PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 1997 FILMS

Features AH CHUNG Taiwan/Republic of China, 1996 Director: Chang Tso-chi Producer: Lin Tien-jung Screenwriter: Chang Tso-chi Cinematographer: Chang Chan Editor: Liao Ching-song Music: Chang Yi Leading Players: Liu Sheng-chung, Chiou Shio-min, Tsai Chieh-der, Lu Ying, Chang Chiao-ming, Ho Huang-chi, Hsu Ling-tsan, Chen Ming Print Source: Hong Rong Film Company 97 minutes The practices of Taiwan's folk religions involve the performances of ceremonies before the Gods. This startling and unique film centers on Pa Chia Chiang, the most solemn, the most imposing, the most stunning and mysterious of all the ceremonial rituals or performances. Life hasn't been good for Ah Chung's family. His younger brother is retarded and was recently almost killed by a truck illegally dumping waste in a nearby national wildlife preserve. Ah Chung's stepfather rapes his sister; his father is an alcoholic; and his grandfather is senile. Convinced that their bad luck stems from a failure to worship the Gods properly, Ah Chung's mother makes him join the Pa Chia Chiang and adopt his father's name as a pseudonym. When their luck doesn't change, Ah Chung's mother blames him for not sincerely practicing the sacred ritual. ANOTHER MOTHER de nieuwe moeder Holland, 1996 Director: Paula van der Oest Producer: Rene Scholten Screenwriter: Paula van der Oest, Stan Lapinski Cinematographer: Brigit Hillenius Editor: Menno Boerema Music: Fons Merkies Leading Players: Janis Reinis, Arys Adamsons, Geert de Jong, Evert de Jager, Hannah van Lunteren Print Source: Studio Nieuwe Gronden 95 minutes The year is 1992 and Latvia has been independent of the Soviet Union for two years. Elvis, a ten year old Latvian boy, is traumatized after witnessing his own mother's death. His father, Juris, desparate to help his son, kidnaps Elvis from the hospital and goes off in search of another mother for his child. Due to Latvia's difficult economic and social situation, Juris sees his Dutch childhood pen-pal, Marie, as the only solution. "Another Mother" shares the story of this father and sons' journey across Holland and their adventures after they locate Elvis' new mother. U.S. Premiere THE BATTLE OF THE JAVA SEA De Slag in de Javazee Netherlands, 1995 Director: Niek Koppen Producer: Eddy Wijingaarde Screenwriter: Niek Koppen Cinematographer: Kester Dixon Editor: Erik Disselhoff Print Source: Holland Film Promotion 138 minutes On February 27, 1942, the northern coast of Java in the Dutch East Indies was witness to one of WWII's most devastating, one-sided sea battles. A fleet of battleships from the United States, Australia, England, and the Netherlands attempted to organize a force to hold back the Japanese offensive. Within a few hours, almost the entire Allied fleet was sunk, while the Japanese escaped virtually unharmed. The fighting cost 2,000 men their lives. In "The Battle of the Java Sea" fifty survivors of this brutal battle relive the terror and outline their own version of truth and reality. This documentary tells a personal and emotional story, chronologically detailing the events of the battle from several points of view. "The Battle of the Java Sea" provides an understanding into the baffling lunacy of war and the role of the individual in history. BETWEEN PANCHO VILLA AND A NAKED WOMAN Entre Pancho Villa y una Mujer Desnuda Mexico, 1995 Director: Sabina Berman, Isabelle Tardan Producer: Hugo Green, Maika Bernard Screenwriter: Sabina Berman Cinematographer: Claudio Rocha Editor: Javier Bourges Music: Annette Fradera Leading Players: Diana Bracho, Arturo Rios, Jesus Ochoa, Pilar Mata, Gabriel Porras Print Source: Televicine Productions 100 minutes Gina, an aspiring, fortyish divorcee, wants more out of her casual relationship with Adrian, a liberal intellectual. Adrian is writing a biography on Pancho Villa's life and he uses the famed historical figure as a role model in dealing with the opposite sex. Hence, he desires good sex but shies away from commitment. Fed up with Adrian's sexist ways, Gina takes a young lover. His pride damaged, Adrian looks to Pancho Villa himself for help in winning back Gina. This romantic comedy was the winner of the audience prize at the Guadalajara Film Festival in March 1996 and a hit at the Mexican box-office. Official Oscar Submission Mexico THE BIRDS U.S.A., 1963 Director: Alfred Hitchcock Producer: Alfred Hitchcock Screenwriter: Daphne du Maurier Cinematographer: Robert Burks Editor: George Tomasini Music: Bernard Herrmann (as consultant) Leading Players: Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette Print Source: Universal Pictures 119 minutes The Palm Beach International Film Festival will honor the Master of Suspense, Sir Alfred Hitchcock with a gala tribute and special screening of his 1963 landmark horror film "The Birds". His chilling tale is set in the quiet town of Bodega Bay where the residents are suddenly confronted with a malicious, full-scale attack by birds of all shapes and sizes. "The Birds" is a monumental technical achievement of its time. While under the guidance of bird trainer Ray Berwick, Hitchock employed thousands of real birds and his own ingenuity to create the terrifying and undeniable reality of seemingly impossible events. BOXED U.S.A., 1996 Director: Robert Mulligan Producer: Robert Mulligan, Trevor Tong, Fausto Santos Screenwriter: Robert Mulligan Cinematographer: Trevor Tong Editor: Trevor Tong Leading Players: Whit Washing, Halle Markle, Jacob Harran Print Source: Overlord Films, Inc. 77 minutes "Boxed" is a tale of two young adults who are desperately trying to remain faithful to the pure, simple aspects of life as they find themselves trapped in an unpredictable society. Jonathan, a hitman, and Lisa, a drug runner, are trapped in lifestyles they did not create or entirely choose. The uncertainty of New York City is juxtaposed with the serenity of suburbia, a world that is quintessentially American. Torn between the two, Jonathan and Lisa find themselves helplessly drawn toward the trill of danger and the often lethal consequences. "Boxed" is the story of their visions of innocence and young adulthood and how these visions are superseded by acts of passion and deceit as both come to terms with their true identities. BRASSED OFF United Kingdom, 1996 Director: Mark Herman Producer: Steve Abbott Screenwriter: Mark Herman Cinematographer: Andy Collins Editor: Michael Ellis Music: Trevor Jones Leading Players: Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor Print Source: Miramax Films 107 minutes The local brass band, a spirited group of Yorkshire men, has their first shot at the national championship. But there's one thing that might stand in their way. The Grimley mining pit is facing closure, which would mean the end of the town's legendary band. The conductor, Danny, is oblivious to everything but the band's fate, even when conflicts are surfacing between friends, family, colleagues and lovers. "Brassed Off", set against the backdrop of the controversial mining pit closure program of 1992 and 1993, is a moving and fitting tribute to the defiant spirit of a small community. BROKEN ENGLISH New Zealand, 1996 Director: Gregor Nicholas Producer: Robin Scholes Screenwriter: Gregor Nicholas, Johanna Pigott, Jim Salter Cinematographer: John Toon Editor: David Coulson Music: Murray Grindlay, Murray McNabb Leading Players: Rade Serbedzija, Aleksandra Vujcic, Julian Arahanga, Marton Csokas Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics 90 minutes Croatian born Nina escapes with her family from their war ravaged homeland to the culturally mixed suburbs of Auckland, New Zealand. Smothered by the controlling love of her volatile father, Ivan, Nina finds tender romance when she falls in love with Eddie, a New Zealand native, a Maori. Frustrated, Nina knows there is no chance that she and Eddie can afford to start their own life together, until she's offered a large sum of money to marry Chinese political refugee, Wu, in order to allow him resident status. Ivan learns of Nina's marriage of convenience and is further enraged when he discovers Nina is pregnant with Eddie's child. Desperate to reassert control over her, Ivan risks alienating his entire family when he tries to tear Nina away from the man she truly loves. CAUSE ÔN DEFECT U.S.A., 1996 Director: Dave Wewee, Tom Greenhut Producer: Dave Wewee, Tom Greenhut Screenwriter: Dave Wewee, Tom Greenhut Cinematographer: Sal Aridi Editor: Ken Schretzmann Music: Chris Violette Leading Players: Dan Handfield, Brad Sergi, Ken Arquelio, Daniel Murray Print Source: BigTop Productions, Inc. 94 minutes This slick paced, dark comedy chronicles the life of a young man from Oregon. In the course of the film he follows his girlfriend to Los Angeles, drops out of college, and then breaks up with his girlfriend. He ends up becoming a delivery boy for a drug dealer. It takes near death experiences in the drug world to force Danny to look deep within himself to find happiness and a pathway home. World Premiere CHASING THE KIDNEYSTONE Jakten pa nyresteinen Norway, 1996 Director: Vibeke Idsoe Producer: John M. Jacobsen Screenwriter: Vibeke Idsoe Cinematographer: Kjell Vassdal Editor: Hakon Overas Music: Ragner Bjerkreim Leading Players: Torbjorn T. Jensen, Benjamin Helstad, Jenny Skavlan, Terje Stromdahl Print Source: Spelling Films International 91 minutes You are about to embark on an amazing journey full of magic and adventureÉ a journey through the human body. When 8-year-old Simon's grandfather falls ill, Simon feels helpless. But, Simon's wise Teddy Bear concocts a magical potion that reduces the boy to microscopic size and enables him to venture into his grandfather's body. Once inside, Simon enlists the help of a young white blood cell, "Mapster", and a pale little blood cell "Alveola". With the help of a few other colorful characters, the trio of friends fight off the evil "Halitosis", "Ms. Bile" and the gang of "Salt Pirates." Charming and inventive, Academy Award-nominated producer John M. Jacobsen's saga symbolizes young heroism and a love that spans generations. A CHEF IN LOVE France, 1996 Director: Nana Dzhordzhadze Producer: Marc Ruscart Screenwriter: Irakli Kvirikadze Cinematographer: Guiorgui Beridze Editor: Vessela Martschewski, Giuli Grigoriani Music: Goran Bregovic Leading Players: Pierre Richard, Micheline Presle, Nino Kirtadze, Teimour Kahmhadze, Jean-Yves Gautier, Ramaz Tchkhikvadze Print Source: Sony Pictures Classic 100 minutes In present day Paris, Museum Curator Anton Gogoladz is introduced to the photographer Marcelle Ichac, niece of the illustrious chef, Pascal Ichac. Marcelle gifts Anton with an unpublished manuscript written by her uncle, detailing the secrets of his final journey in Georgia in the 1920s. Recalling that his mother, Princess Cecilia Abachidze, worshiped Pascal Ichac and considered his book 1001 Recipes of a Chef in Love as important as the Bible, Anton devours the text. The manuscript reveals an unsuspected love affair between Pascal and Cecilia, who dies at her jealous husband's hand ten years after the affair. Enlightened and inspired by the manuscript, Anton celebrates a new identity and mourns the loss of a father he never knew. "A Chef in Love" is the story of a man filled with love, love for a woman, love for his craft and a renewed love for life. U.S. Premiere Academy Award NomineeBest Foreign Language Film Georgia THE CHERRY PICK De Kersenpluk Holland, 1996 Director: Arno Kranenborg Producer: Rene Scholten Screenwriter: Arno Kranenborg, Steven van Galen Cinematographer: Goert Giltaij Editor: Stefan Kamp Music: Wouter van Bemmel Leading Players: Finbarr Wilbrink, Anton Starke, Ricky Koole, Lukas Dijkema, Dirk Kuik, Anthony Starke Print Source: Studio Nieuwe Gronden 95 minutes Every year in the cherry season, Jan visits his Grandpa and Grandma in the country where he and his distant cousin, Marie, help his grandparents with the cherry harvest. Things are different the year that Jan turns thirteen. His Grandma has died and Jan has realized his love for Marie. Grandpa, as if unable to bear the loss of his wife, dies the following winter. The boy returns to bury his grandfather and has a brief encounter with Marie that makes him realize they will never be united. It is Jan's first lesson in love. U.S. Premiere COMMANDMENTS U.S.A., 1996 Director: Daniel Taplitz Producer: Ivan Reitman, Michael Chinich, Hoe Medjuck, Daniel Goldberg Screenwriter: Daniel Taplitz Cinematographer: Slawomir Idziak Editor: Stuart Pappe Music: Joseph Virarelli Leading Players: Aidan Quinn, Courteney Cox, Anthony LaPaglia Print Source: Gramercy Pictures 105 minutes There is a saying that God only gives you as much as you can handle. Well, he gave devout Catholic Seth Warner too much. On an afternoon beach trip with his pregnant wife, Seth takes a nap on the sand and wakes up to find her gone, presumed dead. Then, a freak tornado all but destroys his New York apartment and he loses his job as a pediatrician. Unable to handle any more, Seth attempts to jump from the roof of his apartment building, only to be struck by lightening-and live. Seth, to spite God, decides he's going to break all of The Ten Commandments-imagining he'll either give up, get killed, or drop dead. But God-or someone else-decides to send Seth Warner to a place he could have never imagined. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF FINBAR Ireland/Sweden, 1996 Director: Sue Clayton Producer: Bertil Ohlsson, Martin Bruce-Clayton Screenwriter: Dermot Bolger Cinematographer: Eduardo Serra AFC Editor: J. Patrick Duffner Music: Davy Spillane Leading Players: Luke Griffin, Jonathan Rhys-Myers, Fanny Risberg Film Source: First City Films/Sampson Films/Victoria Film 105 minutes This engaging drama combines warm offbeat humor with a sideways look at the remote exotic corners of Europe. Finbar lives in a bizarre small community of houses that are shadowed by a giant flyover which sails over their heads on its way to a Europe they know nothing about. One cold, rainy night, goaded by his friends, Finbar climbs to the top of the flyoverÉ and disappears. A search reveals nothing-no body, no traces, no clues. It is up to Danny, Finbar's best friend, to discover what actually happened. He embarks on a journey where he encounters love, wild tango bands, crazy dancing, fires and fights in the driving snow. Through it all he learns what holds people together and what tears them apart. U.S. Premiere THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KEVIN JOHNSON U.S.A., 1996 Director: Francis Megahy Producer: Scott Wolf Screenwriter: Francis Megahy Cinematographer: John C. Newby Music: John Coda Leading Players: Pierce Brosnan, James Coburn, Dudley Moore, Michael Brandon, Kari Wuhrer, Richard Beymer, John Hillard. Print Source: Wobbley Scope, Inc. 105 minutes This fictional documentary film confuses fact with fantasy, actors with real people. It takes the audience on a seemingly real investigation through the glamorous and extremely competitive world of The Movie Industry. Kevin Johnson, a wealthy Englishman, came to Los Angeles to break into the movie business. This wannabe producer wooed stars, directors, and studio executives. Just as he was on the verge of achieving his dream, he suddenly vanished. Now, a British TV crew shooting a documentary in Hollywood stumbles across his disappearance. Intrigued, they begin to investigate. The industry figures all have one thing in common-none of them know what happened to Kevin Johnson, until the end, when his real plan is exposed and the ingenious crime behind his disappearance is explained. World Premiere EROTIC TALES I The Cloud Door-India/Germany, 1994 Director: Mani Kaul This adaptation of several Indian stories of a young man's love for a beautiful princess and his attempt to enter her chambers with the help of a talking parrot - the princess' pet. The Dutch Master-U.S.A./Germany, 1994 Director: Susan Seidelman A Brooklyn dental hygienist starts acting strange before her wedding and becomes obsessed with a handsome young man she has seen in a seventeenth century Dutch painting. The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch-U.K./Germany, 1994 Director: Ken Russell Set in a hotel on the Dorset coast of England, this tale tells of the misguided passion of a writer who becomes intrigued by the mysterious Mrs. Kirsch. Touch Me-Australia/Germany, 1994 Director: Paul Cox Two young women escape the city and their frustrating relationships for a weekend alone in the country. The hills around Melbourne provide the setting for a sensual awakening. Vroom, Vroom, Vroom-U.S.A./Germany, 1994 Director: Melvin van Peebles Down in the bayous, no one takes any notice of Leroy - until an old witch grants him some very unusual wishes. He asks for a new motorcycle and gets more than he had bargained for. Wet-U.S.A./Germany, 1994 Director: Bob Rafelson A tete-a-tete in a store for luxury bathroom fixtures in L.A. The manager is overzealous to make to much needed sale to a beautiful ladyÉbut there are strings attached. EROTIC TALES II Devilish Education-Poland/Germany, 1995 Director: Janusz Majewski Once upon a time, on an idyllic countryside, the milkmaid Gosia meets a stranger in black who asks to paint her in the nude. She consents and he introduces her to the secret pleasures of lifeÉ Elephants Never Forget-Germany, 1996 Director: Detlev Buck The comely Countess Lilly von Teltow is rescued from a bad car accident by the dwarf Ramon with the help of his circus elephant. Promised a reward, Ramon ventures to request a night to rememberÉ Hotel Paradise-U.K./Germany, 1995 An attractive woman emerges from a dreadful hangover in the bridal suite of a luxury hotel. To her surprise handcuffed to a naked man in bed next to herÉ a stranger, and this is her wedding day! Sambolico-Brazil/Finland/Germany, 1996 Director: Mika Kaurismaki A Finnish conductor on the Copacabana meets a young woman on the run. The encounter leads to a sensual journey through Rio's nightclubs and into the throbbing rhythms of the Samba season. Sweeties-Italy/Germany, 1995 Director: Cinzia Th. Torrini Anna's physical decline is irreversible, but she is still a voluptuous woman. When diets and aerobics fail to revive her husband's sexual interest, she turns to a fortune teller for a bag of magic sweets. The Waiting Room-Netherlands/Germany, 1996 Director: Jos Stelling To while the time away in the waiting room of a railway station, a well-dressed man gives way to his fantasy of undressing women with his eyes. Along comes a beautiful blonde in blue, who meets the challenge. FAMILY Familia Spain, 1996 Director: Fernando Leon de Aranoa Producer: Elias Querejeta Screenwriter: Fernando Leon de Aranoa Cinematographer: Alfredo Mayo Editor: Nacho Ruiz-Capillas Music: Stephane Grappelli Leading Players: Juan Luis Galiardo, Amparo Munoz, Agata Lys, Chete Lera Print Source: Esicma 102 minutes We join a rather large family gathered at the home of Santiago to celebrate his 55th birthday. They shower him with kisses, presents, jokes, and love. But, as the story unfolds, it becomes evident that this sizable family is merely a group of actors hired to enliven a lonely man's birthday. Is it possible for Santiago to fake a family? One woman holds the answer to that question. This satirical comedy is 28 year old Fernando Leon's directing debut, a debut that won him the best young director prize at this year's Valladolid festival. U.S. Premiere FIX U.S.A., 1996 Director: Richard Zelniker Producer: James DeRin, Richard Zelniker, Pierre-Richard Muller Screenwriter: Richard Zelniker Cinematographer: Dimitri Djanbani Editor: Duncan Burns Music: Ron Sures Leading Players: Lisa Collins, Burr Steers, James Patrick Stuart Print Source: Cinema Arts Entertainment 90 minutes "Fix" is an offbeat psycho-sexual character-driven piece. A story about the psychology of sexuality with an unforgettable twist. Two brothers. A woman. Family secrets. Lies. Deception. And betrayal. We watch as the cycle is finally broken and the truth uncovered. The unique romantic triangle that develops forces all three to come to terms with their personal demons as a family secret is finally exposed and healed. World Premiere FOR ROSEANNA U.S.A., 1996 Director: Paul Weiland Producer: Paul Trijbits, Dario Poloni, Alison Owen Screenwriter: Saul Turteltaub Cinematographer: Henry Braham Editor: Martin Walsh Music: Trevor Jones Leading Players: Jean Reno, Mercedes Ruehl, Polly Walker, Mark Frankel Print Source: Fine Line Features 120 minutes This bittersweet comedy centers around Marcello, the proprietor of a trattoria in an Italian village. His beloved wife, Roseanna, is terminally ill and has only one dream-to be buried in the local cemetery. Marcello will stop at nothing to make sure that her dream comes true. Director Paul Weiland comments, "It's a love story first; and, because Roseanna is dying, the emotions are very strong. But at the same time, Reno's character is very funny as he frantically tries to keep everyone in his village alive so that his dying wife can be buried exactly where she wants." GUANTANAMERA Cuba/Spain/Germany, 1995 Director: Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio Producer: Geraldo Herrero Screenwriter: EliseoDiego Marruz, Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio Cinematographer: Hans Burmann Editor: Carmen Frias Music: Jose Nieto Leading Players: Carlos Cruz, Mirtha Ibarra, Raul Eguren, Jorge Perugorria, Pedro Fernandez, Luis Alberto Garcia, Conchita Brando, Suset Perez Malberti Print Source: Cinepix Film Properties 101 minutes Chronicling the trials and tribulations of present-day Cuban life, "Guantanamera" will evoke both a laugh and a tear as it tells the story of a bureaucrat, Aldolfo, and his wife, Georgina. Funerals have become a heater political issue due to the country's limited fuel supply. Adolfo attempts to deal with the chronic lack of gasoline by suggesting that all gasoline coupons be pooled and all the townships work together in transporting the deceased to their resting place. This seemingly simple solution exposes all of the obstacles and realities of bureaucracy and socialism in a struggling nation. Meanwhile, Georgina's Aunt Yoyita has returned to her birthplace of Guantanamo to reunite with her young love, Candido. Shortly after, Yoyita dies and Adolfo is able to test his new plan by transporting her body back to Havana. Georgina joins her husband and Candido for a modest journey that will transform their lives. HANDS ON A HARDBODY ~ the documentary U.S.A., 1996 Director: Seth Robbins Bindler Producer: S.R. Bindler, P.K. Morris, C.J. Wilson Cinematographer: S.R. Bindler, C.J. Wilson, M.A. Nickles Editor: S.R. Bindler Music: Neal Kassanoff Print Source: H.O.H.B. Productions 97 minutes This documentary centers on "Hands on a Hardbody," a contest to win a $15,000 truck from the largest truck dealership in the East Texas City of Longview. Twenty-three intriguing East Texans physically and mentally torture themselves for over three days by keeping their hands on the object of their desire: the prize truck. THE HANDSOME THING U.S.A., 1996 Director: Frank Ciota Producer: Michael King Screenwriter: Joseph A. Ciota Cinematographer: Jonathan Bekemeier Editor: George Chiochios Music: Adam Steinberg Leading Players: Frank Vincent, Tony Darrow, Matt Del Negro, Lina Sivio, Mark Hartmann, Peter Marciano Print Source: Mavex Productions 100 Minutes This drama takes place in a changing world where the rules and values that once held a community together are being threatened by a new breed of immigrant. The Handsome Thing is a tale of territory, possession and respect that unfolds in Boston's "Little Italy," the North End. Dom DiBela, mobster turned actor turned mobster, returns to protect his beloved neighborhood from the hoards of real estate developers, college grads and Moroccan hoods that threaten the once close knit Italian quarter. Into the neighborhood move Harvard Graduates, Freddie Fabucci, an aspiring Director, and "Mac" McCain, a high salaried investment broker. They both fall in love with DiBella's beautiful godchild, Danielle. Now, it is up to DiBella to teach them to do the handsome thing. World Premiere HOLLOW REED Great Britain, 1996 Director: Angela Pope Producer: Elizabeth Karlsen Screenwriter: Paula Milne Cinematographer: Remi Adefarasin Editor: Sue Wyatt Music: Anne Dudley Leading Players: Martin Donovan, Joely Richardson, Ian Hart, Sam Bould Print Source: Cinepix Film Properties 106 minutes This suspense film centers on the agonizing, true-story of a child custody battle. It opens on pre-teen Oliver running from some unseen danger. He claims to have been beaten by a gang of older boys. At the hospital, we meet Oliver's divorced parents, Martyn and Hannah, who are barely able to remain civil. Martyn left his wife to enter into a homosexual relationship, inspiring Hannah's lawyers to argue that custody of Oliver should go to his mother. But the horror begins to unfold as we look deeper into Hannah's household and the darkness therein. Prepare yourself for a chilling and somewhat explicit ride. INTIMATE RELATIONS U.S.A., 1996 Director: Philip Goodhew Producer: Angela Hart, Lisa Hope, Jon Slan Screenwriter: Philip Goodhew Cinematographer: Andres Garreton Editor: Pia di Ciaula Music: Lawrence Shragge Leading Players: Laura Sadler, Rupert Graves, Julie Walters Print Source: Fox Searchlight 102 minutes "Intimate Relations" takes a true story of obsession and murder and tells it with a black comedic edge. The year is 1954 and Mr. & Mrs. Beasley appear to be living blissfully in a small homespun town. Mr. Beasley's reputation is based on valiant service on the battlefield of the First World War, while Marjorie is credited with expertise on the homefront. She is the perfect housewife, quick with the duster and a champion of domestic chore. But, when you look behind the curtains of their impeccable home, you see that seeds of discontent have been sown. THE LAST BIG THING U.S.A., 1996 Director: Dan Zukovic Producer: Valadimir Perlovich, Anthony Rubenstein Screenwriter: Dan Zukovic Cinematographer: M. David Mullen Editor: Markus Lofstrom Music: Cole Coonce Leading Players: Dan Zukovic, Susan Heimbinder, Pamela Dickerson, Mark Ruffalo Print Source: Rice Arts Management 98 minutes A charismatic info-anarchist and part culture terrorist, Simon Geist, is not happy with what he sees as the wilted civilization of present day Los Angeles; so he makes an "agenda." For most of the film, he poses as a publisher interviewing up-and-coming actors, rock stars, and models for "The Next Big Thing"-a magazine that doesn't even exist. His insulting questions create both enemies and disciples, including Darla, a trust-fund Generation-Xer who chronicles Geist's exploits; a beautiful model named Tedra, who actually finds him amusing; and a pair of actors he once "interviewed," who mysteriously show up at his house. The stage is set for a series of unexpected turns, including the possible co-option and fall of Geist, and the rise of his disciple Darla, who may have her own agenda. THE LAY OF THE LAND U.S.A., 1996 Director: Producer: Screenwriter: Cinematographer: Editor: Music: Leading Players: Ed Begley, Jr., Sally Kellerman, Sandra Taylor, Tyne Daly, Stuart Margolin Print Source: Jonathan Krane Group É minutes Adapted from an award-winning play of the same title, "The Lay of the Land" takes a first hand look at the trials and tribulations of marriage. Husband and wife, Harvey and M.J. Dankworth teach at the same university. When M.J. discovers that Harvey is having an affair with one of his graduate students she contemplates killing him or the student. But, luckily she is called away unexpectedly to Brazil. M.J. returns home to Harvey, but she's gotten pregnant while in Brazil and he lost his job because of the affair. Unable to handle any more pressure, Harvey suffers a breakdown. When he returns from the hospital, he still loves M.J. But, can their marriage survive? LITTLE ANGEL Engelchen Germany, 1996 Director: Helke Misselwitz Producer: Thomas Wilkening Screenwriter: Helke Misselwitz Cinematographer: Thomas Plenert Editor: Gudrun Steinbruck Leading Players: Susanne Lothar, Cezary Pazura, Sophie Rois, Herbert Fritsch Print Source: Thomas Wilkening Film 89 minutes Ramona had surrendered herself to the dull and boring life of a Berlin factory worker when a stranger, Andrzej, grabbed her and kissed her passionately. Although Andrzej, a Polish cigarette vendor, was only seeking the mask of wife to avoid the wrath of the police as they raided the black market, his kiss awakened Ramona to an undiscovered world of passion and desire. A tender affair develops as Ramona gives herself completely to Andrzej who, despite overwhelming obstacles, is truly devoted and cares for her deeply. Afraid to lose the love and security of Andrzej, Ramona hides the miscarriage of the baby they were both anxiously anticipating. Her plan to steal another baby brings the film to a disturbing climax as the audience sees how far Ramona has come from the plain and unloved factory girl to a woman of passion and crime. U.S. Premiere MAHJONG Taiwan/Republic of China, 1996 Director: Edward Yang Producer: Yu Wei-yen Screenwriter: Edward Yang Cinematographer: Li Yixu, Li Longyu Editor: Chen Bowen Music: Forward Music Company Leading Players: Virginie Ledoyen, Tang Congsheng, Ke Yuluen, Zhang Zhen, Wang Qizan, Nick Erickson Print Source: Atom Films 121 minutes This complex narrative introduces Marthe, a young woman from Paris, who comes to Taipei to continue an affair with an Englishman she met in London. However, he is no longer interested in her and has taken up with a flighty Chinese girl. Meanwhile, Red Fish, a gang leader, is under surveillance by underworld thugs who hope to find his father, a businessman who owes the crime bosses $100 million. Marthe ends up in a relationship with Leun-leun, the only member of the Red Fish gang that speaks English. Each of the characters in "Mahjong," are drawn together by a web of incidents that neither their innocence nor their supposed street smarts can help them resolve. Yang paints a of portrait of a lost generation whose search for a solution only causes more problems. MARGARET'S MUSEUM Canada, 1995 Director: Mort Ransen Producer: Mort Ransen, Christopher Zimmer, Claudio Luca, Steve Clark-Hall Screenwriter: Gerald Wexler, Mort Ransen Cinematographer: Vic Sarin Editor: Rita Roy Music: Milan Kymlicka Leading Players: Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Nelligan, Clive Russell, Craig Olejnik, Kenneth Welsh, Andrea Morris, Peter Boretski Print Source: Cinepix Film Properties 118 minutes The period is the late 1940s. Margaret MacNeil lives in Glace Bay, a small mining town on Cape Breton Island where coal mining is a way of life-and death. Since her father and older brother were lost in mining accidents, Margaret has tended to her grandfather who suffers from "black lung," the coalminer's disease. She is justifiably moody and angry, and vows never to marry a miner. Then Neill enters her world, bringing romance and the hope to escape from the poverty and hardship she has endured. Helena Bonham Carter gives a tour de force performance, at last freed from mannered period pieces, and Kate Nelligan is equally effective as her long-suffering mother. This moving film, which chronicles Margaret's struggle for a better life, is set against the overwhelming difficulties faced by a community whose existence is completely dependent on a dangerous undertaking. MILK & MONEY U.S.A., 1996 Director: Michael Bergmann Producer: Ted Hartley, Michael Bergmann Screenwriter: Michael Bergmann Cinematographer: Irek Hartowicz Editor: Ardythe Ashley Leading Players: Robert Petkoff, Sarah Winkler, Denise Faye, Margaret Colin, Peter Boyle, Robert Vaughn, Calista Flockhart, Olympia Dukakis, Dina Merrill, Robert Stattel Print Source: RKO Pictures 86 minutes "Milk & Money's" central character, David, drops out of medical school to search for a purpose in life. With his sudden lack of direction and his agreeable nature, David is led into a series of intertwined adventures. First he meets a woman on the streets of New York, Nancy, and agrees to make a film with her that could take years. Then he agrees to watch a mysterious package for another woman. There is the less than twenty-four hour love affair with Lorraine, the homeless man he takes to his parents for dinner, and the woman he encounters who fills her refrigerator with love letters to an unrequited love. He also engages in a business deal that leads to the mistaken delivery of twenty-one cows to the elegant apartment of Nancy's Uncle Andre on Central Park West. Lastly, David meets Uncle Andre's mistress, Christine, while she is milking one of the cows in the apartment. With the help of eccentric trustee Goneril Plogg, David and Christine will not only bolster each other's self-esteem, but they will begin to build a life together. One of the greatest pleasures of this sexy, outrageous film is trying to guess how all of the elements tie together. PILLOW BOOK United Kingdom/France/Holland, 1995 Director: Peter Greenaway Producer: Kees Kasander Screenwriter: Peter Greenaway Cinematographer: Sacha Vierny Editor: Chris Wyatt, Peter Greenaway Leading Players: Vivian Wu, Yoshi Oida, Ken Ogata, Hideko Yoshida Print Source: Cinepix Film Properties 123 minutes When Nagiko was a child in Kyoto, her father, a calligrapher, wrote a birthday greeting on her face. As a woman, Nagiko remembers the event and decides to look for a calligrapher that will use her whole body as his paper. In Hong Kong, she finds an English translator, Jerome, who convinces her that she should be the pen and he should be the paper. Then, he can carry her writings, on his skin, to a publisher. The plan works only too well. Jealousy pulls Nagiko and Jerome apart. In an effort to win Nagiko back, Jerome attempts to fake his suicide. In a disastrous turn of events, Jerome is killed. Nagiko, grieving, writes a beautiful poem on Jerome's corpse and then buries him. The publisher exhumes Jerome's body and flays his skin to make a delicate pillow book of Nagiko's text. Nagiko must have the precious pillowbook for herself, no matter what the cost. U.S. Premiere PRETTY VILLAGE, PRETTY FLAME Lepa Sela, Lepa Gore Yugoslavia, 1996 Director: Srdjan Dragojevic Producer: Goran Bjelogrlic, Dragan Bjelogrlic Screenwriter: Vanja Bulic Srdjan, Dragojevic Nikola Pejakovic Cinematographer: Dusan Joksimovic Editor: Petar Markovic Music: Aleksander Habic Leading Players: Dragan Bejrlogrlic, Nikola Kojo, Velimir Bata Zivojinovic, Dragan Maksimovic, Zoran Cvijanovic, Nikola Pejakovic Print Source: Cobra Film Production 128 minutes "Pretty Village, Pretty Flame" centers on Bosnia's brutal, senseless, and manipulative war between the Serbs and the Muslims. One moment best friends Milan, a Serb, and Halil, a Muslim are drinking and laughing together and the next they are on opposite sides of a tunnel in a bloody stand off. After the fighting, Serbs and Muslims nurse their wounds in the same hospital. When the lights go out, and the halls are silent, Milan sneaks out of his bed to where the Muslims are berthed. He attempts to reconcile his friendship with Halil and accept his identity as a Serb militant while memories of war are still fresh in his mindÉ Official Oscar Submission Yugoslavia THE QUIET ROOM Australia, 1996 Director: Rolf de Heer Producer: Rolf de Heer, Giuseppe Pedersoli Screenwriter: Rolf de Heer Cinematographer: Tony Clark Editor: Tania Nehme Music: Graham Tardif Leading Players: Chloe Ferguson, Celine O'Leary, Paul Blackwell, Phoebe Ferguson Print Source: Fine Line Features 93 minutes Although this seven year-old girl won't talk, she'll invite you to join the games that she plays in her head. The little girl uses her fish, her toys, her room, and her imagination to deal with the break-up of her parents' marriage. "Quiet Room" is an engaging depiction of adolescent resolve. ROBERT RYLANDS' LAST JOURNEY Spain, 1996 Director: Gracia Querejeta Producer: Elias Querejeta Screenwriter: Elias Querejeta, Gracia Querejeta Cinematographer: Antonio Pueche Editor: Nacho Ruiz-Capillas Music: Angel Illarramendi Leading Players: Ben Cross, William Franklyn, Cathy Underwood, Kenneth Colley, Gary Piquer, Maurice Denham, Perdita Weeks, Lalita Ahmed, Karl Collins Print Source: Alta Films 103 minutes Based on a novel by Javier Marias, the film revolves around the return of Professor Robert Rylands to a small university town after a ten-year absence, and the effect this has on his friends and former lovers. The focus is on the university lecturer Alfred, his sister Jill and her ten-year-old daughter, Sue, and their Spanish houseguest, Juan. It's soon clear that not all is right in the household. Alfred suffers from an unknown ailment that causes fainting spells and impairs his left hand. Jill, who's never married or disclosed the identity of Sue's father, seems noticeably edgy when Rylands returns to town. Juan and Sue sense that something isn't right and are determined to find the truth. This mystery also includes an aging college head Hume, who remembers Rylands' controversial academic past, a brainy young black college student Abraham, and Rylands' wise Indian housekeeper, Ahira. The mystery begins to unravel, exposing everyone's exact relationships, when Alfred's illness is diagnosed as terminal. U.S. Premiere SALUT COUSIN! U.S.A., 1996 Director: Merzak Allouache Producer: Jacques Bidou Screenwriter: Merzak Allouache, Caroline Thivel Cinematographer: Pierre Aim Editor: Pierre Abela Music: Safy Boutella Leading Players: Gad Elmaleh, Mess Hattou Film Source: Seventh Art Releasing 97 minutes Salut Cousin! is a light-hearted tale of two sad-luck Algerian cousins loose in the streets of Paris. Alilo has been sent to pick up a suitcase in Paris for his employer. While there, he visits his "cosmopolitan" cousin Mok, an unsuccessful self-proclaimed rap singer. Mok takes Alilo to his run-down digs in the Moskova district of Paris, a tight-knit neighborhood of Third World immigrants. During the five days it takes to hunt down the suitcase, Alilo experiences the dreams and nightmares of being an immigrant and finds the love of his life. Official Oscar Submission Algieria SHADOW PLAY Portraits Chinois France, 1996 Director: Martine Dugowson Producer: Georges Benayoun Screenwriter: Martine Dugowson, Peter Chase Cinematographer: Vincenzo Marano Editor: Noelle Boisson Music: Peter Chase Principal Cast: Helena Bonham Carter, Romane Bohringer, Marie Trintignant, Jean-Claude Brialy, Elsa Zylberstein, Miki Manojlovic, Sergio Castellito Print Source: President Films 116 minutes A moving look at contemporary life in Paris, "Shadow Play," follows the path of nine friends as their lives intersect and collide during two years of work, love, and quarreling. Ana works in a fashion house and is deep in debt after buying an apartment with her screenwriter boyfriend Paul. Paul's partner, Guido, is suffering writer's block, brought on one evening when his girlfriend Stephanie humiliated him. Emma has problems, too-she's a compulsive shopper spending well beyond her means. And then there are Nina, Alphonse, Yves, Lise and Saint-Loup. There is only one thing these friends have in common: lying. It may just well be that the falsehoods they tell and the truths they conceal are the glue that holds their friendships together. Nonetheless, as they dine and party together, pain hidden beneath their banter slowly surfaces and we realize profound human issues are being examined. Some are comical, some are sad, all of it is very real. SHALL WE DANCE? Japan, 1996 Director: Masayuki Suo Producer: Shoji Masui, Yuji Ogata Screenwriter: Masayuki Suo Cinematographer: Naoki Kayano Editor: Jun'Ichi Kikuchi Music: Yoskikazu Suo Leading Players: Koji Yakusyo, Tamiyo Kusakari, Naoto Takenaka, Eriko Wantanabe Print Source: Miramax Films 135 minutes Syohei, a 42 year-old accountant with a faithful wife and adorable daughter, appears to lead a perfect life. But he feels something is missing. One night on his subway commute, he notices a young woman staring out the window of a dance school. A few days later, unable to get the image of the lonesome dancer out of his mind, he signs up for the beginners dance class. Before long he's caught Mai's eye with his new found passion for dance. Once one of Japan's finest ballroom dancers, Mia has been forced by her father to teach amateurs. By teaching Shohei, she rediscovers the joy of dance. SHAMPOO HORNS Spain, 1996 Director: Manuel Toledano Producer: Elias Querejeta Screenwriter: Manuel Toledano Cinematographer: Alfredo Mayo Editor: Nacho Rojo Leading Players: Jason Reeves, Jonathon Lawrence, Cheyenne Besch, Jason Anthony, Andrew Gallupi, Brie Koyanagi Print Source: Esicma Production 89 minutes Shampoo Horns follows one night in the lives of a group of young people united by sex, drugs, music and a quest for self-esteem, self-expression, and self-support. First we meet Jonathon, the shy and introverted adolescent with low self-esteem and repressed sexuality, who falls in love at first sight with cocaine addict Mark. Then there is Tony who, while experiencing the club scene for the first time, bonds with Brie, a sweet Polynesian drag queen. The third and last story introduces Dennis, an "old school" drag queen, who deserts his best friend Cheyenne to spend the last days of his life isolated in a hotel room. These three stories simultaneously explore the concepts of impossible love and wild hope while offering an engaging and lively depiction of overindulgence, lunacy, and the refusal to grow up. U.S. Premiere SHILOH U.S.A., 1996 Director: Dale Rosenbloom Producer: Zane W. Levitt, Dale Rosenbloom Screenwriter: Dale Rosenbloom Cinematographer: Frank Byers Editor: Mark Westmore Music: Joel Goldsmith Leading Players: Michael Moriarty, Rod Steiger, Blake Heron, Scott Wilson, Bonnie Bartlett, Ann Dowd, Tori Wright Print Source: Legacy Releasing 93 minutes Judd Travers is a mean, bitter man who beats his dogs when they don't behave well. One Beagle decides he has had enough and runs away. He finds his way to the home of eleven-year-old Marty Preston, who names him Shiloh. Knowing Judd is the rightful owner and that the family can't afford to feed the dog, Marty's father, Ray, forces Marty to return Shiloh. Upon his return, Judd kicks the dog, threatens to shoot him the next time he runs away, and throws him in a sweat box to break his will. At the sight of this, Marty takes any odd job he can get, determined to buy Shiloh from Judd. When Shiloh runs away to the Preston home again, the family pulls together to save the little dog from more cruelty. SISTER ISLAND U.S.A., 1996 Director: Avery Crounse Producer: Avery Crounse, Michael Barnard, Nancy Nickerson Screenwriter: Avery Crounse Cinematographer: Michael Barnard Editor: Avery Crounse, Michael Barnard Music: Nigel Holton Leading Players: Karen Black, Kathleen York, Ed Nelson, Erin Buchanan Print Source: Elysian Pictures 110 minutes An unidentified teenage girl is found barely alive on the shores of remote Sister Island, off the shores of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, after surviving Hurricane Camille, the fiercest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. mainland. Dorrie Walsh, a young doctor, takes the young girl, who can not speak and appears to be retarded, under her wing. Dorrie's fragile and damaged relationship with her mother Rose and her complex relationship with the eccentric Dr. Claiborne become interwoven with the fate of the young girl, now named Camille. Convinced that the girl is not retarded, but rather deeply traumatized by early childhood experiences, Dorrie is determined to help her. Alone in her conviction, Dorrie embarks on a dramatic, emotional roller coaster leading to a climatic final courtroom scene where Camille is finally able to confront her lifelong terror. SLEEPING MAN L'Homme Qui Dort Japan, 1996 Director: Kohei Oguri Producer: Munashi Masuzawa, Hiroshi Fujikura Cinematographer: Osame Maruike Screenwriter: Kohei Oguri, Kiyoshi Kenmochi Editor: Nobuo Ogawa Music: Toshio Hosokawa Leading Players: Sung-ki Ahn, Christine Hakim, Koji Yakusho, Masaso Imafuku, Akiko Nomura, Masako Yagi, Fumiyo Kohinata, Takahiro Tamura Print Source: Gold View Company 103 minutes "Sleeping Man," takes place in the village of Hitosuji, which lies along a river flowing out of the mountains. Takuji had an accident in the mountains and lies unconscious in a farmer's house. Tia, a Southeast Asian woman working in a bar, had a son who drowned in a flood caused by deforestation in her own country. Kamimura, Takuji's schoolmate coming to visit his injured friend, remembers how they would play as boys. One day, Takuji's mother notices a dust-devil symbolic of the spirit leaving the body-Takuji is dead. But is death the end of the line? SOULmates U.S.A, 1996 Director: Duane Clark Producer: Cindy Clark, Duane Clark Screenwriter: Duane Clark Cinematographer: M. David Mullen Editor: Cindy Clark, Duane Clark Music: David Russo Leading Players: Zachary Throne, Bill Cobbs, Christine Cavanaugh, Debra Wilson Print Source: Clark Cinema 95 minutes Dean Carter's life is good-he's about to be married, and he's finally been hired to score a motion picture. Then, in one day, he loses his fiancée and is fired by his own father. Feeling as though his life is over he turns his back on everything he holds dear and finds a job as a night attendant at a nursing home. There he meets Mr. Williams, an aging jazz artist estranged from his daughter and at the end of his career, perhaps even his life. Together, the two musicians embark on a journey to rediscover the things that are most important to them. For Dean, it's his music and for Williams, it's the love of family. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD Australia, 1996 Director: John Hillcoat Producer: Denise Patience Screenwriter: Gene Conkie Editor: Stewart Young Music: Nick Cave, Blixa Bargeld, Mick Harvey Leading Players: Tcheky Karyo, Rachel Griffiths, Anni Finsterer Print Source: Australian Film Finance Corporation 100 minutes Jack, mourning the sudden death of his beloved wife Rose, is on a business trip to Melbourne where he meets Kate, a writer. He is immediately struck by her resemblance to Rose. Charmed by Jack and keen to do research for her new book, Kate goes with him to his home along the Sepik River of Papua New Guinea. In the beginning, life in the tropics is the paradise Kate dreamed it would be - sex and love in an erotic setting. But there are dark secrets hidden in the jungle and Jack is dragged slowly into the past, into the disturbing circumstances of his first wife's death. Jack's all-consuming obsession with Kate's resemblance to Rose becomes more and more evident as Kate begins to lose her own identity and fear for her life. TRAVELLER U.S.A., 1996 Director: Jack Green Producer: Bill Paxton, Brian Swardstrom, Mickey Liddell, David Blocker Screenwriter: Jim McGlynn Editor: Michael Ruscio Music: Andy Paley Leading Players: Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, Julianna Margulies Print Source: October Films 100 minutes On the outskirts of almost any town in Ireland, there is a group of people who refer to themselves as Travellers. Their primary vocation is fraud and they are constantly on the move. They marry only within the tribe and share the belief that anyone outside the clan is fair game for exploitation. In the mid-19th century, when the great wave of immigration brought millions of Irish to America fleeing starvation, the Travellers came with them, picking up right where they left off. Pat O'Hara ventures into the grifters' world in the rural South when he buries his father, a former Traveller who was cast out for marrying an outsider. Although shunned by the head of the clan, Pat meets Bokky, who takes him under his wing and teaches him the way of the Travellers. While running con jobs and staying one step ahead of the law, they meet Jean, a hard working bartender and single mother. Pat and Bokky quickly devise a plan to swindle away her hard-earned money, but Bokky encounters an unexpected obstacleÉhis heart. A line is now drawn between the Travellers and gypsies, con artists and marks, family ties and the bond of true love. TREE OF BLOOD Po Di Sangui Guinea-Bissau/France/Tunisia/Portugal, 1996 Director: Flora Gomes Producer: Jean-Pierre Gallepe Screenwriter: Flora Gomes, Anita Fernandez Cinematographer: Vincenzo Marano Editor: Christiane Lack Music: Pablo Cueco Leading Players: Ramiro Naka, Edna Evora, Adama Kouyate, Bia Gomes, Dadu Cisse, Dulcenia Bidjanque, Djuco Bodjan Print Source: Les Matins Films 93 minutes In the village of Amanha Lundju, there is an African folktale tradition: with the birth of every child, a tree is planted. The tree symbolizes the child's soulÉ as the child grows so does the tree. But wood has become rare and trees are being cut down for survival. When the nomad, Dou, comes back from the savannah, his twin, Hami, has just died. Everyone in the village is wondering what Hami died of and what illness is eating away at Amanha Lundju. According to custom, Dou must take the place of his brother and live with Hami's wife and daughter. The young Saly, who was promised to Dou, goes mad with grief and becomes enthralled by the sun. Life in the village becomes completely unhinged when the forestry surveyors arrive from the city. Calacalado, the old witch doctor, sees ominous signs and orders the villagers into the desert. When another child is born, they will return to plant another tree. U.S. Premiere VASKA EASOFF Haggyallogva Vaszka Hungary, 1996 Director: Peter Gothar Producer: Jolan Arvai, Peter Barbalics, Laszio Sipos Screenwriter: Laszlo Bratka, Peter Gothar Cinematographer: Francisco Gozon Editor: Zoltan Vida, Eszter Majoros Music: Gyorgy Orban, Gyorgy Selmeczi Leading Players: Maksim Sergeyev, Yevgeny Sigyihin, Valia Kasyanova Print Source: Magyar Filmunio 78 minutes This wild fable brings to life a tale told by Russian prisoners constructing the White Sea Canal. Vaska and Vanka, aren't your every-day criminals. These uncommon heroes can not only fly, but they have access to such magical Ôtools' as the Bloodied Sardine Tin Key and the fabled Guilding Thread. With these, they cut through the roof of the National Bank and empty all the gold from within. But their adventures are only beginning. Their arch-enemy Zinoviev is determined to outsmart them and get the gold back. Official Oscar Submission Hungary WAR SHOTS Germany, 1996 Director: Heiner Stadler Producer: Heiner Stadler Screenwriter: Heiner Stadler, Harry Gockeritz Cinematographer: Yusef Hu Editor: Micki Joanni Music: Roman Bunka Leading Players: Herbert Knaup, Peter Franke, Ozay Fecht, David Kehoe, Claude Channice Print Source: Rice Arts Management 94 minutes World famous photographer Jan Loy and his partner, reporter Maynard Wilhelm are stalking violence in the fictional war zone of El Irouane. Jan's steady, ruthlessly perfect eye always captures that image of pure despair-he recently won an award for a shot of an IRA driver at the moment he's being gunned down by British troops in Northern Ireland. While Jan's fellow correspondents envy his success, he also has a reputation for being cold and heartless. When he sets out to cover the war, he is introduced to a young sniper. Jan becomes fascinated by their similarities: they are both looking for victims and then taking shots. Meanwhile, he starts a relationship with the spirited hotel maid. Between these two conflicting aspects of love and war, Jan struggles with his conscience. WEDDING BELL BLUES U.S.A., 1996 Director: Dana Lustig Producer: Mike Curb, Carole Curb Nemoy Screenwriter: Annette Goliti Gutierrez Cinematographer: Kent Wakeford Editor: Caroline Ross Music: Paul Christian Gordon, Tal Bergman Leading Player: Illeana Douglas, Paulina Porizkova, Julie Warner, Debbie Reynolds Print Source: Curb Entertainment 100 minutes A look at sex, love, and marriage through the eyes of three close friends and roommates, each with their own crisis, afraid to turn thirty and still be single. Tanya is pregnant and the father of the child has no intention of marrying her. Micki's fiancé decides she is not passionate enough for him so he wants to cancel the wedding. And there's Jasmine who insists she's not interested in marriage and enjoys maintaining casual relationships with several different guys. Jasmine's conservative parents, however, would like to see her settle down. So the three women decide to head to Las Vegas and find Ôtemporary' husbands-just to get their families off their backs. They each manage to get hitched, but the hard part is heading back home and getting their personal lives sorted out. WEST SIDE STORY U.S.A., 1961 Director: Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins Producer: Robert Wise Screenwriter: Arthur Laurents, Ernest Lehmann, William Shakespeare Cinematographer: Daniel L. Fapp Editor: Thomas Sanford Music: Leonard Bernstein, Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, Sid Ramin Leading Players: Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn Print Source: United Artist 151 minutes This year the Palm Beach International Film Festival pays tribute to director Robert Wise with a Lifetime Achievement Award. To honor the man and his work, the Festival will screen "West Side Story," the 1961 musical that won 10 Academy Awards including best picture. With biting lyrics by Stephen Sondheim fixed to a magical Leonard Bernstein score, "West Side Story" is the musical adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" set in New York City. Winner of 10 Academy Awards in 1961 United Artists WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY Chacun Cherche son Chat France, 1996 Director: Cedric Klapisch Producer: Aissa Djabri, Farid Lahouassa, Manuel Munz Screenwriter: Cedric Klapisch Cinematographer: Benoit Delhomme Editor: Francine Sandberg Leading Players: Garance Clavel, Zinedine Soualem, Renee Le Calm, Olivier Py Print Source: Sony Pictures Classics 95 minutes Searching for her lost pet, a young woman unexpectedly finds romance, adventure, and the key to the locked-up secrets of her Paris neighborhood. Chloe isn't very happy with her life. She hates her job as a makeup artist and the only man in her life is her gay housemate Michel. Her only companion seems to be her black cat Gris-Gris. While Chloe is on vacation, her eccentric neighbor Mademoiselle Renee takes care of Gris-Gris-at least until the cat disappears. Chloe returns to find Mademoiselle distraught and they immediately conduct a search of the area. Along the way, Chloe engages in a series of adventures, getting to know people she would never have otherwise met. The film becomes a vivid portrait of a community in Paris, a neighborhood on the verge of disappearing. CODE OF ETHICS U.S.A., 1996 Director: Dawn M. Radican Producer: Joe Foley, Sandra Luzzi Sneesby Screenwriter: Dawn M. Radican, Frederick J. Sneesby Cinematographer: Brian Heller Editor: Thomas A. Ohanian Leading Players: Melissa Leo, David Beecroft, Jonathan Walker, Joe Lisi Print Source: Fox Point Films 107 minutes Jo DeAngelo has finally made it. Medisys, the company where she works, has just been awarded a contract to manage the Medicaid function for the State of Rhode Island, and she has been selected as Quality Control Administrator. One of the tools she uses for her job is a computer system that identifies potential defrauders of Medicaid. DeAngelo receives a seemingly innocent game to play on her computer at work and the game invades the fraud system, sending the names of defrauders to the CD-ROM's author. The game "host", an animated sea creature entices her into playing the game and, by doing so, she unwittingly becomes an accomplice to a serial killer bent on clearing the Medicaid rolls of defrauders! Fearing for the lives of other potential victims, she begins an investigation into what the host is up to and who the killer behind the animation might be. Along the way, DeAngelo uncovers a "Robin Hood Scheme" and the clues begin to point to those close to her. As she follows the twisted road of clues, Jo finds more than she bargained for! Shorts BABE'S BOUTIQUE U.S.A., 1996 Director: Kelly Brooke Rouse Film Source: Florida State University Film School Babe and her daughter Sherry are at odds as they struggle to run an exotic boutique that's facing bankruptcy in a small Southern beachtown. Babe's fantasies about the previous owners of the vintage clothing lead them to discover that all sales are final in the survival of the soul. Student Film BLOOD ON THE CHANDELIER Australia, 1995 Director: Jeffrey Norris Victoria College of the Arts School of Film Within a menacing house reside the Baroness, her maid and her cat. This film begins on the most traumatic night of these characters' lives. One stormy night the Baroness catches her maid drinking from a whiskey flask, and lashes out in rage. Unable to endure the Baroness' cruelty any longer, the maid's suppressed anger erupts unexpectedly. A savage battle ensures and blood is spilled. Student Film CHILD LOST U.S.A., 1996 Director: Tramm Wigzell Print Source: Florida State University School of Film Megan and her husband live a quiet life in Megan's childhood home. But when Joanna, Megan's young sister long though dead, returns to her, Megan is forced to make sense of her now complicated life. Student Film EATING BITTER U.K., 1996 Director: Jason Lehel Print Source: Open Eye Productions Eating Bitter is the story of two people inextricably linked by a horrible secret. Middle-aged family man Michael Slater becomes infatuated with a mysterious younger woman, Susan, whom he thinks he has met before. Initially rejecting Michael's attempts at conversation, Susan surprisingly accepts his dinner invitation and then forces him to face his duality and their shared shocking past. every day U.S.A., 1996 Director: Kevin Burke Print Source: Springdell Productions The film every day tells the story of Andrew Black, who, in the months since returning from the Vietnam War, has become very disillusioned and numb to the world. After a few odd jobs, he finds work as an orderly at a mental hospital, where his frustration carries on through his work. This attitude causes him to turn a blind eye to the corruption of the hospital and the cruelty with which the patients are treated. His attitude changes when he meets a schizophrenic patient named Benjamin Lassiter. Although they never have a conversation, the two men form a bond, and Blake sees a lot of himself in Lassiter. Through this awakening relationship, Blake realizes the source of his anger and he rediscovers ideals that he lost long ago. GOITER BOY U.S.A., 1996 Director: John Webb Print Source: Florida State University Film School Cleitus is a small-town wrestler with a large goiter. When a lovely cheerleader, Haley, has to date him because of a lost wager, Cleitus must overcome his vengeful fantasies against the small-minded townsfolk who ridicule him, and discover Haley's secret identity. student Film I SHALL HONOUR YOUR LIFE Ik Zal Je Leven Eren Holland, 1996 Director: Cyrus Frisch Print Source: Phanta Vision In mid-November of 1996 Director Cyrus Frisch and film journalist/festival organizer Hans Saaltink are attempting to shoot a scene for Frisch's film on the boundaries of reality television. They are puzzled, frustrated and amused when they realize that they don't know what they are doing. But their problems are solved when exactly one month later, Frisch finds Saaltink dying on the steps of his stairwell and Frisch just happens to have his camera in his handÉ THE OATH Holland, 1996 Director: Tjebbo Penning Print Source: Phanta Vision A prisoner is found unconscious in his cell after an attempted suicide. The prison doctor is called to resuscitate the man and so must face an ethical dilemmaÉ THE PARTING GLASS U.S.A., 1996 Director: Raiko Siems Print Source: Florida State University Film School New Orleans is the last place in the world Stacey wants to be. It's his first chance to visit his best friend's grave and he finds himself alone until he encounters the hospitality of the Irish people. Student Film RACHEL NEVADA USA, 1996 Director: Jessica Landaw, David Dawes Print Source: Random Productions One hundred ten miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada sits a very small town known as Rachel. Adjacent to this town lies a "secret" US Air Force base commonly known as Area 51. The base develops new planes such as the stealth bomber. The secrecy surrounding Area 51 has led to suspicions over the years, earning the town of Rachel (primarily a collection of trailer homes) the title "UFO Capital of the World," and the Nevada State Highway 375 "Alien Highway." This warm and light hearted documentary film focuses on the everyday people of Rachel, once left alone to service the military, now the center of tourism and a publicity boom. The filmmakers' compelling collection of stories and photographs will persuade even the most die-hard skeptics that something extraterrestrial may be going on. RAIN IN THE GLASS La pioggia nel bicchiere Italy, 1996 Director: Barbara Nava Print Source: Barbara Nava Chiara is a curious little girl. She slips into the house of Maria, the village "madwoman." The madwoman discovers Chiara and locks her in a wardrobe. Maria, frightened by the shouts of the other children who are trying to free Chiara, re-lives a violence she suffered during the war. Chiara experiences a dramatic event that she cannot fully comprehend. SCHOKOLADENSEITEN Chocolate Sides Holland, 1996 Director: Elsbeth Dijkstra Print Source: Phanta Vision On the streets of almost any city there are elderly people, withdrawn into their own worlds, wandering the streets toward unknown destinations. One of these wanderers is Hella, a 76 year old woman born in Berlin. She mutters to herself as she walks along the busy street, admiring the window displays in the dress shops. Alone, and at the end of her life, Hella wants to finally fulfill her dream. She finds a new life in the ballroom and it becomes of utmost importance that she find a proper dancing dress. During her dress hunts and shopping excursions, Hella encounters a variety of people. These meetings not only reveal Hella to be an extraordinary personality, but Berlin to be an extraordinary city. SOUTH MAIN U.S.A., 1997 Director: Andrew Wagner Print Source: South Main Productions, Inc. Gretchen's boyfriend, John, is moving out of their apartment but "nothing's changing." Confused, she takes off for a weekend getaway to Southampton with her best friend Max. Gretchen's old boyfriend, Jay, shows up unexpectedly and pledges his love for her. Her emotions are divided and the tension rises when John too shows up with renewed tenderness and commitment. She realizes that her love for John isn't as powerful as Jay's love for her, but who will be the winner of her heart? VIDI U.S.A. Director: Pablo Proenza Print Source: Wrote on Water Productions ViDi is an eerie love story set in a future dominated by information technologies. It follows the video-phone calls between Ethan, a newly arrived college student, and Aisha, his girlfriend back home. After Ethan is mugged at gunpoint while Aisha watches, he withdraws into the safety of his house with the video screens as his only company and contact with the outside world. WONTON AND HAMENTASCHEN U.S.A., 1996 Director: Emily Anne Frumkin Print Source: Florida State University Film School Two doting, eccentric mothers, one Asian, one Jewish, knead and chop their way through a mix of emotions while preparing for the half baked idea that their children are suddenly getting married. Student Film

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