*F Family Friendly *L Local/Georgia Filmmaker *S Student Filmmaker *OOF Out on Film Gay & Lesbian Programming INTERNATIONAL SCENE Afghan Stories Taran Davies, Documentary, U.S. (in English with subtitles), 59 min., video Downtown Library, Tuesday, June 10 @ 3:30pm Afghanistan has been at war for 24 years. The West's battle against the Taliban is only the latest of a series of conflicts the Afghans have suffered. Filmmaker Taran Davies and Walied Osman, an Afghan-American, set out to gain an understanding of how a generation of war has affected the Afghan people. From Queens, New York to the frontline in Afghanistan, Taran and Walied spend time with several Afghan families. They meet a member of the royal family who was tortured by the Taliban, a doctor and journalist stuck in a one room apartment with their four children, a relief worker trying to rebuild his country one road at a time, a town elder who dedicated his life to peace and his warrior son who fought alongside the Soviets. A unique and intimate film, Afghan Stories documents the torment, resolve and dreams of a people whose lives are torn apart by war. with The Voice Of The Prophet Dir. Robert Edwards, 8 min., video An interview with Rick Rescorla, head of security for the investment firm Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, filmed in his office on the 44th floor of the World Trade Center in 1998. Rescorla all but predicts the events that led to the September 11 attack and the war on terrorism that followed. Angela Dir. Roberta Torre, Narrative, Italy, 95 min., 35mm The Rialto, Monday, June 9 @ 9:00pm The latest film from internationally acclaimed director Roberta Torre (To Die for Tano) is a vivid exploration of the Italian mafia, from a woman's perspective. Insistent that her life has not become as boring and monotonous as those around her, Angela (Donatella Finochiarro) thrusts herself into a world of risk, greed and excitement by marrying local drug dealer Saro (Mario Pupella). Out of the back of a shoe store they build a small, yet powerful, empire. Pivotal as she is to the daily operations of the business, Angela always finds herself on the other side of the door when it comes to major decisions. Frustrated and alone, she finds comfort in the arms of Saro's new man, Masino (Andrea di Stefano). As their passion ignites, so too does the interest of the police in Saro's gang. Based on a true story, Angela is a glimpse at female desire at its grittiest and most passionate. Autumn Spring Dir. Vladimír Michálek , Narrative, Czech Republic, 95 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Saturday, June 14 @ 2:30pm Fanda (Vlastimil Brodsky) likes to act. Whether playing a ticket inspector on the Prague subway, or a retired opera singer looking for a country estate, Fanda, with the aid of longtime friend and acting colleague Eda (Stanislav Zindulka), is always looking for fun and adventure. Unfortunately, neither his wife Emilie (Stella Zazvorkova) nor his son Jara (Ondrej Vetchy) can tolerate it anymore. Warned over and over again that it is time for him to grow up and stop such nonsense, Fanda fakes his own death. When his wife realizes that she has been had yet again, she files for divorce. The couple soon realizes that perhaps Fanda's outlook on life, and their old age, may not be a liability but a blessing in (of course) disguise. Highly acclaimed director Vladimir Michalek delivers a sublime and heartwarming comedy about age, marriage, friendship and the art of living. Winner of a multitude of international festival awards and nominated for best picture at the 2002 European Film Awards. Bollywood/Hollywood Dir. Deepa Mehta, Narrative, Canada, 103 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Wednesday, June 11 @ 6:30pm What happens when two cinematic genres collide? Hollywood's penchant for romance vs. Bollywood's fondness of hyperbole. When people from a culture largely defined by Bollywood find themselves in an environment that is saturated with Hollywood, the result is a state of mind that celebrates these two seemingly disparate worlds. From Deepa Mehta, the acclaimed director of Fire and Earth comes Bollywood/Hollywood, a madcap love-song to both East and West with Bollywood music, Hollywood choreography, North American locations and Bollywood stars. Rahul Seth (Rahul Khanna) is a dashing young millionaire dating a beautiful, Caucasian pop star who his parents are none too fond of. Before you can say "karmic intervention," Kimberly (Jessica Paré) dies in a freak accident and Rahul is devastated. Instead of allowing him to mourn in peace, Rahul's domineering mother sees the opportunity she's been waiting for and threatens to call off his sister's wedding unless he finds himself a "nice Indian girl." Rahul enlists the services of Sue (Lisa Ray), a fiercely independent escort whom he believes to be Hispanic, but thinks could pass inspection. With a wink in her eye, Sue accepts the deal to pose as his Indian bride-to-be. The charade begins and it seems this match borne out of necessity could fool everyone, until things get complicated.... The Cuckoo Dir. Alexander Rogozhkin, Narrative, Russia, 104 min., 35mm Downtown Library, Sunday, June 8 @ 6:00pm September, 1944. Several days before Finland, an ally of Nazi Germany, pulls out of World War II, Veiko (Ville Haapasalo), a lone Finnish sniper, is turned on by his compatriots for a being a pacifist and is left to die in a remote Lapland forest. As he tries to free himself from his shackles, he encounters Ivan (Viktor Bychkov), a captain in the Russian army accused of anti-Soviet correspondence, who is being held prisoner by the Soviet Military secret police. En route to his court martial, Russian planes accidentally bomb the vehicle carrying the disgraced captain, killing the driver and his guard, setting Ivan free. Both men reach the home of the earthy and sensuous Anni (Anni-Kristiina Juuso), a Lapp reindeer farmer who could not be more delighted with her good fortune, language barrier be damned. To Anni, Veiko and Ivan are not enemies, but just men. Thus World War II creates the unlikeliest of bonds (between three different people, from three different cultures, speaking three different languages.) Comic, and sometimes tragic, misunderstandings soon arise, resulting in a passionate, and very human, three-way relationship. Dole Dir. Imunga Ivanga, Narrative, Gabon, 80 min., video Auburn Avenue Research Library, Tuesday, June 10 @ 7:00pm On a rooftop overlooking Libreville, Gabon, in a scene which could happen anywhere, a group of young men vent their frustrations in instantly recognizable rhythms, searching for identity through the universal patois of hip-hop. The four boys each follow an unrealistic or at least unlikely path out of poverty and obscurity. Joker is still young enough to live out his fantasies through toy boats and tales of buried treasure. Baby Lee, the gang leader, dreams of becoming a rap star. Akson, like so many poor boys before him, looks to prize fighting as his route to fame and fortune. Mougler sees his future in winning the lottery. When they plot a robbery to obtain the necessary accoutrements of hip hop lifestyle, what they call un ghetto blaster, one cannot help but wonder if the image is reflecting reality or has begun to determine the reality. with Mboutoukou *S Dir. Victor Viyuoh, 14 min., video Napo sets out to prove his manhood to his family and himself. Sponsored by AFFA. Don't Tempt Me (No News from God) Dir. Agustín Díaz Yanes, Narrative, Spain, 112 min., 35mm The Rialto, Saturday, June 7 @ 8:30pm In an antiquated, black and white, French speaking Heaven, trouble is afoot. For years there has been an inundation of applications to the post-mortem paradise, but very few acceptances. So when a mother prays for the salvation of her son's soul, the managers of Heaven are quick to dispatch their top angel, Lola Nevado (Victoria Abril). Meanwhile, in the British warmth of Hell, business is booming. Never ones to be outdone by their neighbors across the gulf of infinity, they quickly respond with super agent Carmen Ramos (Penélope Cruz). Masquerading as a cousin and a wife, the two set their sights on Many Chaves' (Demiàn Bichir) afterlife. In the end, both angels will have to join their energies to achieve their aim. Starring Gael García Bernal (Y Tu Mamá También) and directed by Goya winner Agustín Díaz Yanes (Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead), Don't Tempt Me is a comedy of ethereal proportions. The Eye Dir. Danny Pang and Oxide Pang, Narrative, Hong Kong/Thailand/UK, 98 min., 35mm The Rialto, Saturday, June 7 @ 11:00pm At the age of two, Mann (Lee Sin-Je) went blind. Eighteen years later, a new and risky corneal transplant operation restores her vision; but a series of inexplicable events lead her to believe there is more than meets the eye to her new-found gift of sight. Mysterious black-clad figures seem to foreshadow sudden deaths, and horribly disfigured denizens haunt her everyday existence. Unable to define her own identity, she comes to understand that whenever she looks into a mirror she doesn't see herself but instead she sees another woman: Ling (Chutcha Rujinanon), the original owner of the corneas. It soon becomes obvious that she has inherited her donor's fate and misery, including the ability to see into the future. When she has a vision of a terrible tragedy, will she have the strength to overcome her fate and change the future? A box office smash in Asia that has already spawned a sequel, The Eye is a new genre classic in the league of The Ring. Friday Night Dir. Claire Denis, Narrative, France, 90 min., 35mm Downtown Library, Thursday, June 12 @ 6:00pm It's Friday evening in Paris. Laure (Valérie Lemercier) has finished packing and shuts the door of her apartment behind her. The next morning, the moving men will be on the doorstep and she will move in with her boyfriend. She jumps in her car to go to dinner with friends, only to get stuck in a huge traffic jam, having forgotten that a mass transit strike has thrown the city into chaos. But Laure feels good in her car. As she takes in the sights and sounds around her--the blare of horns and arguments, the shimmer of lights and camaraderie--a stranger (Vincent Lindon) approaches the car, calm and self-assured. She opens the door to the man who that night will change her life, leading the way to infinite possibility. Based on Emmanuelle Bernheim's recent best-selling novel, Friday Night thrusts audiences into imagistic passages of profound beauty in what proves to be Denis' most adventurous undertaking yet. Sponsored by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. The Hard Word Dir. Scott Roberts, Narrative, Australia, 102 min., 35mm The Rialto, Sunday, June 8 @ 8:30pm Meet the Twentyman brothers, Dale (Guy Pearce), Mal (Damien Richardson) and Shane (Joel Edgerton). Hard experience and an unspoken bond of family have made them masters of their craft - armed robbery. The brothers are out on bail, only long enough to do one job before they are back behind bars because of a problem with the "paperwork." Of course their long-time criminal lawyer, Frank Malone (Robert Taylor) will get them out but there's a catch. They must do a really big job if it is to be their last. Dale's festering suspicion of Frank, who is sleeping with Dale's wife, Carol (Rachel Griffiths), creates an impossible situation leading up to a multi-million dollar heist. Up against the wall and with no way out, the boys proceed with the ambitious robbery, despite some dark misgivings. When it all goes wrong, the brothers discover the full extent of Frank's treachery as they make a desperate escape from the surrounding havoc. Breaking free of Melbourne in a hijacked car, the brothers have plenty of time to think on the long road back to Sydney. Although they have the money, they know Frank will not be far behind. And he isn't. And neither is Carol. Reception to follow at Ten High, Downstairs at the Dark Horse - 816 N. Highland Avenue. The Heart of Me Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan, Narrative, United Kingdom, 96 min., 35mm The Rialto, Sunday, June 8 @ 4:00pm A richly emotional drama about the seductive --and destructive-- nature of passion, The Heart of Me is a classic romantic triangle set before, during, and after WWII, starring Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams as sisters Dinah and Madeleine, and Paul Bettany as Rickie, Madeleine's husband, who finds himself drawn to his darkly beautiful, bohemian sister-in-law. Torn between two women, one who always plays by the rules and one who always breaks them, Rickie risks everything by falling into a clandestine affair with Dinah. What follows is more than a decade of deception, betrayal and manipulation during which Rickie's carefully constructed world falls apart and he is all but destroyed by love. Over the years, the two sisters wage a fierce battle for his heart that exposes their vast differences as well as their surprising bonds. Based on the 1953 best-seller, The Echoing Grove, by noted novelist Rosamond Lehmann, The Heart of Me brings an unusual degree of sexual candor and dark psychology to a time and place normally thought of as "polite." The Housekeeper Dir. Claude Berri, Narrative, France, 90 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Saturday, June 14 @ 5:00pm Claude Berri (Germinal) returns to form with this bittersweet romantic comedy set in Paris and the Normandy beach. Jacques (Jean-Pierre Bacri) is a fiftyish sound engineer for classical music living alone after his wife (director Catherine Breillat) has walked out on him. Deciding to get his life back in order, he hires young housekeeper Laura (Emilie Dequenne) to plow through the mess that's overtaken his apartment. She quickly adds a spark to his life that's been missing too long and reawakens feelings within him that he thought were beyond revival. But when Laura moves in, Jacques finds that he may lack the candor and generosity it takes for a head-first dive into a sea of adolescent feeling and letting himself drift away on a tide of newfound love. A box office and critical smash in France. Sponsored by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Lilya 4-Ever Dir. Lukas Moodyson, Narrative, Sweden, 109 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Friday, June 13 @ 7:00pm Set in contemporary Russia, Lilya 4-ever recounts 16-year-old Lilya's (Oksana Akinshina) struggle living in a poor and dreary suburb. Her mother has moved to the States with her new boyfriend and Lilya is waiting to be sent for. Like her mother, Lilya dreams of a better life, but when no letters or money arrive, it becomes obvious that she has been abandoned. Heartbroken and without support, Lilya's situation soon becomes desperate. Only her 11-year-old friend, Volodya (Artiom Bogucharskij), is able to provide comfort. Their temporary fantasizing makes life a little easier, but Lilya is looking for the first ticket out of town. When she finds Andrei in a club, she opts for a new life with him in Sweden. Little Volodya is jealous and suspicious - but Lilya packs her things. Suddenly she's sitting on a plane bound for Sweden not knowing what will happen next. Nominated for Best Film and Best Actress (Oksana Akinshina) at the 2002 European Film Awards. Madame Satã *OOF Dir. Karim Aïnouz, Narrative, Brazil, 105 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Thursday, June 12 @ 9:00pm Legendary criminal. Proud homosexual. Cabaret star. Passionate lover. Killer. Devoted father of seven adopted children. Jet-black, six feet tall, 180 pounds of proud muscle in a silk shirt and tight pants, a cutthroat razor in his back pocket. Saint or devil? Madame Satã. Born to slaves in the arid wasteland of Northern Brazil and sold by his mother at the age of 7, he pursued his freedom on the mean streets of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Karim Aïnouz's extraordinary portrait of the triumphs and tragedy of this explosive and paradoxical personality unfolds against the vibrant, sordid background of Lapa: thronging underworld of pimps and whores, of cut-throats, queers and artists, of dark bars and brothels thick with smoke, drenched in sweat and cheap perfume. Enter a world run through with violence and raw desire, where desperate dreams spring from poverty and squalor. Sponsored by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Marion Bridge Dir. Wiebke von Carolsfeld, Narrative, Canada, 90 min., 35mm The Rialto, Monday, June 9 @ 6:30pm The Rialto, Tuesday, June 10 @ 2:30pm In the midst of struggling to overcome her self-destructive behavior, the youngest of three sisters, Agnes (Molly Parker), returns to her hometown in Nova Scotia determined to visit with her sick mother and ultimately confront the past. Her arrival sets in motion a chain of events that allows a family of women to each in their own way reconnect with the world and each other. First time director Wiebke von Carolsfeld's debut speaks volumes about sibling and parental relationships with a beautifully realized tale of loss, healing and humor. In a world where nothing turns out exactly the way anyone imagined it would, these three sisters learn to embrace what they've got: themselves and their love for each other. Reception to follow at Fritti, 311 N. Highland Avenue Sponsored by Women in Film. Miranda Dir. Marc Munden, Narrative, United Kingdom, 90 min., 35mm The Rialto, Friday, June 13 @ 8:00pm Frank (John Simm) is a Yorkshire librarian with a deep romantic streak. The lonely book keeper idles the time in the pages of his favorite books when, like a breath of life, in wafts Miranda (Christina Ricci). Between daydreams of his newfound beauty, Frank finally musters the courage to speak his feelings and winds up in a whirlwind of intrigue, sexual and otherwise. The elusive and enigmatic Miranda presents many facades: she's a businesswoman or a dancer in different tellings, and though Frank enjoys the chase after her identity, he wonders if a working stiff can maintain his hold on such an exotic creature. The plot thickens as Miranda, in reality a confidence woman wedged in a complex set of schemes between her Svengali-like mentor Christian (John Hurt) and sleazy millionaire Nailor (Kyle MacLachlan), is pressured for cash by the one and sex by the other. She seeks solace with her slightly loopy new lover, but it's anybody's guess whether they'll emerge unscathed from this thicket of high-stakes agendas. First-time feature director Marc Munden makes a tremendous splash with this crisp, stylish fantasy of romance and deception. Redolent of a more indulgent cinema of yesteryear, his storytelling mixes balletique logical leaps with quirky characters, yielding a uniquely fresh and fun feat of filmmaking. My Kingdom Dir. Don Boyd, Narrative, United Kingdom, 116 min., 35mm Downtown Library, Sunday, June 8 @ 8:30pm Sandeman (the late Richard Harris), feared ruler of the streets of Liverpool, believes he is untouchable, until his wife Mandy (Lynn Redgrave) is gunned down in an apparent mugging. Torn apart by her death, Sandeman leaves his fortune to his three daughters, Jo (Emma Catherwood), Kath (Louise Lombard) and Tracy (Lorraine Pilkington), so that he can pursue, and bring to street justice, his wife's killer. As he unravels the mystery behind her slaying, his family begins to come apart as Kath and Tracy vie for total control of his empire. When Sandeman comes closer to the truth, the war within his family burns to a boil that explodes in one final bloodbath that will wash over everyone, but leave few clean. Inspired by Shakespeare's King Lear, and artfully directed by Don Boyd, My Kingdom is a violent portrait of a family consumed by greed. Power Trip Dir. Paul Devlin, Documentary, U.S./Georgia (in English with subtitles), 85 min., video Downtown Library, Friday, June 13 @ 6:00pm Power Trip is a compelling story of chaotic post-Soviet transition told through culture clash, electricity disconnections and blackouts in an environment of pervasive corruption, political assassination and street rioting. Devlin's film centers on AES Corp., the massive American "global power company," that has purchased the privatized electricity distribution company in Tbilisi, capital of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. AES manager Piers Lewis must train the formerly communist populace that, in this new world, customers must pay for their electricity. The Georgians, meanwhile, from meter readers to the Energy Minister, devise ever more clever ways to steal it. Amidst hot tempers and high drama, Lewis balances his love for the Georgian people with the hardships his company creates for them, as they struggle to build a nation from the rubble of Soviet collapse. Artist in attendance. The Princess Blade Dir. Shinsuke Sato, Narrative, Japan, 92 min., 35mm The Rialto, Friday, June 13 @ 10:30pm Born and bred an assassin, the only life Yuki (Yumiko Shaku) knows is that of a remorseless killer. When that life is stripped from her in a violent act of betrayal, the deadly princess runs from her blood-soaked past and towards an uncertain future. But the past won't stay buried, as her former allies from the House of Takamikazuchi close in on Yuki like a wolf circling its prey. Her only ally is Takashi, a young man from the insurrectionist movement fighting to overthrow the oppressive government that funds the Takamikazuchi. Can Yuki carve through the specter of her former life and find happiness in the arms of he who would be her enemy? Or will her history as a ruthless killer consume her and all those she holds dear? Inspired by the comic book "Shurayukihime" by Kazou Koike (The Lone Wolf and Cub) and Kazou Kamimura, The Princess Blade combines the elements of classic Japanese Samurai with a dystopian vision of the future, and a story of love against all odds. The Sea Dir. Baltasar Kormákur, Narrative, Iceland, 109 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Wednesday, June 11 @ 9:00pm Tackling issues such a loyalty, guilt and remorse, The Sea is a broad family drama in which opposing generations and values collide against a backdrop of rapid economic transformations. Set against Iceland's majestic coast, an aging patriarch summons his children home from various parts of the world to put his affairs in order but instead unloads a secret that will cause long hidden resentments and desires to rise to the surface. But the siblings come to discover it's not the future that worries them, it's the dark family secrets of the past that pack the most powerful wallop. Winner of eight major Icelandic Edda Awards, and the Icelandic entry for the 2003 Academy Awards® for best feature film, The Sea confirms Baltasar Kormákur (101 Reykjavic) as one of the world's most exciting emerging filmmakers. State of Denial Dir. Elaine Epstein, Documentary, U.S. (in English with subtitles), 86 min., video The Carter Presidential Center, Wednesday, June 11 @ 7:30pm Informative and thoughtful, State of Denial takes an unprecedented and unflinching look at how the citizens of South Africa are living with the AIDS epidemic in the current climate of confusion and neglect perpetuated by President Mbeki's administration. Producer/Director Elaine Epstein offers a unique insider's look at the complex issues affecting the nearly five million South Africans living with HIV and AIDS today. Intimate conversations capture the unbreakable spirit of a people determined to conduct their lives with dignity, grace and humor. With images of pain, outrage, defiance and hope, the film is an insightful investigation of humanity persevering in the face of unimaginable atrocity, offering a moving account of a society struggling to overcome the harsh realities of illness, global healthcare inequities and government paralysis. Artist in attendance. Panel discussion to follow State of Denial screening. Sponsored by Carter Center, LP&E, and AIVF. Reception to follow at Bang, 1125 Euclid Avenue Valentín Dir. Alejandro Agresti, Narrative, Argentina, 86 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Friday, June 13 @ 9:30pm A charming coming of age story told through the eyes of a precocious 10-year old boy who lives with his grandmother (Carmen Maura) in turbulent 1969 Argentina. Estranged from his eccentric parents, young Valentín (Rodrigo Noya) yearns for a real family and dreams about being an astronaut. He befriends a recluse neighbor, forms an unlikely friendship with one of his father's many ex-girlfriends and sets out to discover the harsh realities about his parents, all the while bringing joy and wisdom into the lives of the adults around him. Rodrigo Noya stars along side 5 time Goya Award nominee Carmen Maura in this funny, feel good film in the tradition of Amelie and Cinema Paradiso. Reception to follow at Eleven50, 1150 Peachtree Street. Winged Migration *F Dir. Jacques Perrin, Documentary, France, 89 min., 35mm Rich Auditorium, Saturday, June 14 @ 12:00pm Man has long dreamt of flying since the beginning of time. Imagine being among the first to transform this dream into reality! Featuring locations in 40 countries, and all 7 continents, Academy Award® Nominee Jacques Perrin (Microcosmos) brings the mysterious travel of bird migration to the screen with astounding authenticity, utilizing five crews of more than 450 people, including 17 pilots and 14 cinematographers. The film covers landscapes that range from the Eiffel Tower and Monument Valley to the remote reaches of the Arctic and the Amazon. All manner of man-made machines were employed, including planes, gliders, helicopters and balloons, and numerous innovative techniques and ingeniously designed cameras were engineered to allow the filmmakers to fly alongside, above, below and in front of their subjects. Recently nominated for a 2003 Academy Award® in the Best Documentary category, Winged Migration is a film of staggering beauty that opens one's eyes to the ineffable wonders of the natural world.