [ showtimes ]
Whether its tucked into a hidden Paseo or on the bustling sidewalks of State Street, Public Art is written on the walls and woven into the tapestry of spaces that help to define Santa Barbara as a city. This documentary follows the history of public art in Santa Barbara, from ancient Chumash cave paintings to modern installations like the Chromatic Gate. Explore a variety of murals, sculptures, and fountains while meeting local artists. Learn how our diverse cultural history has made Latino Art an important presence in Santa Barbara, and what the future holds for the next generation of public art in our city. IN PLAIN SIGHT offers a multi-faceted perspective on the value and meaning of permanent and temporary public art in our lives.

Screening with: THINKING GRANDE

In the Company of Actors   [ showtimes ]
IN THE COMPANY OF ACTORS is an enchanting, transatlantic tour of the theatrical experience. Lifting the curtain, this intimate documentary follows the development of the Sydney Theatre Companys staging of Hedda Gabler. The play, which opened at the Wharf Theatre in 2004, premiered in the United States at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2006. From dress rehearsals to interviews with the ensemble (Cate Blanchett, Hugo Weaving), the film reveals the creative collaboration and artistic dilemma which arise as actors find their way from text to stage. The missteps of articulation, the gestures of meaning and the sweetness of finding rhythm and music in speech are captured for our scrutiny and inspiration. It is a celebration of the crafting of a performance, and a tribute to the uniqueness of every curtain call.

-Dana Simpson

In the Heat of the Night   [ showtimes ]
In continuing the celebration of director Norman Jewisons career, the SBIFF presents 1967s IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, a five time Oscar winner that included best picture and a best actor award for Rod Steiger. In Mississippi, an African American police detective from Philadelphia by the name of Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is originally wrongly accused of murdering a rich white man, subsequently cleared, and then asked (reluctantly) to solve the murder. While doggedly going after the killer, he eventually forms an uneasy alliance with the local good ol boy police chief, Bill Gillespie (Steiger) in a socially responsible film that shows common goals supersede lines of color and hatred.

-Mike "Tak" Takeuchi

Independent Award - Ryan Gosling   [ showtimes ]

Into the Wild   [ showtimes ]
Adapted and directed by Academy Award-winner Sean Penn, INTO THE WILD recalls the true-story of Christopher McCandless who, shortly after graduating at the top of his class from Emory University, donated his entire lifes savings to charity and dropped off the grid in search of lifes many elusive truths. On the road, down the river and over the mountains—during his two year odyssey through North America, McCandless conflicted free-spirit left a palpable mark on all those he came in contact with. For his seventh directorial project, Sean Penn proves his is as gifted behind the helm as he is in front of the camera; and Emile Hirschs pensive delivery will be remembered as one of the best of 2007. Awe-inspiring images from cinematographer Eric Gautier and a somber, chilling soundtrack by Eddie Vedder also add great depth to this story of desertion and enlightenment.

-Jeremy Jackson

It Starts With the Script: Screenwriter's Panel   [ showtimes ]
"It Starts With the Script," screenwriters panel moderated by Variety columnist Anne Thompson. The panel takes place at the Lobero Theatre and is sponsored by Pacifica Graduate Institute and Andrew Butcher.

Panelists include Diablo Cody (JUNO), Glenn Gers (FRACTURE, MAD MONEY, DISFIGURED), Nancy Oliver (LARS AND THE REAL GIRL), Robert Eisele (THE GREAT DEBATERS), Bill Kelly (ENCHANTED), and others TBA.

J.C. Chávez   [ showtimes ]
Julio César Chávez is the best boxer Mexico has ever known. J. C. CHAVEZ, Diego Lunas directorial debut, pays homage to this five-time world champion. This thoughtful, up-tempo documentary brilliantly combines music, media images and behind-the-scenes interviews, as well as archival footage of essential fights, to give a multifaceted view of the star. Chavezs charisma belies his humble beginnings in Culiacán, Sinaloa. Luna seamlessly unfolds the story in the fighters own words, as well as those of his son, neighbors, promoters, cultural critics and politicians. Chavezs rise to fame and fortune was tempered by later setbacks in the boxing ring, the political arena, and at home, yet the film presents a very human image of this man whose legacy will live on through his sons.

-Ilana Luna

La antena (The Aerial)   [ showtimes ]
Mr. TV, the owner of the citys only television channel, is carrying out a sinister secret plan to subject all of the citys inhabitants to his will forever more. Styled as a "silent" film and an animated comic book, LA ANTENA reminds us of all of the cinemas attractions. Combining animation with German Expressionism, surrealism, and references to early filmmakers Fritz Lang and Georges Méliès, Esteban Sapirs ode to early movie history is a fanciful feast for the imagination. The visual mastery is accompanied with a thrilling modern tango soundtrack from Juan Aguirre and Federico Rotstein.

La Vie En Rose   [ showtimes ]
LA VIE EN ROSE explores the life of one of Frances greatest chanteuses, Edith Piaf, and reveals all the highs and lows of her life in non-chronological order. Her mother was a street singer, her father was a circus performer, and her grandmother was a madam. She went blind as a child while living in a whorehouse, and she was discovered by a club owner who was murdered. She quickly rose to stardom, battled addiction and alcoholism, and lost her lover and only child. Marion Cotillard, one of SBIFFs Virtuosos Award winners, creates one of the most amazing performances of recent memory, completely disappearing into the role and becoming Piaf. This, combined with the power of Piafs music and Olivier Dahans direction, create moments that will take your breath away.

-Ryan Hedge

Labyrinths of Memory (Laberintos de la Memoria)   [ showtimes ]
Narrated by Angelica Aragon, this is a thoughtful, sensitive and moving story of two women whose disparate paths cross. In the process, they reconstruct what has been lost in order to understand their future. Award-winning director, Guita Schyfter, returns to documentary film for a personal exploration of memory, origins, and the intersections of conflicting identities in LABYRINTHS OF MEMORY. The film interweaves Schyfters story—a journey to Russia and Costa Rica to comprehend the lives of her parents, orphaned Jews displaced by the Holocaust—and that of Maité Guiteras, the twice-adopted daughter of famous Cuban anthropologist Calixta Guiteras, as she returns to Chiapas, Mexico to find her birth mother. In their excavation of family geographies, these two women unearth rage, shame, horror, hope and forgiveness.

-Ilana Luna

Location,Location,Location: Media and the Environment   [ showtimes ]
UCSB will present "Location,Location,Location: Media and the Environment," at the Marjorie Luke Theater. This panel showcases resources and techniques for creating environmentally-friendly film and video productions. Experts representing the film studios, the California Film Commission, the Environmental Media Association, and the California Integrated Waste Management Board will share tips on sustainable production practices, and engage in discussion with experienced and student filmmakers in the audience. The panel is sponsored by UC Santa Barbara''s Department of Film and Media Studies and the Environmental Media Initiative of the Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television, and New Media, in conjunction with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Man of Cinema: Pierre Rissient   [ showtimes ]
Well-known to insiders but virtually unknown to the public at large, Pierre Rissient is one of the most intriguing figures behind the scenes. In this film, Rissient finally moves into the spotlight as the film focuses on the infrastructure behind the production process. Crucial to the success of the movie are the innumerable industry contacts who help to interweave the strands of Rissients complex life. The film offers an affectionate portrait of Rissient, a cinephile of obsessive dimensions who has had a considerable impact on the lives of many young filmmakers. This high-energy portrait and witty biopic introduces audiences to the life and times of Rissient.

-Rachel Hommel

MatchMakers   [ showtimes ]
An exploration of matchmaking and the pursuit of love, MATCHMAKERS reveals the business of finding a mate. Love and romance no longer depend on the organic rudiments of chemistry, foolish behavior and bumbling dates. Today, mail-order brides, trips to the local matchmaker, and evenings in front of the computer are feasible options in the ever-growing matchmaking industry. Featuring the story of Scott Rose of Computer Geek, MATCHMAKERS traces the contemporary history of matchmaking as a business. From a Russian bride agency to an arranged marriage in India, MATCHMAKERS tells all.

-Candace Schermerhorn

Midnight Ballad for Ghost Theatre (Samgeori geukjang)   [ showtimes ]
MIDNIGHT BALLAD FOR GHOST THEATRE, directed by newcomer Jeon Gye-Su, is a rare treasure. Described as a cross between THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BEETLEJUICE since its release last year, this musical comedy has already garnered a loyal cult following. A young girl name Sodan stumbles upon a mysterious cinema. However, something about this theater is just not quite right. Space and time seem disoriented and the theater is staffed by eccentric employees, resembling the glamorous ghouls that perform every night. The curious Sodan becomes captivated with this macabre world and soon becomes an employee herself. In doing so, will she be engulfed in the past and lose grasp of reality?

-Joan Sim

Modern Master Award - Cate Blanchett   [ showtimes ]

Mongol   [ showtimes ]
Award-winning Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov (PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS) illuminates the life and legend of Genghis Khan in his stunning historical epic, MONGOL. Based on leading scholarly accounts and written by Bodrov and Arif Aliyev, MONGOL delves into the dramatic and harrowing early years of the ruler who was born as Temudgin in 1162. As it follows Temudgin from his perilous childhood to the battle that sealed his destiny, the film paints a multidimensional portrait of the future conqueror, revealing him not as the evil brute of hoary stereotype, but as an inspiring, fearless and visionary leader. MONGOL shows us the making of an extraordinary man, and the foundation on which so much of his greatness rested: his relationship with his wife, Borte, his lifelong love and most trusted advisor.

Montecito Award - Javier Bardem   [ showtimes ]

Moonstruck   [ showtimes ]
Luminously realized by Norman Jewison, Guest Director of the 2008 SBIFF, MOONSTRUCK is an enchanting masterpiece that re-envisioned the romantic comedy. Widowed and in her late 30s, Loretta (Cher) agrees to marry Johnny (Danny Aiello), more out of weariness than passion. But when Loretta meets Johnnys estranged brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage), a torrid, unstoppable love affair ensues. Set in Brooklyns vibrant Italian community, the characters lives unfold together, the old hurts and new relationships imbued with a bittersweet, everyday magic. Fueled by the exceptional ensemble cast (the film won Oscars for Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Best Screenplay), MOONSTRUCK is an enduring, multi-generational celebration of family and the ability to love.

- Mahil Senathirajah

Movers & Shakers: Producers Panel   [ showtimes ]
Taking place at the Lobero Theatre, will be the "Movers & Shakers" panel, bringing together top producers to discuss their craft, moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist Patrick Goldstein. The panel is sponsored by iO Film and Lisa Loiacono of Sothebys International Realty.

Panelists include Jennifer Fox (MICHAEL CLAYTON), Daniel Lupi (THERE WILL BE BLOOD), Craig Zadan (HAIRSPRAY, THE BUCKET LIST), Neil Meron (HAIRSPRAY, THE BUCKET LIST), James L. Brooks (THE SIMPSONS MOVIE), and Lianne Halfon (JUNO).

My Enemy's Enemy   [ showtimes ]
One of the most infamous war criminals to come out of Nazi Germany, Klaus Barbie is notorious for brutally torturing prisoners as well as for sending orphaned children to Auschwitz. Acts such as these earned him the fitting name "Butcher of Lyon." With such a widely known reputation for evil, how is it that Barbie was able to evade capture and trial for nearly 40 years? With a combination of interviews and archival footage, Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald (ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) explores how a war criminal of this magnitude could elude capture for so long. No stranger to controversy. MY ENEMYS ENEMY is a film that investigates what kind of person would commit these atrocities and what kind of nation would hide him.

-Jeremy Jackson

My Way   [ showtimes ]
The first feature by Spanish director J. A. Salgot, MY WAY is a searing emotional crime drama set in Barcelona. Marc is a small-time hustler on the run from the mob after a drug deal goes awry. Marc is also simultaneously navigating strained relationships with his wife, his disaffected daughter and his estranged father, whose affliction with Alzheimers hampers Marcs ability to deal with the long muted pain between them. The story unfolds as Marcs painful struggle for love and redemption runs headlong into the limited choices he has to save his life. MY WAY is a ferocious film, painting a fearlessly bleak moral and physical landscape drained of color, but counterpointed by a propulsive narrative and dynamic visual style.

-Mahil Senathirajah

Noodle   [ showtimes ]
Miris life has been crumbling around her for years. She is twice-widowed, has a strained relationship with her divorced sister Gila and wants nothing else but to be left alone. Things change when Miris Chinese housekeeper asks her to watch her son for an hour and never comes back. Unable to communicate with the child, Miri and Gila must put their differences aside in order to find out what happened to the childs mother and do whatever they can to reunite them. NOODLE is a touching and light-hearted story that examines the importance of family in our lives and the emotional healing that the bond of family can provide.

-Vince Palomarez

Best Supporting Actress, Awards of the Israeli Film Academy; Special Grand Jury Prize, Montreal World Film Festival

Not By Chance (Não Por Acaso)   [ showtimes ]
Two seconds dont make a difference? Until they do. NOT BY CHANCE tells a story of two men, plunged into the heart of tragedy, in an instant. In a single crash that neither Enios meticulous traffic control, nor Pedros careful plotting could foresee, they lose hope for the future. Both men struggle with their profound loss and loneliness, but the city itself seems to have other plans for them. Enios orphaned daughter finds her way to him, forcing him to make a choice, and Pedro must learn to love and let go. Though nothing is ever simple, nothing happens merely by chance. Philippe Barcinskis debut feature reveals unexpected beauty, and secret spaces of joy in the center of the alienating city, São Paulo.

-Ilana Luna

On the Pipe Four   [ showtimes ]
ON THE PIPE FOUR is the most well rounded international motocross film ever assembled. Shot entirely on super 16mm film and HD, it features more than 10 helicopter shoots, one 35-foot jib crane arm, and numerous dolly shots. Santa Barbara filmmaker Jay Schweitzer takes us to Australia for the Robbie Maddison Red Bull X-ray event, Sweden with Andre Villa for a look at the Scandinavian FMX scene, Washington with Ryan Capes as he breaks the world distance trick record, and to the MX of Nations race -- considered to be the Olympics of Motocross.

ONE BAD CAT: The Reverend Albert Wagner Story   [ showtimes ]
At 50, Reverend Albert Wagner, after a life of poverty, adultery, and charges of child molestation, is inspired to take up painting as means toward redemption. Wagner, a self-trained modern primitive dubbed the "Black Moses" by some critics captures images that both embrace and confront his troubled past. His work explores the rift between his bleak history and desire for salvation. There are haunting paintings of slaves who seem to be picking simultaneously for cotton and the stars, naked black women writhing in supplication before towering white nuns, strained family portraits of his wife, two lovers and their 20 plus children. The documentary gives rare access into his life, art and the airs the debates between black art historians and white art collectors.

-Joe Palladino

Outstanding Performance of the Year Award - Angelina Jolie   [ showtimes ]

Picture This   [ showtimes ]
Youve never seen snowboarding like this before: part surfing, skating, ballet, and long jump. The movie includes 16 of the best boarders in the world trying to deal with one of the worst snow years on record … and turning to handrails, stairs and other urban landscape obstacles for fun. Soon the snow comes, though, and the peaks, powder and plummets entice them into a world you wont soon forget. Completely exhilarating, surprising, and wondrous.

Screening with: AGAINST THE GRAIN

Priceless   [ showtimes ]
This film has everything you could want in a French comedy: mistaken identities, close calls, unrequited love, gorgeous settings and people—and a happy ending. Jean is an overworked employee at a deluxe resort in Biarritz. Irène (Audrey Tautou) is a gold digger staying at the hotel with her elderly boyfriend. When the two first meet, confused assumptions and romantic attraction abound. Irène tries to forget Jean and maintain her luxurious but tenuous lifestyle, while Jean will try anything to win her heart. The filmmakers appreciation of beauty is evident throughout, as we feast our eyes on Audrey Tautou (in a role very different from the gamin of AMELIE), her wardrobe, and the scenery of the French Riviera. PRICELESS has all the charm and fun of last years AVENUE MONTAIGNE.

-Jacqueline Spafford

Ratatouille   [ showtimes ]
Remy is a rat with dreams of becoming a great French chef like his five-star chef hero, Anton Gusteau. Evicted from his home, Remy finds his way to Gusteaus restaurant, and once inside, he faces countless dangers to get the chance to display his cooking talents. Linguini, a young man who desperately needs a cooking job but lacks the ability to cook, meets Remy, and an opportunity opens for both Remy and Linguini. This fantastic story turns into a great rat race with plenty of laughs. Can Remy save the day with his great cooking talents and abilities?

-Oscar Beltran

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Untitled Documentary   [ showtimes ]
Unlike the current trend of brooding portraits of rock bands on the fringe of creative or mental bankruptcy, this is a joyous celebration of the production of three music videos created for the Chili Peppers recent CD Stadium Arcadium. The first video Dani California, sends the band through a loving Forrest Gump-like time travel trip across rock history (the British Invasion, Hair Metal, Goth and more). Tell Me Baby pops unexpecting fans out of auditions and into jam sessions with the band. And in Hump De Bump, Chris Rocks stages a block party with the Peppers. The behind the scenes approach gives us access to the detailed art and costume design needed to pull of Dani and a glimpse at Tony Kaye and Chris Rocks directing styles.

-Joe Palladino

Remarkable Power   [ showtimes ]
The film takes place in Tinsel Town displaying all its glory and rigor. With the plug
about to be pulled on his late night talk show after a fifteen year run, and his wife
engaged in a steamy affair with a pro baseball star, host Jack West (Kevin
Nealon) has hit rock bottom. He is desperate to keep aflame his fading celebrity
and to avenge the misdeeds of his adulterous spouse. With the clock ticking,
Jack concocts the epitome all media stunts, killing two birds with one memorable
stone.

The scheme entangles an eclectic collection of colorful locals navigating their way
through unpredictable twists and turns. A plump, old school private eye (Tom
Arnold) teams up with a macabre-photographer (Nora Zehetner) to investigate the
strange disappearance of a dead body. A glassy-eyed cheddar head (Evan
Peters) falls prey to a phony get-rich-quick guru (Christopher Titus). Imperiled
actors embark on a quest for a fresh corpse. Also added to the mix are cops in
costume, a peculiar special effects make-up team, porn stars with dreams of
stardom, a Jewish drug lord with very large brothers, Russian mobsters and
others that converge in this unique roller-coaster ride of comedy, mystery, murder
and mayhem through the underbelly of modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.

Roman De Gare   [ showtimes ]
Judith Ralitzer, femme fatale and popular writer, is seeking characters for her next best seller. However, she discovers that her works may have been ghostwritten by a serial killer named Magician. Through radio reports, we learn that Magician has escaped from a high-security prison. The film zigzags back and forth in time, playfully toying with our notions of who these characters are and how they relate to one another. The plotting is elaborate as are the eye-catching locations along the French coast and countryside. The film allows the audience to understand that fate has a funny way of making friends and lovers out of the least likely of persons. Full of suspense and romance, this French thriller is a story within a story.

-Joan Sim

Saving Luna   [ showtimes ]
This documentary directed by Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit is the emotional, one-of-a-kind, true story about Luna, a young killer whale, who is separated from his family in Nootka Sound off of Vancouver Island. After becoming isolated from his pod, he begins a journey to find anything that can make him feel at ease again. Lunas only way back home is through his contact with humans. Yet the government views him as a threat to society, doing all they can to defeat this creature who only seeks a home and companionship. The producers and crew behind this film eliminate all negative boundaries between nature and humans.

-Nahal Garakani

Serras da Desordem (Hills of Disorder)   [ showtimes ]
In the Maranhão jungle of western Brazil, native people still try to live according to their social norms, despite government protections that often hurt more than help. SERRAS DA DESORDEM, Andrea Tonaccis most recent documentary, is a poetic reflection on the clash of cultures that ripped apart the small Tupi-Guajá tribe, and separated Carapirú from his family and his way of life for over 10 years. Visually audacious, and self-reflective, playing with color, light and filming technique the film superimposes multiple eras. Through purposeful reenactment and Tonaccis respectful, self-conscious use of the very same technologies that threaten to destroy their way of life, Carapirú and his son tell their own story of loss, violence and survival.

-Ilana Luna

Shadows (Senki)   [ showtimes ]
On the surface, Lazar Perkov (Borce Nacev) seems to have it all—a beautiful wife, a lovely child, an excellent job, a life that has earned him the nickname "Lucky." What more could a man want? Yet Lazar still feels something is missing. After a near-death experience in a car accident, Lazar has a number of encounters with people who seem to die, only to return and die once more. As Lazar attempts to decipher what is going on, his life around him begins to fall apart. SHADOWS is a surreal journey for Lazar as he attempts to piece his life back together and regain what he had once lost.

-Jeremy Jackson

Shall We Gather at the River   [ showtimes ]
The film examines the impact of urbanizing animal populations without a way to handle the vast amounts of sewage generated. Scientists and health officials have raised grave concerns about so-called factory farms. They have been called mini chernobyls, causing vast environmental damage and risk to human health. The large amount of waste generated by these facilities is destroying rivers, lakes, and oceans. The film exposes the political influence, intimidation, threats, corruption, false advertising, and delaying tactics that have made the U.S. the dumping ground of this industry and presents solutions that could be effective.

Short Circuits (Kratki Stiki)   [ showtimes ]
Winner of Best Feature at the 2007 Slovenian Film Festival, SHORT CIRCUITS weaves together three stories of careless choice, unintended consequence, guilt, and redemption. A lonely bus driver discovers an abandoned baby and searches for the childs mother. A beautiful physician takes care of an angry, self-pitying businessman paralyzed in a car crash. After an accidental shooting, an inattentive father struggles to save his sons life when a shopkeeper refuses to help. In the tradition of Eastern European emotional and social realism, SHORT CIRCUITS is a piercing psychological drama that employs non-linear storytelling to slowly reveal the hidden truths of its quietly desperate characters. Set in a harsh Slovenian urban landscape, the film gracefully explores the short circuiting of human connection, the randomness of fate and the search for personal salvation.

-Mahil Senathirajah

Sliding Liberia/One California Day   [ showtimes ]
SLIDING LIBERIA follows four young surfers to Liberia in search of more than perfect waves. Risking everything to explore the West African country devastated by decades of war, they record the stories of people they meet—people like Alfred, who became Liberia''s first surfer after finding a body board while fleeing from rebels. Besides rediscovering a break that could be the best-kept secret in the surfing world, they find something more important—a way to travel responsibly in the 21st century.

Screening with the feature ONE CALIFORNIA DAY - Dir. Jason Baffa - US - 2007 - 96min
A visual journey through six distinct coastal regions, capturing the California surfing experience through the surfers who live it.

Small Gods   [ showtimes ]
Possibly the greatest tragedy in life is a parent mourning the loss of a child. SMALL GODS is a film that explores the emotional healing and the search for family that frequently takes place in the wake of such heartbreak. While in the hospital recovering from the wounds she incurred during the accident that killed her young boy, Elena attempts to explain to her lawyer what happened in the time she went missing from the hospital. As Elena tells it, she was abducted by a stranger named David who took her on a road trip across the country. Along the way, a young mute orphan named Sarah joins them, creating a pseudo-family that Elena never feels the need to resist, but with the accomplishment of a single act, the group will be set free. Featuring striking visuals from cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis, SMALL GODS explores the concept of family after a devastating loss.

-Jeremy Jackson

Sol   [ showtimes ]
SOL captures the Central Coasts skateboard underground. No prizes. No medals. No money. Just hardcore street skaters in their element! Music, chaos, heavy stunts, goofin, cruisin, workin hard, playin hard, joking hard, and of course the real deal... skateboarding hard. Featuring a homemade soundtrack, and local skateboarders including Santa Ynez bred Ross Norman and Santa Barbaras own Pablo Favela, SOL takes you to the core of Santa Barbara skating.

Sounds Like the Sound of Music   [ showtimes ]
Also on view for the run of the Valentines exhibition, and held in conjunction with the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, CAF will feature Bruce Yonemotos Sounds Like The Sound of Music (2005). A video re-creation, this work draws from two distinct and seemingly unrelated Hollywood film classics, George Lucas STAR WARS and Robert Wises 1965, THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Filmed in Cuzco, Peru, Yonemotos video examines the relationships to war and cultural imperialism when filtered through the Hollywood entertainment machine.

Sous les toits de Paris (Beneath the Rooftops of Paris)   [ showtimes ]
SOUS LES TOITS DE PARIS follows the bleak existence of Monsieur Marcel, an elderly man residing alone in a small Parisian loft. His daily endeavors consist of visiting the local swimming pool and dining at his favorite restaurant. Life is lively around him—young lovers are engulfed in their sensuality while drug addicts overdose and are mourned. One day, a day not unlike many before it, Marcel is swimming in the pool. A young girl, Julie, notices him and befriends him. He confides in her the memories of his past as she relieves the monotony of his present by bringing over a secondhand television set. Despite his struggles, Marcel remains undefeated and dignified. The resounding power of this film makes it truly unforgettable.

-Joan Sim

Best Actor and Youth Jury Award, Locarno International Film Festival

Soy andina (I am Andean)   [ showtimes ]
After 15 years in New York, Nelida Silva returns to her birthplace in the Andes to fulfill a lifelong dream and host the fiesta patronal—an eight day celebration of dance, music, and rituals from Incan times. Whats it like to go back to the Andes when youve become a New Yorker? Meanwhile, Cynthia Paniagua, a Peruvian-American dancer raised in Queens, embarks on her own Peruvian journey after meeting Neli determined to quench her desire to know and unearth the mystery of its dances. Does she find what shes looking for? SOY ANDINA bursts with traditional music and dance rarely seen outside the country. But the core story is intimate and universal: a yearning for roots and connection in turbulent times.

Sputnik Mania   [ showtimes ]
In 1957, just ten years into the Cold War, Soviet scientists successfully launched the worlds first satellite into space. Orbiting miles above the earth, Sputnik captured the imagination of all who observed it. Unfortunately, instead of uniting the globe during a turning point in history, the rise of Sputnik spawned doomsday predictions and dark fantasies of communist domination for many Americans. Military and political leaders like Senator Lyndon Johnson only increased national paranoia with assertions that if Russians could send rockets to space, they would almost certainly send ballistic missiles our way. Convinced of the importance of space exploration but determined to prevent another nuclear arms race, in 1958 Eisenhower introduced NASA—a non-military, civilian space program devoted to peaceful study.

-Christopher Nevin Johnston

Still Waters   [ showtimes ]
Charlie and her husband Andrew head to her familys cabin to escape the pressures of daily life. She has turned to alcohol to cope with her infertility and he is unable to find a job without the help of Charlies rich and powerful father. On their way, Andrew runs a stranger off the side of the road. Scratched and startled, the mysterious man is invited back to the cabin until help can be arranged. At the house, dark secrets come to light about all three that put the marriage—and their lives—in danger. A dramatic thriller with very strong performances and beautiful cinematography, STILL WATERS will keep you guessing and rethinking what you know until the very end.

-Nikki Ferry

Stones of Famagusta   [ showtimes ]
In STONES OF FAMAGUSTA director and host Allan Langdale takes you on a journey through the remarkable history of the ancient city of Famagusta, Cyprus. Follow him on his ramshackle bicycle as he retraces the discoveries he made from the ancient walled city. You will explore the magnificent churches and ruins of this once famed city. You also break into tunnels and bastions in the city walls as well as go into mysterious abandoned underground churches carved from rock. Famagusta has been elected to the World Monuments Funds 100 Most Endangered Architecture sites for 2008. Its an architectural adventure in a forgotten city that was once legendary!

-Max Hickman

STRANDED: I've come from a plane that crashed on the mountains   [ showtimes ]
The 1970s plane crash stranding 28 young Uruguayan soccer players in the Andes that was documented both in book form and in a dramatic feature now come really alive through the amazing narrative reports of the actual survivors of that crash. All of the 16 remaining survivors present the details of their tragedy and group efforts to band together to survive. With very few recreated moments this documentaries power lies in the great humanity of its narrators. We are set up with a clear sense of the tight friendship and strong faith that kept these young men going through impossible challenges. The film is made all the more poignant as the 16 travel back with their present families to the wreckage site to pay their respects to their friends.

-Joe Palladino.

Summerhood   [ showtimes ]
This serrated sendoff on childhood is a heartfelt coming-of-age comedy that observes an inverse relationship between ones level of stress and the ability to grow pubic hair. Does camp feel like prison? asks this summer saga of four best friends who hate each other. Young Fetus (think Woody Allen at 10) struggles for status while confused by his first summer love. Abandoned by friends, rejected by love, and confined, Fetus risks summers without sunlight for romance and glory. Former DreamWorks and Disney animator Jacob Medjuck abandons all courteous conventions and polite expectations writing for and directing his child actors, as if the characters of South Park and Charlie Brown had a school play. Be forewarned—this tuneful nostalgic joyride "featuring" your children is in no way "for" your children.

- Mickey Duzdevich

Takva: A Man's Fear of God   [ showtimes ]
Muharrem has worked quietly as a clerk for over 30 years in the Istanbul neighborhood where he was born. The humble introvert lives a solitary and meager existence of prayer and sexual abstinence, adhering strictly to the most severe Islamic doctrines. His extraordinary devotion attracts the attention of the leaders of a rich and powerful religious group. His acclaimed trustworthiness inspires them to offer him an administrative post as rent collector for their numerous properties. Muharrem is thrown into the modern outside world he has successfully avoided for so long. His naïve eyes are soon witness to hypocritical attitudes. Muharrem has built his life around being able to distinguish between carnal and spiritual values, but the balance of his devotion is now upset. His fear of God begins to eat away at his senses.

TBA   [ showtimes ]

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert   [ showtimes ]
One of the most critically acclaimed films of 2007, reaching number one on Roger Durling''s top ten list, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD is a contemplative Western recounting the last days of the notorious Jesse James (Brad Pitt). As the film opens, James, at age 34, has already committed the most daring of his crimes, achieving outlaw celebrity status in the process. A young admirer, Robert Ford, in a breakthrough performance by Casey Affleck (SBIFF 2008 Virtuoso Award recipient), is irresistibly attracted to James and his inner circle. As James plots a bank robbery and battles those pursuing him, Ford''s idol worship turns to corrosive jealousy and murderous thoughts. A rich character study, the film explores themes of crime, heroism and celebrity, its brooding psychological tone complemented by Roger Deakin''s stunning cinematography and epic visuals.

-Mahil Senathirajah

The Band's Visit (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret)   [ showtimes ]
An Egyptian brass band heads to Israel to perform at the opening ceremony of an Arab Cultural Center. When the musicians arrive, they are stranded at the airport with no one to greet them and little idea of where to go. In desperation, two of the musicians—Tawfiq and Khaled—accept an invitation from sexy café owner Dina to bunk at her residence. In no time, the most unlikely romances begin to blossom. As the days roll on, the commingling of Egyptian band members and Israeli residents bring cultural insights to the screen. As the first feature by Israeli writer and director Eran Kolirin, the movie is a sweet-and-sour comedy about the loneliness that haunts Israel.

-Rachel Hommel

Best Actor/Best Actress/Best Director/Best Film, Awards of the Israeli Film Academy; Best Actor, European Film Awards

The Banishment (Izgnanie)   [ showtimes ]
THE BANISHMENT, by Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev (THE RETURN) is one of those rare films where very little happens but in such a captivating way that you can not pull yourself from the imagery as the story slowly unfolds. The film follows Alex, a criminal of some sort, who takes his family on a holiday in the woods. Once there his wife admits that she is pregnant and the child is not his. The tension and past of the couple is mostly left unspoken. Emotions are barely raised beyond a whisper but are clearly read in the locations and backgrounds. The influence here is Bergman and Tarkofsky where the characters inner world is manifested in the muted earth tone and empty landscapes. Solitary trees, desolate farms, forgotten gravesides give the spectator an insight into Alexs troubled mind.

-Joe Palladino

Best Actor, Cannes Film Festival

The Counterfeiters   [ showtimes ]
THE COUNTERFEITERS is the true story of historys largest counterfeiting operation. Set up by the Nazis in 1936 under the name Operation Bernhard, the plan was to counterfeit the currency of enemy nations in an attempt to weaken their economies while filling the empty war coffers. In order to implement this plan, the Nazis imprisoned skilled bankers, printers, and craftsmen in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp where they received more food and better living conditions then other concentration camp prisoners. One of these men was counterfeiter extraordinaire, Salomon Sorowitsch. When faced with the moral dilemma of whether to continue to aid the Nazis in their war effort or to risk his own life by sabotaging the operation, Salomon must decide whether he can live with himself if he chooses to help the Nazis.

-Jeremy Jackson

Nominated for Golden Berlin Bear, Berlin International Film Festival

The Debt   [ showtimes ]
Nominated for four Israeli film awards, THE DEBT is a cat-and-mouse espionage thriller set in Israel in the mid-1990s. Rachel is a comfortably retired Mossad agent, having recently penned her memoirs. Thirty years earlier, she and her fellow agents, Zvi and Ehud, were honored for hunting, capturing and killing a malevolent Nazi war criminal, the "Surgeon of Birkenau." During the book launch party, Zvi re-emerges, telling Rachel that a frail, perhaps delusional, man in a nursing home in Kiev is now claiming to be the surgeon. THE DEBT is stylishly directed and shot, juxtaposing a youthful idealism and a 1960s secret agent aesthetic with a lonely, desperate, middle-aged quest to finish unfinished business.

-Mahil Senathirajah

The Edge of Heaven   [ showtimes ]
This film showcases the lives and emotional arcs of six people—four Turks and two Germans—as their hopes and dreams become intertwined in a search for love and parents. As the characters travel between Turkey and Germany, they also travel through their own lives. The characters are detailed quickly, with the film far less interested in narrative than in the relationships it generates. Melodrama is never far from the surface and plot surprises are frequent. The film offers audiences a subtle yet emotionally engaging depiction of intertwining lives. Paternal, maternal, heterosexual and lesbian love is juxtaposed with questions of family and homeland. Rich and finely sketched relationships are the defining features of this poignant and at times devastating film.

-Rachel Hommel

Best Screenplay/Nominated for Golden Palm, Cannes

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

The Hairy Tooth Fairy (El Ratón Pérez)   [ showtimes ]
After Lucia loses her tooth, her father Santiago and her mother Pilar assure her that in the night the Hairy Tooth Fairy, who is a mouse, will come to collect it and replace the tooth with money. A mouse, overhearing this conversation, tells another mouse until word finally reaches Perez, the Hairy Tooth Fairy. On his journey to get the tooth, scoundrels who want his boat and fortune kidnap him. When Lucia finds out that Perez has been kidnapped, she recruits her cousin Ramiro to help rescue the Hairy Tooth Fairy. This leads to a fascinating adventure with an outcome that teaches you that you dont have to be a child to believe.

-Max Hickman

The Man of Two Havanas   [ showtimes ]
Everything your parents never told you growing up about U.S.-Cuba relations. . . . Vivien Lesnik Weismans debut documentary, THE MAN OF TWO HAVANAS, is a sensitive, balanced and thoughtful examination of the life of polemic Cuban journalist, Max Lesnick, her father. The film takes a deep and nostalgic look at the history of the trade embargo with Cuba and its ravaging effects on the Cuban people, the politics of Little Havana, and the pain of exile from both sides of the divide. This is a work filled with dignity and quiet outrage, hopefulness and reconciliation. It asks the very poignant and contemporary questions, what is terrorism? and who are the terrorists in a war waged over the course of decades, shrouded in epithets of fear?

- Ilana Luna

The Mourning Forest (Mogari no mori)   [ showtimes ]
Set in the breathtaking mountainous region of Tawara in western Japan sits a small retirement home, bordered by an enormous forest. Old Shigeki, who suffers from senile dementia, resides there. He has a special relationship with Machiko, a nurse in the home that pays particular attention to him. After celebrating Shigekis birthday, Machiko decides to take him on a drive into the forest. A car accident that forces their vehicle into a ditch leaves them stranded. They embark on a path of discovery together and after two exhausting days, arrive at Shigekis wifes tomb. Connected by their similar loss, they help each other regain their sense of identity while also subsequently redefining them. The film beautifully engages tradition with a modern awareness to create a poetic visual masterpiece.

-Joan Sim

Grand Prize of the Festival/Nominated for Golden Palm, Cannes

The Pixar Story   [ showtimes ]
Get drawn into the world of all things Pixar in this fascinating documentary about the revolution in computer animation. Sure, they have a see-saw in their office, but these are the creative engineers and storytellers who have collaborated to produce seven popular and critically acclaimed feature length animated films. The triumph of a company with credits like FINDING NEMO and THE INCREDIBLES didnt happen overnight—it took ten years of struggle and determination. Combining home video and archive footage, Director Leslie Iwerks (RECYCLED LIFE) illustrates how the forces of art and technology can work together to create new worlds that stretch the imagination. The film follows Pixar from a Lucasfilm spin-off to a major company whose films are distributed and marketed by Disney. THE PIXAR STORY reveals how the power of collaboration can overcome challenges and the pressures that come with success.

-Christy Zwicke

The Road to Fallujah   [ showtimes ]
THE ROAD TO FALLUJAH follows Santa Barbara filmmaker Mark Manning, the only outsider to live with the people of Fallujah following the November 2004 battle that destroyed their city. The film takes an in-depth and humanizing look at the issues in Iraq and seeks avenues to peace from the horrors of war. A joint production between American and Iraqi filmmakers, the film includes interviews with Iraqi and Iranian civilians, resistance and foreign fighters, US military personnel and politicians, media experts, Islamic scholars, the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Thich Nhat Hahn.

The Silly Age (La edad de la peseta)   [ showtimes ]
La edad de la peseta (a common Cuban phrase that refers to the period right before entering adolescence) is a quirky, surprising, coming-of-age film that will give lovers of Cuban cinema cause for celebration. Set in 1958 in Havana, the year that culminates the Revolution, ten-year-old Samuel has just arrived in town with his recently divorced mother. They take up residence in the house of his eccentric grandmother Violeta, and Samuel is introduced to a new, mysterious world where Samuel finds himself an adult in comparison to his child-like mother.

The Sky Below   [ showtimes ]
Sarah Singhs documentary THE SKY BELOW takes a new perspective on the relationship between India and Pakistan. The film focuses on the historical, cultural and political struggles between these two countries and the people affected by it. The doc journeys into unexplored lands and cultures, gathering stories from locals to compile a contemporary portrait of the region. Singh, an Indian-American filmmaker, interviewed former terrorists, politicians, royalties, ordinary citizens and historians to create a coherent and comprehensive catalog of viewpoints. Her goal is to broaden horizons about Pakistan as a country, for both Indians and non-Indians. The film offers an audacious, questioning, and critical look at the ever present regional conflicts.

-Joan Sim

Best Film Debut Award, Film South Asia.

The Suicide Song (Densen uta)   [ showtimes ]
In 1933 Hungarian composer Rezs Seress wrote the song "Gloomy Sunday" as a somber reflection of the musicians mood. A beautifully sad piece of music, the song had the unintended effect of encouraging its listeners to take their own lives—or so the story goes. Now, more than seventy years after "Gloomy Sunday" claimed its first victim, a modern Japanese version seems to have revived the songs lethality. After their friend Kana mysteriously meets her own demise, two girls—Anzu and Riku—decide to investigate the legacy and legitimacy of the "The Suicide Song." Directed by veteran filmmaker and social critic, Masato Harada, THE SUICIDE SONG is a dark exploration of a multicultural urban legend.

-Christopher Nevin Johnston

The Thomas Crown Affair   [ showtimes ]
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR is emblematic of the bank heist subgenre film. Thomas Crown is a successful businessman and self-made millionaire. He masterminds a scheme to rob a bank with the help of four accomplices. The crooks, who have never actually met Crown, are able to pull off the daring daytime robbery without a hitch. Crown gets his 3 million dollars, pays off the crooks and deposits the money into a Swiss bank. Meanwhile, Detective Eddy Malone (Paul Burke) and insurance investigator Vicky Anderson (Faye Dunaway) are assigned to investigate the case. They are to recover the missing money and find the mastermind behind the heist. Will Crown get away with the perfect crime? Or were there glitches in his master plan all along?

-Joan Sim

The Trap (Klopka)   [ showtimes ]
Imagine that someone close to you was in a life-threatening situation. Would you kill an innocent human being if it gave you a chance to save that persons life? That is the conundrum haunting Mladen, a father whose son is suffering from a serious heart condition. With no money to pay for the expensive operation, Mladen is offered a solution from a mysterious stranger. The stranger proposes to pay for the entire operation, but there is a catch—Mladen must kill the strangers rival. With no alternative and his sons condition worsening, Mladen accepts this Faustian deal that could save his child but destroy him in the process. THE TRAP is a thriller that studies how far one will go in order to save the life of someone they love—and the consequences.

-Vince Palomarez

Screening with: CENTIGRADE

The Unknown Woman (Sconosciuta, La)   [ showtimes ]
Irena flees from a sordid past in Eastern Europe to northern Italy to start anew. This proves impossible as the two parts of her life that she wishes to keep separate become eternally entwined. As her story unfolds, the truth is revealed about the ruthless, vile men who have victimized her. It becomes clear that she has a past that is not easily forgotten, with her one solace being the cherished memory of a lost love. Irena pursues work as a cleaning lady for the wealthy Adacher family across the street, and Irena gains a measure of power over the young daughter as they become more and more attached. Nothing will stop Irena from getting closer to the family, and it becomes evident that her employment was not a coincidence. Giuseppe Tornatore directs this dark and brutal film about the impossibility and hopelessness in trying to run away from a past that will, inevitably, follow.

-Jeremy Jackson

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion   [ showtimes ]

Time to Die (Dorota K dzierzawska)   [ showtimes ]
Aniela is an elderly woman living out the last days of her life in her rundown house. Her son ignores her calls, the neighbors want to her to move out and her only friend is her dog Phila. Being the stubborn woman that she is, Aneila refuses to leave her house and spends her remaining time reminiscing about the special moments in her life and the happiness it brought her. An emotionally moving character study, Time to Die examines the feelings of loneliness and rejection Aniela experiences and the bond she has with her only friend, Phila.

-Vince Palomarez

To the Limit   [ showtimes ]
As beautiful and serene as it is spine-tingling, TO THE LIMIT follows German rock-climbing brothers, Thomas and Alexander Huber as they try to break the speed record at the "Nose" in Yosemite Valley. Capturing a deep spirit of peace - the aloof ice princesses that are the Torres Del Paine in the Patagonian wilderness and the gentler charm of the Yosemite valley in late summer - the film is part meditation on nature and part portrait of two fiercely independent and competitive brothers, sometimes striving for mutual goals, sometimes conflicted, always connected fraternally.

Triangle (Tie saam gok )   [ showtimes ]
Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam, and Johnnie To, three of Hong Kongs most popular and legendary directors, come together to deliver a unique and thrilling comic crime caper. Three drinking buddies, desperate for a big payday, team up with some nefarious types to rob a small jewelry store. After a mysterious man enters the bar and tells them about a major score hidden under the citys Legislative Council Building, they set their plan in motion. They find a priceless Tang Dynasty artifact and end up on the run. Secrets emerge and rifts appear as the gold passes from hand to hand and the bullets start to fly. Each director lends his own distinct style to his segment while keeping the film coherent as a whole, making this a must-see for any self-respecting Asian film buff.

-Ryan Hedge

Tribute to Julie Christie   [ showtimes ]

Under the Same Moon (La misma luna)   [ showtimes ]
Patricia Riggens debut feature is a tender meditation on the U.S.-Mexico border, underscoring the humanity rather than the politics involved in every choice to cross. In UNDER THE SAME MOON, love is the only thing holding a family together, and it is the only thing keeping them apart. Nine-year-old Carlitos was left in the care of his grandmother in Mexico so his mother could make a better life for them and for herself in Los Angeles. Suddenly alone when his grandmother dies, he can wait no longer for his mothers promises of being together one day. He bravely faces the bewildering border in the hope of finding her, and along the way he discovers friendship, hope, and the meaning of family.

- Ilana Luna

Unleashed   [ showtimes ]
UNLEASHED is a feature documentary that takes you behind the scenes at Santa Barbaras annual Big Dog Parade; the ultimate canine carnival. Described as Mardis Gras meets the Westminster Dog Show, the Parade grants dog lovers permission to unleash their creativity, and their obsession, on the world. The film tracks a few dedicated dog-owners as they dream up theatrical floats and elaborate costumes to showcase their beloved pooches. Strutting down the citys main drag, the competition is fierce as the teams vie for prizes ranging from luxurious getaways to free bags of dog food. But mostly its about boundless imagination, bizarre bragging rights, and the extraordinary kinship between people and their dogs.

Up the Yangtze   [ showtimes ]
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River stands as a symbol of Chinas economic miracle. The ambitious attempt to harness the mighty rivers power threatens the livelihood of more than two million people. Among them is the Yu family who must send daughter Yu Shui to work on a luxury cruise ship. Toiling in the galleys, this shy country girl must compete for one of a few permanent positions on the boat with cocky urban boys. The cruise takes Western passengers up "The River," passing endangered ancient cites en route to the contentious destination. UP THE YANGTZE tells a story about peasant life in contemporary China with compassion and beauty.

-Nikki Ferry

Vexille   [ showtimes ]
The year is 2077. Japan has shut itself out from the rest of the world due to its experiments in developing robotic technology, which has been banned by the U.N. The US dispatches a special team to investigate what is going on in Japan and discover the mysteries behind Daiwa Robotics, Japans biggest robotic manufacturer. Featuring a slick soundtrack by renowned DJ Paul Oakenfold and a visually stunning CGI experience (a unique thing for a Japanese Anime), VEXILLE follows the story of one agents journey to Japan and the amazing and disturbing things she discovers. Her experience poses the questions of what really makes us human and the lengths people go to in order to keep their humanity.

-Vince Palomarez

Virtuosos 2008   [ showtimes ]

War Dance   [ showtimes ]
Three children living in a displacement camp in northern Uganda compete in their countrys national music and dance festival. Nominated for 2008 Oscar for best documentary feature.

Water Flowing Together   [ showtimes ]
A moving, intimate portrait of an internationally renowned artist, Jock Soto of the New York City Ballet, who is Navajo Indian, Puerto Rican, and openly gay. On the verge of retirement, one of ballets most gifted and celebrated dancers is forced to contemplate life after dance. Exploring identity, family and transition, the film climaxes with his emotional departure from ballet at age 40 in 2005. A rich visual tapestry, the film is a journey through the disparate worlds that inform this artist. As Soto reflects on his uncertain future, he also attempts to connect with his past, revisiting the Navajo heritage to which he is at once detached and devoted.

-Cedar Sherbert

Screening With: HORSE YOU SEE

We Played Marbles: Remembering a Stolen Childhood   [ showtimes ]
A Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara Film by Louise Palanker and Jennifer A. Reinish, WE PLAYED MARBLES features eleven local Holocaust survivors who recount memories of their childhoods in Austria, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Hungary and Poland. Their stories illuminate the rich European Jewish culture that was systematically destroyed by Nazi tyranny. These Santa Barbara residents - now in their 70s and 80s - share memories of how their lives were abruptly and forever changed by the dramatic historic events they experienced; they tell of loved ones who perished, and of the remarkable, courageous people who helped pull them to safety. These narratives are infused with the wisdom and strength that is born out of building a new life after loss.

When Clouds Clear (Después de la Neblina)   [ showtimes ]
WHEN CLOUDS CLEAR is a revolutionary documentary based on a mining conflict taking place in the small town of Junin, Ecuador. The mining project, if developed by Ascendant Copper would prove extremely harmful to the town, causing massive deforestation, climate change, threatening endangered species and forcing hundreds of families to relocate. This film addresses the pressing issue of how the international mining projects are devastating the small town. From two emerging filmmakers, Anne Slick and Danielle Bernstein, WHEN CLOUDS CLEAR uncovers the distressing conflicts that have torn both communities and families apart. Ascendant has recently been asked to suspend all their mining activities but has not yet been evacuated.

-Joan Sim

Where are their stories? (Donde estan sus historias?)   [ showtimes ]
Vicente is a young man living with his grandmother in a small community in the Mexican State of Puebla. One day his uncles return from the United States to visit the sick, old woman. Suspecting that she is near death, they try to sell her property without her permission. Trying to prevent the unauthorized sale, Vicente consults the mayor who suggests he seek help from the ministerial office in Mexico City. In the big city, Vicente will face a new reality, estranged people, and an impenetrable legal system. Peredas debut feature shows an elegant and understated style, capturing the enormity of family conflicts without relying on familiar dramatic territory.

Screening with: 9-11/9-11

Who Killed the White Llama? (Quién mató a la llamita blanca?)   [ showtimes ]
Jacinto and Domitila are two indigenous Bolivians, happily married and the most notorious criminals in the country. Paid to transport 50kg of cocaine to the Brazilian border, they embark on a journey that will take them through the jungles, mountains, deserts, and cities of Bolivia while testing their relationship and making them question their future as criminals. Disguised as farmers "expecting a baby," (the cocaine is Domitilas pregnant belly), what should have been a simple "delivery" soon becomes a hilarious game of cat-and-mouse. Despite the scandals that plague Bolivia, the story that captures the nation concerns is the accidental killing of a baby white llama, exposing the irony and corruption that comes with Bolivian life.

-Rachel Hommel

XXY   [ showtimes ]
Alex, like most 15-year-olds, is having a difficult time discovering her sexuality, but her struggle is unique. Alex is a hermaphrodite. She has reached puberty and must determine her future, a decision that is made all the more difficult by parents who are utterly incapable of understanding the identity issues she is experiencing. Alexs life is further complicated by the arrival of family friends—plastic surgeon Ramiro, his wife Erika, and their son Alvaro. The unique issues handled in XXY, as well as the rich dialogue and windy-beach settings, create a spectacular atmosphere in which to tell an intrepid new coming of age story. Adapted from a short story written by Sergio Bizzio entitled "Cinismo" and directed by Lucía Puenzo, XXY skillfully addresses the sensitive topics of gender identity and sexual discovery in adolescence.

-Jeremy Jackson

Critics Week Grand Prize/Grand Golden Rail, Cannes

Yobi the Five-Tailed Fox (Cheonnyeonnyeou Yeoubi)   [ showtimes ]
Yobi is a shape-shifting fox, a creature of Korean legend that can steal the soul of any human. Although she is 100 years old in earth years, compared to her total lifespan she is but a child. A group of aliens crash-landed in the woods, and, in the century Yobi spends with them while they are trying to rebuild their ship, they become close. When a group of children on a summer retreat capture one of the aliens, Yobi takes the form of a girl and infiltrates the group. Soon she faces the possibility that she may unintentionally steal the soul of a human she has grown to love. The tone and look may be similar to the films of Hayao Miyazaki, but this film is distinctly Korean. A combination of sci-fi, magical events, laughs, and thrills—YOBI is a real crowd pleaser.

-Tim Matthieson

You the Living (Du levande)   [ showtimes ]
This film is a dark yet hilarious take on the state of mankind in the 21st century. With no definable characters, this comedy of despair examines the agony and disappointments of modern life. The film is a fluent succession of 50 short sketches, each filmed in one take. The key to the movie''s success is that the worlds are recognizable, reducing the real world to the bare essentials. The film''s humorous tone comes from the simple observations of what people do around us everyday. Insignificant moments from real life are presented as the main act, allowing for surprise and clarity.

-Rachel Hommel