2015-01-08

Santa Barbara, CA –The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF), presented by UGG® Australia, announces its highly-anticipated line-up for 2015.  The 30th edition offers a vast array of films representing 54 countries, 23 world premieres and 53 US premieres, tributes with the year’s top talent, panel discussions, and free community education and outreach.

SBIFF is proud to welcome filmmakers and honorees to join in the celebration of independent film. The Festival begins Tuesday, January 27 and continues through Saturday, February 7, 2015.

SBIFF 2015 will kick off on Tuesday January 27, at the historic Arlington Theatre with the US Premiere of Desert Dancer, directed by Richard Raymond. Set in Iran, Desert Dancer is a powerful and unbelievable true story that follows the brave ambition of Afshin Ghaffarian. During the volatile climate of the 2009 presidential election, where many cultural freedoms were threatened, Afshin and his friends (including Elaheh played by Freida Pinto) risk their lives and form an underground dance company. Through banned online videos, they learn from timeless legends who cross all cultural divides, such as- Michael Jackson, Gene Kelly and Rudolf Nureyev. Afshin and Elaheh also learn much from each other, most importantly how to embrace their passion for dance and for one another

On Closing Night, SBIFF proudly presents Disney’s McFarland, USA, Directed by Niki Caro and starring Kevin Costner and Maria Bello. Based on the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. Coach White and the McFarland students have a lot to learn about each other but when White starts to realize the boys’ exceptional running ability, things begin to change. Soon something beyond their physical gifts becomes apparent—the power of family relationships, their unwavering commitment to one another and their incredible work ethic. With grit and determination, the unlikely band of runners eventually overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well. Along the way, Coach White realizes that his family finally found a place to call home and both he and his team achieve their own kind of American dream.

SBIFF is honored to welcome back UGG® Australia, returning for their 3rd year as the Presenting Sponsor of the Festival.  “We are very proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of the 30th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival,” said UGG® Australia Vice President of Marketing Nancy Mamann, who is also a member of the festival’s Board of Directors.  “It’s a privilege for our company to participate in this celebration of talent and creativity.”

SBIFF, in conjunction with Variety, is proud to present the first annual Variety Artisans Awards, which will take place on Tuesday, February 3, at the Arlington Theatre, moderated by Variety’s Sr. VP Awards Editor, Tim Gray.  The Tribute evening will celebrate those essential to the filmmaking process and who have exhibited the most exciting and innovative work of the year in the fields of Cinematography, Costume Design, Editing, Hair & Makeup, Production Design, Score, Song, Sound Editing & Mixing and Visual Effects.   The audience will be treated to a unique and lively discussion with the honorees about their individual crafts and the ways in which their fields all support and rely on each other.

THE TRIBUTES

SBIFF has become an important showcase for Academy-Award® frontrunners, many of whom have arrived as nominees and gone on to win the Oscar.   The 30th Santa Barbara International Film Festival proudly celebrates some of the year’s finest work in film.  The complete list of 2015 Honorees (in date order) is as follows:

The Cousteau Family – Jean-Michel, Fabien and Celine – will receive the The Attenborough Award for Excellence in Nature Filmmaking, moderated by Tim Matheson, on Wednesday, January 28 at the Arlington Theatre.

Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award, on Thursday, January 29 at the Arlington Theatre. Sponsored By Tanqueray.

Jennifer Aniston will receive the Montecito Award, on Friday, January 30 at the Arlington Theatre.

Michael Keaton will receive the esteemed Modern Master Award, moderated by longtime friend and film historian Leonard Maltin on Saturday, January 31 at the Arlington Theatre.  Presented by UGG® Australia.

The 2015 Virtuosos Award, will be presented to Chadwick Boseman (Get on Up), Ellar Coltrane (Boyhood), Logan Lerman (Fury), David Oyelowo (Selma), Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl ), J.K Simmons (Whiplash) and Jenny Slate (Obvious Child),in recognition of the year’s emerging film artists.  The evening will be moderated by Dave Karger, Chief Correspondent and host of “The Frontrunners” on Fandango on Sunday, February 1 at the Arlington Theatre.  Sponsored by Travel + Leisure and Delano Las Vegas.

The Variety Artisans Award, will be presented to Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Gone Girl (Score), Dion Beeb, Into the Woods (Cinematography), Sandra Adair, Boyhood (Editing), Bill Corso & Kathrine Gordon, Foxcatcher (Hair & Makeup), Suzie Davies, Mr. Turner (Production Design), Sean Patterson/ Tegan & Sara, “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie (Song), Richard King & Mark Weingarten, Interstellar (Sound Mixing & Editing), Joe Letteri, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes & The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (VFX) and Costume Designer, TBA, moderated by Variety’s Senior VP Awards Editor, Tim Gray on Tuesday, February 3 at the Arlington Theatre.  Sponsored by Variety.

Outstanding Directors of the Year Tribute on Wednesday, February 4, moderated by The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg at the Arlington Theatre, sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter.

Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette will receive the American Riviera Award on Thursday, February 5, moderated by SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling at the Arlington Theatre.   Sponsored by Sunstone Vineyards & Winery.

Steve Carell will receive the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, moderated by Pete Hammond, on Friday, February 6 at the Arlington Theatre.

THE PANELS

The SBIFF has become renowned for creating smart, insightful panels that feature a who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar® contenders.

The panel series begins at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 31, with “It Starts With the Script” (Screenwriters Panel), bringing together top writers to discuss their craft. The panel will be moderated by indieWIRE’s Anne Thompson and sponsored by Pacifica Graduate Institute.

At 2:00 pm, we continue with “Movers and Shakers,” (Producers Panel), bringing together the industry’s most prolific producers to talk about current projects, hopes for the future of filmmaking, and insights into the creative process. Moderated by Los Angeles Times film writer Glenn Whipp and sponsored by Fielding Graduate University.

Panels continue during the Fest’s second weekend on Saturday, February 7 at 11:00 a.m, with Creative Forces: Women in the Business (Women’s Panel), moderated by Madelyn Hammond, President, Madelyn Hammond & Assoc., and Former Chief Marketing Officer for Variety and sponsored by Brooks Institute.

All panels take place at the Lobero Theatre.

HIGHLIGHTS & LOCAL OFFERINGS

SBIFF received a $15,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its educational programs, including a new film studies program that will bring 10 students from across the country.

Commented SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling, “We are honored that our organization was among those selected to receive this grant, which does so much to support the arts throughout the country. The support of NEA will allow SBIFF to continue to expand its educational reach, and impact the next generation of filmmakers.”
Student Film Studies Program – New this year, the student film studies program will bring 10 undergraduate film students from across the country for a three day symposium with a focus on film appreciation, criticism, and analysis. Students will have the opportunity to learn from notable industry professionals and get a behind-the-scenes look at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival through a unique mix of guided and self-guided opportunities, allowing students to customize the experience and benefit from all the Festival has to offer. Students will have access to screenings, panels, Q&A sessions, celebrity tribute events, and private sessions with filmmakers and media professionals in a classroom setting.
Free Public Screenings – This year, SBIFF will offer free public screenings at the Lobero Theatre throughout the Festival. Check SBIFF.org for more information on screening times and dates.
Seminars – SBIFF will again present educational seminars that will be free to the public and will take place in the UGG® Pavilion on Thursday January 29, Friday January 30, Sunday February 1, Monday February 2, Tuesday February 3, and Wednesday, February 4 at 11:00am.  Check SBIFF.org for more information on screening times and dates.

SBIFF Acquisitions Program – SBIFF presents the 4th Annual Acquisitions Program on the first weekend of the festival, January 30-February 1, 2015.  Since it began four years ago, this weekend long event has grown significantly with a number of films from last year’s program going on to receive distribution. The program was created to allow the acquisitions community easy, industry-friendly access to films at SBIFF.

Super Silent Sunday – On Sunday February 1st, SBIFF will present a classic silent film, Douglas Fairbank’s The Iron Mask, at the Arlington Theatre completely Free of Charge.  Live accompaniment will be provided by Adam Aceto on the theatre’s Wonder Morton pipe organ, which is one of only five in existence, and is a unique opportunity to connect with the rich history of cinema.

Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies – More than a decade ago, SBIFF first introduced “Field Trip to the Movies,” the brainchild of renowned nature cinematographer Mike deGruy, whose passion for exploring and sharing those adventures with audiences through filmmaking was the inspiration for this fascinating and thought-provoking program.  Now renamed “Mike’s Field Trip to the Movies,” the goal of the program, which is offered to 4,500 5th and 6th grade students from throughout Santa Barbara County, is to use filmmaking to stimulate creative, confident and culturally aware thinkers and empower students and teachers with a novel approach to education.  Academy Award® winning filmmakers have participated each year – including James Cameron, Lee Unkrich, Gore Verbinski, Peter Ramsey, Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee among others. SBIFF provides FREE transportation to students from Title I schools.  This year, SBIFF is once again including an educational outreach program that will reach students in participating schools.  Here, SBIFF staff and special guests will conduct an interactive film-related seminar within their own classroom.   For the 30th Festival, SBIFF is thrilled to present the critically-acclaimed hit animated comedy adventure, The Lego Movie, featuring writers and directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, who will participate in a Q&A following the screenings with the students and talk about the craft of animated filmmaking.  This annual free event, which takes place Wednesday, February 4 at the Arlington Theatre, is co-sponsored by The Bentson Foundation, Macy’s, Wells Fargo Bank, National Endowment for the Arts, Montecito Bank & Trust, The Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts and Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation.

The Tribute Awards were once again specially designed by Santa Barbara’s own Daniel Gibbings Jewelry.   The Award is inspired by the iconic steeple of Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre and is handcrafted in metal and is 24 karat gold-plated, with a custom marble base.   “We wanted to create an award that is not only quintessential to Santa Barbara’s beautiful culture and performing arts, but also embodied the passion and creativity we use in crafting our unique jewelry designs,” states CEO and Creative Director Daniel Gibbings and Setenay Ozdemir-Osman.  “Just as the Arlington Theatre takes our imagination to new places, so do the visionary filmmakers and actors that are honored each year by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.  We are truly honored to design and create all of the awards for SBIFF.”

AppleBox Family Films – SBIFF presents AppleBox, FREE family films on Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1 and Saturday, February 7.  This year, SBIFF will screen Animated Feature frontrunners Big Hero 6 (9:00 am, Jan. 31), The Boxtrolls (9:00am, Feb. 1), The Lego Movie (9:00am, Feb. 7), and How to Train Your Dragon 2 (11:30am Feb. 7) Presented by Cox, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, KPMR Univision, Citrix, Metropolitan Theatres, and MOXI

Santa Barbara Filmmakers – The Santa Barbara filmmaking community continues to captivate and inspire audiences with this year’s impressive line-up. Santa Barbara filmmakers provide a diverse, thought-provoking series of features and shorts. Their programs underscore the emerging talent of up-and-coming filmmakers as well as seasoned veterans, and will be part of the juried competition this year for the very first time. The Santa Barbara Filmmakers program is sponsored by Cox.

10-10-10 Student Screenwriting and Filmmaking Competition Presented by Relativity Education. The Screenwriting Competition, sponsored by Final Draft, Inc. and The Riordan Foundation, is comprised of 10 students who were selected out of 48 submissions from Santa Barbara area high school and college students.   The finalists were then assigned a genre and an industry professional to mentor them during the writing of their screenplay.

The 10 student screenplays are matched with a category-appropriate Filmmaking finalist from the Filmmaking Competition, sponsored by Heritage Oaks Bank and The Riordan Foundation, which consists of 10 students selected from 36 submissions.  They will then produce a 10-minute film during the 10 days of the 30th Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

On Monday, January 26 the 10-10-10 Press Conference will introduce the screenwriting and filmmaking finalists. On Saturday, February 7 at the Arlington Theatre, all ten completed films will be screened and the winners will be announced.

Youth CineMedia – SBIFF presents a documentary film series produced entirely by teens involved in the Youth CineMedia program.  Striving to help children transition away from gang life, drugs and alcohol and into college and careers in music, photography and video production, the organization offers creative tools, training and support for underprivileged and at-risk teens.  Free to the public with Q&A following.

3RD Weekend – SBIFF will once again present “3RD Weekend,” which will feature the highlights of the 30th Festival for Santa Barbara residents.  The films will be screened throughout the weekend of February 13-15 at the Riviera Theatre.  Screenings are free and seating is available on a first come, first served basis.  Screening times will be posted sbiff.org in the days following Closing Night.   3rd Weekend is sponsored by Patagonia.

FILM CATEGORIES AND SIDEBARS

SBIFF features exciting, culturally enlightening, and entertaining programming and sidebars.  197 films from around the world will be brought together to form an incredibly unique and diverse festival experience.

Films in the 30th edition of the festival will consist of the following categories:

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

INDEPENDENT COMPETITION

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

SPANISH/LATIN AMERICA CINEMA COMPETITION

EASTERN BLOC COMPETITION

SOCIAL JUSTICE DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION: Sponsored by The Fund For Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA FEATURES COMPETITION: Juried this year for the first time, A spotlight on Santa Barbara filmmakers and documentaries that highlight community issues. Sponsored by Cox.

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILMS COMPETITION

ANIMATED SHORT FILMS COMPETITION

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION

APPLEBOX: A slate of family films offered free to the community, presented by Cox, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, Univision, Citrix, Metropolitan Theatres, and MOXI.

KOLNOA: A selection of features films and documentaries that examine Israel from a variety of diverse historical, cultural and political perspectives.

PAN ASIA: Cutting edge cinema from Asia, including China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan

SCREEN CUISINE: Celebrates the culinary delights of cinema and highlights sustainable practices of today’s farmers, chefs and entrepreneurs

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS:  A selection of internationally award winning films as well as special screenings out of competition.

THE WORLD LAUGHS: A diverse selection of comedies from around the world.

TO THE MAXXX: Showcasing some of the world’s most exhilarating documentaries that capture the beauty and thrills of extreme sports, sponsored by Alaska Airlines.

REEL NATURE: Highlighting films that showcase the natural environment, including some of the world’s most cutting-edge wildlife documentaries.

NORDIC: Exceptional cinema from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

CINEMATIC OVERTURES: The world of performing arts encompasses this selection of feature films and documentaries that explore music, theater and dance.

SANTA BARBARA SHORTS

SANTA BARBARA DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Below is the list of World and US Premiere films, followed by the list of titles by sidebar category. For the complete list of films, along with their descriptions and a preliminary screening schedule, visit www.sbiff.org. Please note that this is subject to change.

WORLD PREMIERES

A Better You, USA

Directed by Matt Walsh

Cast: Brian Huskey, Morgan Walsh, Horatio Sanz, Andrew Daly, Rob Huebel, and Matt Walsh

A self-published hypnotherapist with a bad toupee is on the verge of losing his family and career when he realizes he must fix his own life before helping others.

Banana, Italy

Directed by Andrea Jublin

Featuring: Ascanio Balbo, Anna Bonaiuto, and Giorgio Colangeli

An Italian comedy about a naïve, but charming young boy who goes to great lengths to win a girl’s love.

Breach, USA

Directed by Jonny Zwick

This chilling documentary explores the illegal and unethical practices by Iceland’s whaling industry, including the hunting of the endangered finback whale.

Caffeinated, USA

Directed by Hanh Nguyen and Vishal Solanki

Featuring: Doug Welsh, Geoff Watts, Peter Giuliano, and Sunalini Menon

While exploring the people and the passion that drive the coffee industry, this energizing documentary tells the story of coffee from the moment the coffee cherry is picked to the moment the alluring aroma permeates the air.

Day Release (Tercer Grado), Spain

Directed by Geoffrey Cowper

Cast: Jesús Lloveras, Sara Casasnovas, Frank Feys, Miko Jarry, Javier Beltran, and Ferran Lahoz

Setting out to make peace with his estranged brother, a man on his first day of parole witnesses the armed robbery of a security van.

Energizing Our World, Costa Rica/Netherlands/Spain/USA

Directed by Susan Sember

This dynamic documentary engages audiences on a global platform highlighting environmental, architectural, water, energy and agricultural issues and exploring solutions.

Eila, Rampe and Baby Girl (Eila, Rampe Ja Likka), Finland

Directed by Taru Mäkelä

Cast: Heidi Herala, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Emmi Parviainen, and Riku Niemine

In this zany comedy, a poet becomes overwhelmed by the antics of her eccentric parents and tiresome boyfriend as she becomes attracted to the translator of her poems.

Fair Chase, USA

Directed by Alex Cullen and Emma Tammi

Top distance runners from around the world team up to test the evolutionary theory that running was the first human weapon, key to our species survival.

Far From Home, USA/Argentina/Canada/Italy/Uganda

Directed by Galen Knowles

Featuring: Brolin Mawejje, Rob Kingwill, and Travis Rice

Brolin Mawejje, a native Ugandan who moved to the United States at age 11, wants to make history in the 2018 Winter Olympics as the first snowboarder to represent an African country.

Generosity of Eye, USA

Directed by Brad Hall

Featuring: Geoffrey Canada, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and William Louis-Dreyfus

Julia Louis-Dreyfus discovers how her father connected his love of art and his passion for justice in a single act of generosity.

Heartworn Highways Revisited, USA

Directed by Wayne Price

Directly inspired by HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS (1976), this documentary captures a new community of folk singer-songwriters whose work is heavily influenced by the artists represented in the original film.

It’s a Wild Life, USA

Directed by Kennan Ward

Featuring: Feynner Arias

This picturesque snapshot of the Northern California coast captures the beauty of Big Sur through its magnificent wildlife and the stories of a long-term caretaker of the land.

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Secret Ocean 3D, USA

Directed by Jean-Michel Cousteau

Featuring: Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis

With nearly 70 years of ocean exploration experience, Jean-Michel Cousteau reveals the secret world of the sea in this sensational 3D documentary.

Kansas: Miracles Out of Nowhere, USA

Directed by Charles Randazzo

This celebration of the 40th anniversary of the American rock group Kansas tells their story through commentary from original members, concert footage, and interviews with notable fans.

Like Air, USA

Directed by Jake Viramontez

Featuring: Kathryn McCormick, Alyssa Gaines, Kayla Sameski, and Montserrat Roberts

On their journey to a national championship, three high school competitive dancers discover their personal identities through dance and the life it breathes into their souls.

La Noche Del Ratón (The Night of the Rat), Spain

Directed by David R. Losada

Cast: Miriam Cabeza, Unai García, Mikel Martínez, and Alfonso Torregrosa

In this dark and suspenseful Spanish thriller, a seemingly normal gas station becomes intensely dangerous for a young couple on a twilight drive through the countryside.

Now en Español, USA

Directed by Andrea Meller

Pulling back the curtain on one of Hollywood’s lesser-known communities, this documentary follows the lives and careers of the Latina voice-over actresses who dub Desperate Housewives into Spanish.

The Penguin Counters, USA/Antarctica/Argentina

Directed by Harriet Gordon and Peter Getzels

Featuring: Ron Naveen

This documentary follows field biologists in Antarctica who count penguins to track the impact of climate change on their population and to learn how to conserve the region.

Sins of a Father, USA/France/UK

Directed by Andrew Piddington

Cast: Alan Bates, Lambert Wilson, and David Oakes

This three-generational drama explores the moral ambiguity of war and the complex nature of heroism, betrayal, and father-son relationships after a dark family secret is revealed.

Tiger, Tiger, USA

Directed by George Butler

Tiger Tiger follows Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, renowned big cat conservationist, as he travels deep into the primordial landscape of the Sundarbans – a tidal mangrove forest spanning the India-Bangladesh border. Known as one of the most dangerous places on Earth, the Sundarbans is the domain of what may be the largest, wildest remaining tiger population.

The Truth About Lies, USA

Directed by Phil Allocco

Cast: Fran Kranz, Odette Annable

Thirty-something Gilby is unemployed, living with his mother, and recently dumped. In this sharp comedy, Gilby weaves a ridiculous web of lies to get his life back on track.

Uncanny, USA

Directed by Matthew Leutwyler

Cast: Mark Webber, Lucy Griffiths, David Clayton Rogers, and Rainn Wilson

As a tech reporter and a roboticist begin a relationship, the roboticist’s latest creation, the world’s first “perfect” artificial intelligence, begins to exhibit startling and unnerving behavior.

The Year We Thought About Love, USA

Directed by Ellen Brodsky

This heartening documentary follows the nation’s longest-running LGBTQ youth theater troupe for a year as it creates an original production on the theme of love.

U.S. PREMIERES

10% My Child, Israel

Directed by Uri Bar-on

Cast: Gur Bentwich, Vered Feldman, Yali Friedman, Udi Persi

In this engrossing Israeli drama of blended families, to be with Franny’s mom, new boyfriend Nico has to win 8-year-old Franny’s heart.

12 Citizens, China

Directed by Xu Ang

Cast: He Bing, Han Tongsheng, Wang Gang

In a remake of 12 ANGRY MEN, a prosecutor summons people to sit on a jury in a mock trial for a murder case, only to find the truth is not as obvious as it seems.

Aces (Os Fenómenos), Spain

Directed by Alfonso Zarauza

Cast: Luis Tosar, Lola Dueñas

A woman attempts to reinvent her life after her partner disappears. She moves back in with her mother and finds herself in a man’s world when she joins a construction crew.

Agave is Life, Mexico/USA

Directed by David O. Brown and Meredith L. Dreiss

This colorful film explores the history of the agave plant in the cultures of Mexico and the Southwest through the lens of archaeological, ethnographic, and modern-day vignettes.

All Cats Are Grey (Tous Les Chats Sont Gris), Belgium

Directed by Savina Dellicour

Cast: Manon Capelle, Bouli Lanners, Anne Coesens, and Dune de Braconier

A private detective is approached by his estranged teenage daughter when she seeks his professional help in finding her biological father.

Amor, etc., Argentina

Directed by Gladys Lizarazu

Cast: Maruja Bustamante, Maria Canale, and Edgardo Castro

After moving into their first home, Lisa becomes obsessed with the home’s mysterious previous owner, while her boyfriend is overwhelmed by unruly neighbors.

Attention, A Life in Extremes, Austria

Directed by Sascha Köllnreitner

Cast: Guillaume Néry, Halvor Angvik, and Gerhard Gulewicz

Why would anyone dive under the ocean without oxygen, cycle across America with little sleep, or fly from cliffs wearing a webbed suit? This film shows three extraordinary athletes who do just that.

Bang Bang Baby, Canada

Directed by Jeffrey St. Jules

Cast: Jane Levy, Justin Chatwin, Peter Stormare, and David Reale

A small town teenager in the 1960s believes her dreams of becoming a famous singer will come true when her rock star idol gets stranded in town. But a leak in a nearby chemical plant that is believed to be causing mass mutations threatens to turn her dream into a nightmare.

Barbarians (Vavari), Serbia/Montenegro/Slovenia

Directed by Ivan Ikić

Cast: Željko Marković, Nenad Petrović, Jasna Djuričić, Mirko Vlahović, and Marina Vodeničar

Set in Serbia in 2008, this film follows a troubled teenager who must find a remedy to his temper, his strained family life, and the suffocating pressure of his ongoing parole.

Beatles, Norway

Directed by Peter Flinth

Cast: Louis Williams, Håvard Jackwitz, Ole Nicolai Myrvold Jørgensen, Halvor Tangen Schultz

In the midst of Beatlemania, four Norwegian teens take on the identities of the Fab Four and attempt to live the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle in this charming coming-of-age story.

Bonobo, UK

Directed by Matthew Hammett Knott

Cast: James Norton, Tessa Peake-Jones, Josie Lawrence

A mother tries to retrieve her bohemian daughter from a hippie commune that bases its way of life on the behavior of the bonobo ape, an animal that engages in recreational sex.

Carmen’s Karma (El Karma de Carmen), Argentina

Directed by Rodolfo Durán

Cast: Laura Azcurra, Manuel Callau, and Ana María Castel

Unhappy with her life yet unwilling to change, Carmen is content to spend the rest of her life on her own, until an unexpected surprise forces her to put that mindset into perspective.

Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell, Argentina/Austria/UK/USA

Directed by Thomas Dirnhofer

Featuring: David Lama, Peter Ortner, Jim Bridwell, Toni Ponholzer, and Markus Pucher

Set against the backdrop of breathtaking Patagonia, David Lama, climbing’s wunderkind, sets out to climb the infamous south-east face of Cerro Torre, a mountain once said to be the most difficult in the world.

The Chambermaid (Das Zimmermädchen Lynn), Germany

Directed by Ingo Haeb

Cast: Vicky Krieps, Lena Lauzemis, Steffen Münster, Christian Aumer, Christine Schorn

In this original take on fetishism and intimacy, a shy hotel maid breaks out of her shell after a chance encounter with a dominatrix.

Children of the Arctic, Switzerland

Directed by Nick Brandestini

At the Arctic edge of America, five Native Alaskan teenagers strive to be both modern American kids and the inheritors of an endangered whaling culture.

Confession, South Korea

Directed by Do-yun Lee

Cast: Sung Ji, Ji-hoon Ju, and Kwang-soo Lee

A staged robbery that results in an accidental death tests the loyalty and morality of three lifelong friends in this South Korean action thriller.

Cruel, France

Directed by Eric Cherrière

Cast: Jean-Jacques Lelté, Magali Moreau, and Maurice Poli

Haunted by memories of his mother and plagued by his mundane life, Pierre is only satisfied once he murders someone. This beautiful film explores the psyche of a serial killer.

Cure – The Life of Another, Switzerland/Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina

Directed by Andrea Staka

Cast: Sylvie Marinkovic, Lucia Radulovic, Mirjana Karanovic, Marija Skaricic, Leon Lucev, and Franjo Dijak

A teenager adopts the identity of her best friend after an obsessive, sexually charged game leads to a fatal fall.

Desert Dancer, UK

Directed by Richard Raymond

Afshin Ghaffarian risks everything to start a dance company amidst his home country of Iran’s politically volatile climate and the nation’s ban on dancing.

Energized (Macht Energie), Austria

Directed by Hubert Canaval

This eye-opening documentary explores the impacts our ever-increasing energy consumption, the shocking inner workings of the energy industry, and the possibility of achieving true “clean energy.”

Five Days to Dance, Spain

Directed by Pepe Andreu, Rafa Molés

Two completely different choreographers, one Dutch and one Spanish, must transform a group of high school students into polished dancers ready for the stage in just five days.

Happy Times (Tiempos Felices), Mexico

Directed by Luis Javier M. Henaine

Cast: Luis Arrieta, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Humberto Busto, Iván Arana, Miguel Rodarte, and Bárbara de Regil

In this quirky romantic comedy, Max, unable to break up with his girlfriend, hires an agency that specializes in ending relationships.

Harvest (Vendange), France

Directed by Paul Lacoste

A documentary of the wine production process in one of the oldest wine-making regions of France and the tremendous impact it has on both the harvesters and the community.

Heartbeat, Canada

Directed by Andrea Dorfman

Cast: Tanya Davis, Stephanie Clattenburg, Stewart Legere, Kristin Langille, Glen Matthews, and Jackie Torrens

After her boyfriend leaves town, Justine picks up her neglected guitar and begins a journey that gets her heart beating for the first time in years.

Hip Hop-eration, New Zealand

Directed by Bryn Evans

This film follows a troupe of courageous, yet cheeky, senior citizens on an extraordinary quest to perform at the World Hip Hop Championships in Las Vegas.

I Am Femen (Je Suis Femen), Switzerland

Directed by Alain Margot

Featuring: Anna Hutsol, Alexandra “Sasha” Schevchenko, Oxana Shachko, Inna Shevchenko

This powerful, poignant documentary follows Ukrainian activist Oksana Shachko and shows the controversial efforts of the feminist group “Femen” in their fight for freedom of speech.

I Hate the Dawn (Man Az Sepideye Sobh Bizaram), Iran

Directed by Ali Karim

Cast: Babak Karimi, Amir Azizi, Mohammad Ahmadi, and Hossein Eskandari

An independent filmmaker persuades his assistant, Amir, to reveal a troublesome script he has been working on. As the script’s plot unfolds, a secret of Amir’s is revealed.

In the Sands of Babylon, Iraq/Netherlands/United Arab Emirates/UK

Directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji

Cast: Samer Qahtan, Ameer Jabarah, and Hasan Bkheet

Set against the backdrop of a 1991 Iraq torn between Saddam’s Regime and the American intervention, an Iraqi soldier embarks on a dangerous journey home after he escapes from Kuwait.

Insecure (Qui Vive), France

Directed by Marianne Tardieu

Cast: Reda Kateb, Adèle Exarchopoulos, and Rashid Debbouze

A small-town security guard, working his way through nursing school, struggles with personal insecuriities as he attempts to improve his lifestyle in this empathetic and fresh drama.

The Judgement (Sadilishteto), Bulgaria

Directed by Stephan Komandarev

Cast: Assen Blatechki, Miki Manojlovic, Ovanes Torosyan, and Ina Nikolova

After the recent death of his wife, a man faces the difficult decision of working with a gangster who smuggles illegal immigrants across the Turkish border to provide for his son.

Kill Me Three Times, Australia

Directed by Kriv Stenders

Cast: Simon Pegg, Sullivan Stapleton, Teresa Palmer, Callan Mulvey, Luke Hemsworth, and Bryan Brown

This raucous and rowdy neo-noir with an excellent ensemble cast portrays a quaint Australian surfing town taken over by degenerate activities including blackmail, murder, and scamming.

The Land of Many Palaces, China

Directed by Adam James Smith and Song Ting

An intimate look at the Chinese government’s attempt to populate the country’s brand new metropolis by relocating rural farmers to the inner city.

Last Stop, Israel

Directed by Julie Shiles

A gripping documentary revealing the chaotic labyrinth that is central station of Tel Aviv, where refugees, illegal immigrants, and impoverished people attempt to both survive and situate themselves in Israeli society.

Life According to Ohad, Israel

Directed by Eri Daniel Erlich

This earnest documentary joins Ohad, an Animal Rights activist, on his journey of committed Activism and in his attempts to patch things up with his family.

Mad as Hell, USA

Directed by Andrew Napier

Cenk Uygur transforms from an unknown talk show host on a local public access television station to an Internet sensation when he begins an online news show.

Mafia and Red Tomatoes (La Nostra Terra), Italy

Directed by Giulio Manfredonia

Cast: Stefano Accorsi, Sergio Rubini, Iaia Forte, and Maria Rosaria Russo

A makeshift cooperative of impassioned farmers attempts to revitalize a farm which had been under the control of a Mafia boss.

Memories on Stone (Bîranînen Li Ser Kevirî), Germany/Iraq/Qatar

Directed by Shawkat Amin Korki

Cast: Hussein Hassan, Nazmi Kirik, Shima Molaei, Suat Usta, and Salah Sheikh Ahmadi

This tragicomedy portrays the struggles of a filmmaker and his crew attempting to shoot a film chronicling the al Anfal Kurdish genocide in a tense post-war Kurdistan.

Monument to Michael Jackson (Spomenik Majklu Dzeksonu), Croatia/Germany/ Republic of Macedonia/Serbia

Directed by Darko Lungulov

Cast: Natasa Tapuskovic, Ljubomir Bandovic, and Boris Milivojevic

In a desperate attempt to save his crumbling marriage and to bring life back into his community, a man plans to replace an old communist monument with a statue of the King of Pop.

The Naked Screen (La Pantalla Desnuda), Nicaragua

Directed by Florence Jaugey

Cast: Paola Baldion, Óscar Sinela, and Salvador Espinoza

A young couples’ world is turned upside down when a private and intimate video is anonymously posted online and rapidly goes viral within their community.

Natural Resistance, France/Italy

Directed by Jonathan Nossiter

Four Italian vineyard proprietors passionately attempt to produce all-natural wines in spite of pressures from market and governmental forces.

Ochentasiete (Eighty Seven), Ecuador/Argentina/Germany

Directed by Daniel Andrade and Anahí Hoeneisen

Cast: Andres Alvarez, Nicolás Andrade, Francisco Perez, Michel Noher, and Estefano Bajak

After fleeing fifteen years ago, Pablo returns to his hometown, ready to confront his demons and remember a summer with his friends where one incident changed his life forever.

Partner with the Enemy, Israel

Directed by Duki Dror and Chen Shelach

Two women, one Israeli and one Palestinian, attempt to forge and sustain a business partnership across ideological and geographical divides.

Preggoland, Canada

Directed by Jacob Tierney

Cast: Sonja Bennett, Danny Trejo, Laura Harris, James Caan, and Paul Campbell

Ruth, a 35 year-old living the life of a teenager, lies to her family by announcing she is pregnant after becoming alienated by her friends who have already become parents.

Sacred Sperm, Israel

Directed by Ori Gruder

Featuring: Israel Itzkovich, Rabi Shmuel Stern, and Yeshurun Verner

A sensitive and serious-minded examination of one of the most important prohibitions in the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community.

Second Chance, Taiwan

Directed by Wen-yen Kung

Cast: Shang-yi Wen, P.J. Huang, Angel Yao, and Jason Wang

In this Taiwanese action flick, a drunk, washed-up billiards champion must return to the world he left behind to care for his niece and clear his debts.

Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, Canada

Directed by Kris Elgstrand

Cast: Arabella Bushnell, Brad Dryborough, and Ross Smith

An emotionally repressed woman alienates friends when she begins singing songs she wrote about them, but she inspires her boss to reignite his dream of becoming a rock star.

Soof, Netherlands

Directed by Antoinette Beumer

Cast: Lies Visschedijk, Fedja van Huêt, and Daniel Karaty

As Soof nears her 40th birthday, she begins to question if there is more to life than her husband, three children, and small catering business.

Spirit of Akasha, Australia

Directed by Andrew Kidman

A film that reaffirms the ethos of soul and spirit in the present day context, proving its values still have an enduring impact on us all through the surfing lifestyle.

They Have Escaped (He Ovat Paenneet), Finland/Netherlands

Directed by JP Valkeapää

Cast: Teppo Manner, Roosa Söderholm, Pelle Heikkilä, and Petteri Pennilä

This powerful and honest portrait of two teenage misfits who run away from their halfway house reveals the failures of society that led them to be labeled as “troublemakers.”

The Way Out (Ceska Ven), Czech Republic/France

Directed by Petr Václav

Cast: Klaudia Dudová, David Ištok, Natálie Hlaváčová, Mária Ferencová-Zajacová, and Milan Cifra

A young gypsy woman searching for work, attempting to led a normal life and provide for her family, but is faced with extreme prejudice in this sobering exposé of the societal effects of stereotyping.

Wet Bum, Canada

Directed by Lindsay MacKay

Cast: Julia Sarah Stone, Craig Arnold, Diana Leblanc, Jenna Nye, Jamie Johnston, Leah Pinsent, and Kenneth Welsh

An awkward teenage outcast befriends two aged residents of the retirement home in which she works in this charismatic coming of age story.

Wild Australia,

Produced by Susanne Lummer, Ashley Hoppin

A cinematic four part journey across the continent that reveals not only the beauty of the land, but also the amazing wildlife that makes Australia a heaven for animal lovers.

Young Tiger, France

Directed by Cyprien Vial

Cast: Harmandeep Palminder, Élisabeth Lando, and Vikram Sharma

17-year old Many has lived in France for two years and leads the life of a typical teenager, but his responsibility to financially support his parents that remained in India push him into unprecedented danger.

Zombie: The Resurrection of Tim Zom, Netherlands

Directed by Billy Pols

Featuring: Tim Zom

The intriguing story of Tim Zom (AKA Zombie), who breaks free from a dark, criminal life by falling in love, embracing the streets, and redefining himself as one of Europe’s most distinguished Skateboarders.

COMPETITION CATEGORIES

INDEPENDENT FEATURES

Competition

A Better You, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Matt Walsh

Cast: Brian Huskey, Morgan Walsh, Horatio Sanz, Andrew Daly, Rob Huebel, and Matt Walsh

Bang Bang Baby, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jeffrey St. Jules

Cast: Jane Levy, Justin Chatwin, Peter Stormare, and David Reale

Heartbeat, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Andrea Dorfman

Cast: Tanya Davis, Stephanie Clattenburg, Stewart Legere, Kristin Langille, Glen Matthews, and Jackie Torrens

Kill Me Three Times, Australia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Kriv Stenders

Cast: Simon Pegg, Sullivan Stapleton, Teresa Palmer, Callan Mulvey, Luke Hemsworth, and Bryan Brown

Preggoland, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jacob Tierney

Cast: Sonja Bennett, Danny Trejo, Laura Harris, James Caan, and Paul Campbell

Sins of a Father, USA/France/UK – World Premiere

Directed by Andrew Piddington

Cast: Alan Bates, Lambert Wilson, and David Oakes

The Truth About Lies, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Phil Allocco

Cast: Fran Kranz, Odette Annable

Uncanny, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Matthew Leutwyler

Cast: Mark Webber, Lucy Griffiths, David Clayton Rogers, and Rainn Wilson

Wet Bum, Directed by Lindsay MacKay – U.S. Premiere

Cast: Julia Sarah Stone, Craig Arnold, Diana Leblanc, Jenna Nye, Jamie Johnston, Leah Pinsent, and Kenneth Welsh

INTERNATIONAL FEATURES

Competition

12 Citizens, China – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Xu Ang

Cast: He Bing, Han Tongsheng, Wang Gang

All Cats Are Grey (Tous Les Chats Sont Gris), Belgium – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Savina Dellicour

Cast: Manon Capelle, Bouli Lanners, Anne Coesens, and Dune de Braconier

The Chambermaid (Das Zimmermädchen Lynn), Germany – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ingo Haeb

Cast: Vicky Krieps, Lena Lauzemis, Steffen Münster, Christian Aumer, and Christine Schorn

Confession, South Korea – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Do-yun Lee

Cast: Sung Ji, Ji-hoon Ju, and Kwang-soo Lee

Cruel, France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eric Cherrière

Cast: Jean-Jacques Lelté, Magali Moreau, and Maurice Poli

I Hate the Dawn (Man Az Sepideye Sobh Bizaram), Iran – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ali Karim

Cast: Babak Karimi, Amir Azizi, Mohammad Ahmadi, and Hossein Eskandari

In the Sands of Babylon, Iraq/Netherlands/United Arab Emirates/UK – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Mohamed Al-Daradji

Cast: Samer Qahtan, Ameer Jabarah, and Hasan Bkheet

Insecure, (Qui Vive), France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Marianne Tardieu

Cast: Reda Kateb, Adèle Exarchopoulos, and Rashid Debbouze

Memories on Stone, (Bîranînen Li Ser Kevirî), Germany/Iraq/Qatar – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Shawkat Amin Korki

Cast: Hussein Hassan, Nazmi Kirik, Shima Molaei, Suat Usta, and Salah Sheikh Ahmadi

Young Tiger, France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Cyprien Vial

Cast: Harmandeep Palminder, Élisabeth Lando, and Vikram Sharma

EASTERN BLOC FEATURES

Competition

Barbarians (Vavari), Serbia/Montenegro/Slovenia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ivan Ikić

Cast: Željko Marković, Nenad Petrović, Jasna Djuričić, Mirko Vlahović, and Marina Vodeničar

Cure – The Life of Another, Switzerland/Croatia/Bosnia and Herzegovina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Andrea Staka

Cast: Sylvie Marinkovic, Lucia Radulovic, Mirjana Karanovic, Marija Skaricic, Leon Lucev, and Franjo Dijak

The Judgement, (Sadilishteto), Bulgaria – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Stephan Komandarev

Cast: Assen Blatechki, Miki Manojlovic, Ovanes Torosyan, and Ina Nikolova

Kebab & Horoscope, Poland

Directed by Grzegorz Jaroszuk

Cast: Bartłomiej Topa, Piotr Żurawski, Tomek Schuchardt, Justyna Wasilewska, Barbara Kurzaj, Andrzej Zieliński, Dorota Kolak, and Janusz Michałowski

Monument to Michael Jackson (Spomenik Majklu Dzeksonu), Croatia/Germany/ Republic of Macedonia/Serbia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Darko Lungulov

Cast: Natasa Tapuskovic, Ljubomir Bandovic, and Boris Milivojevic

The Way Out (Ceska Ven), Czech Republic/France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Petr Václav

Cast: Klaudia Dudová, David Ištok, Natálie Hlaváčová, Mária Ferencová-Zajacová, and Milan Cifra

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Competition

Caffeinated, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Hanh Nguyen and Vishal Solanki

Featuring: Doug Welsh, Geoff Watts, Peter Giuliano, and Sunalini Menon

Children of the Arctic, Switzerland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Nick Brandestini

Harvest (Vendange), France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Paul Lacoste

Heartworn Highways Revisited, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Wayne Price

Hip Hop-eration, New Zealand – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Bryn Evans

Now en Español, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Andrea Meller

Partners With the Enemy, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Duki Dror and Chen Shelach

Far From Home, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Galen Knowles

The Land of Many Palaces, China – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Adam James Smith and Song Ting

SPANISH/LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA

Competition

Aces (Os Fenómenos), Spain – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Alfonso Zarauza

Amor, etc., Argentina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Gladys Lizarazu

Boss, Anatomy of a Crime, The (El Patrón, Radiografía de un Crimen), Argentina, Venezuela

Directed by Sebastián Schindel

Carmen’s Karma (El Karma de Carmen), Argentina – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Rodolfo Durán

Cast: Laura Azcurra, Manuel Callau, and Ana María Castel

El Cordero, Chile

Directed by Juan Francisco Olea

Day Release (Tercer Grado), Spain – World Premiere

Directed by Geoffrey Cowper

The Incident (El Incidente), Mexico

Directed by Isaac Ezban

The Naked Screen, Nicaragua – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Florence Jaugey

Eighty Seven (Ochentasiete), Ecuador, Argentina, Germany – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Daniel Andrade, Anahí Hoeneisen

Happy Times (Tiempos Felices), Mexico – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Luis Javier M. Henaine

FUND FOR SANTA BARBARA SOCIAL JUSTICE

Competition

A Snake Gives Birth To A Snake, South Africa/USA/France/Serbia and Montenegro/Rwanda/Serbia/Ireland/Bosnia and Herzegovina

Directed by Michael Lessac

Energized (Macht Energie), Austria – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Hubert Canaval

Do I Sound Gay?, USA

Directed by David Thorpe

I Am Femen (Je Suis Femen), Switzerland – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Alain Margot

The Land of Many Palaces, China – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Adam James Smith and Song Ting

Mad as Hell, USA – US – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Andrew Napier

Natural Resistance, France/Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jonathan Nossiter

Tiger, Tiger – World Premiere

Directed by George Butler

Life According to Ohad, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eri Daniel Erlich

]The Year We Thought About Love, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Ellen Brodsky

NON-COMPETITION FILMS

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

Black Coal, Thin Ice, China

Directed by Yi’nan Diao

Cast: Fan Liao, Lun Mei Gwei, Xuebing Wang

Citizenfour, Germany/USA

Directed by Laura Poitras

Featuring: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, Jacob Appelbaum

Clouds of Sils Maria, France/USA

Directed by Olivier Assayas

Cast: Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloë Grace Moretz, Lars Eidinger

Force Majeure (Turist), Sweden

Directed by Ruben Östlund

Cast: Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren, Vincent Wettergren

Keep On Keepin’ On, USA

Directed by Alan Hicks

Featuring: Clark Terry, Justin Kauflin, Gwen Terry, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Phyllis Kauflin

Leviathan, Russian Federation

Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev

Cast: Alexey Serebryakov, Roman Madyanov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Elena Lyadova, Sergey Pokhodaev

Life Itself, USA

Directed by Steve James

Featuring Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert, Gene Siskel

Maps to the Stars, Canada/Germany

Directed by David Cronenberg

Cast: Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams

Nightingale, USA

Directed by Elliott Lester

Cast: David Oyelowo

Tangerines, Estonia

Directed by Zaza Urushadze

Cast: Lembit Ulfsak, Elmo Nüganen, Mikheil Meskhi, Giorgi Nakashidze, Raivo Trass

Theeb, United Arab Emirates/Qatar/Jordan/UK

Directed by Naji Abu Nowar

Cast: Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat and Jack Fox

Timbuktu, France/Mauritania

Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako

Cast: Ibrahim Ahmed, Toulou Kiki, Abel Jafri

Wild Tales, Argentina/Spain

Directed by Damián Szifrón

Cast: Ricardo Darin, Oscar Martinez, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Erica Rivas, Rita Cortese, Julieta Zylberberg, Dario Grandinetti

Haemoo, South Korea

Directed by Sung-bo Shim

Cast: Yoon-seok Kim, Ye-ri Han, and Yu-chun Park

NORDIC

Beatles, Norway

Directed by Peter Flinth

Cast: Louis Williams, Håvard Jackwitz, Ole Nicolai Myrvold Jørgensen, Halvor Tangen Schultz

Eila, Rampe and Baby Girl (Eila, Rampe Ja Likka), Finland – World Premiere

Directed by Taru Mäkelä

Cast: Heidi Herala, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Emmi Parviainen, and Riku Niemine

Force Majeure (Turist), Sweden

Directed by Ruben Östlund

Cast: Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Clara Wettergren, Vincent Wettergren

The Grump (Mielensäpahoittaja), Finland

Directed by Dome Karukoski

Cast: Antti Litja, Petra Frey, Mari Perankoski, Iikka Forss

Itsi Bitsi, Denmark, Croatia, Sweden

Directed by Ole Christian Madsen

Cast: Joachim Fjelstrup, Marie Tourell Søderberg, Christian Gade Bjerrum, Johannes Nymark, Jakob Randrup, Ola Rapace, Anette Støvelbæk, Julia Ragnarsson, and Thure Lindhardt

Life in a Fishbowl (Vonarstræti), Czech Republic, Finland, Iceland, Sweden

Directed by Baldvin Zophoníasson

Cast: Hera Hilmar, Thorsteinn Bachmann, and Thor Kristjansson

One Night in Oslo, Norway – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eirik Svensson

Cast: Sirad Abdi, Burhan Ahmed, Mohammed Alghoul

They Have Escaped (He Ovat Paenneet), Finland/Netherlands – U.S. Premiere

Directed by JP Valkeapää

Cast: Teppo Manner, Roosa Söderholm, Pelle Heikkilä, and Petteri Pennilä

PAN ASIA

12 Citizens, China – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Xu Ang

Cast: He Bing, Han Tongsheng, Wang Gang

A Hard Day, South Korea

Directed by Seong-hun Kim

Cast: Sun-kyun Lee, Jin-woong Chi

Black Coal, Thin Ice, China

Directed by Yi’nan Diao

Cast: Fan Liao, Lun Mei Gwei, Xuebing Wang

Cart, South Korea

Directed by Ji-young Boo

Cast: Jung-ah Yum, Jeong-hee Moon, Young-ae Kim, Gang-woo Kim, Jung-min Hwang, Woo-hee Chun, D.O.

Confession – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Do-yun Lee

Cast: Sung Ji, Ji-hoon Ju, and Kwang-soo Lee

Haemoo, South Korea

Directed by Sung-bo Shim

Cast: Yoon-seok Kim, Ye-ri Han, and Yu-chun Park

Margarita, with a Straw, India

Directed by Shonali Bose

Cast: Kalki Koechlin, Revathy, Sayani Gupta, William Moseley, and Hussain Dalal

Partners in Crime, Taiwan

Directed by Jung-chi Change

Cast: Chien-ho Wu, Yu-kai Deng, Kai-yuan Cheng, Ai-ning Yao, Sunny Hung, Chen-ling Wen

Second Chance, Taiwan – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Wen-yen Kung

Cast: Shang-yi Wen, P.J. Huang, Angel Yao, and Jason Wang

Tokyo Fiancée, Belgium/Canada/France

Directed by Stefan Liberski

Cast: Pauline Etienne, Taichi Inoue, Julie Lebreton, and Alice De Lencquesaing

KOLNOA

10% My Child, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Uri Bar-on

Cast: Gur Bentwich, Vered Feldman, Yali Friedman, Udi Persi

Almost Friends, Israel

Directed by Nitzan Ofir

The Farewell Party, Israel

Directed by Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit

Cast: Ze’ev Revach, Levana Finkelstein, Aliza Rozen, Ilan Dar, and Rafi Tavor

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, Israel/Germany/France

Directed by Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz

Featuring: Ronit Elkabetz, Simon Abkarian, Menashe Noy, Sasson Gabay

Last Stop, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Julie Shiles

Partners With the Enemy, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Duki Dror and Chen Shelach

Sacred Sperm, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Ori Gruder

Featuring: Israel Itzkovich, Rabi Shmuel Stern, Yeshurun Verner

Villa Touma, Israel

Directed by Suha Arraf

Cast: Nisreen Faour, Ula Tabari, Cherien Dabis, and Maria Zreik

The Unwelcoming, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Robby Elmaliah

Cast: Kmimish Uzan

SCREEN CUISINE

Agave is Life, Mexico/USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by David O. Brown and Meredith L. Dreiss

Caffeinated, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Hanh Nguyen and Vishal Solanki

Deli Man, USA

Directed by Erik Greenberg Anjou

Featuring: Ziggy Gruber

Harvest (Vendange), France – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Paul Lacoste

Life According to Ohad, Israel – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Eri Daniel Erlich

Mafia and Red Tomatoes, (La Nostra Terra), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Giulio Manfredonia

Cast: Stefano Accorsi, Sergio Rubini, Iaia Forte, and Maria Rosaria Russo

Natural Resistance, France/Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jonathan Nossiter

Soof, Netherlands –  – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Antoinette Beumer

Cast: Lies Visschedijk, Fedja van Huêt, and Daniel Karaty

THE WORLD LAUGHS

Banana, Italy – World Premiere

Directed by Andrea Jublin

Featuring: Ascanio Balbo, Anna Bonaiuto, and Giorgio Colangeli

Bonobo, UK – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Matthew Hammett Knott

Cast: James Norton, Tessa Peake-Jones, Josie Lawrence

The Farewell Party, Israel

Directed by Sharon Maymon and Tal Granit

Cast: Ze’ev Revach, Levana Finkelstein, Aliza Rozen, Ilan Dar, and Rafi Tavor

The Grump (Mielensäpahoittaja), Finland

Directed by Dome Karukoski

Cast: Antti Litja, Petra Frey, Mari Perankoski, Iikka Forss

Kebab & Horoscope, Poland

Directed by Grzegorz Jaroszuk

Cast: Bartłomiej Topa, Piotr Żurawski, Tomek Schuchardt, Justyna Wasilewska, Barbara Kurzaj, Andrzej Zieliński, Dorota Kolak, and Janusz Michałowski

Love, Rosie, UK/Germany

Directed by Christian Ditter

Cast: Lily Collins and Sam Clafin

Mafia and Red Tomatoes (La Nostra Terra), Italy – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Giulio Manfredonia

Cast: Stefano Accorsi, Sergio Rubini, Iaia Forte, and Maria Rosaria Russo

Monument to Michael Jackson (Spomenik Majklu Dzeksonu), Croatia/Germany/ Republic of Macedonia/Serbia – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Darko Lungulov

Cast: Natasa Tapuskovic, Ljubomir Bandovic, and Boris Milivojevic

The Truth About Lies, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Phil Allocco

Cast: Fran Kranz, Odette Annable

CINEMATIC OVERTURES

A Snake Gives Birth to a Snake, Bosnia and Herzegovina/France/Ireland/Rwanda/Serbia/ South Africa/USA

Directed by Michael Lessac

Featuring: Quanita Adams, Nick Boraine, and Andrew Buckland

Bang Bang Baby, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Jeffrey St. Jules

Cast: Jane Levy, Justin Chatwin, Peter Stormare, and David Reale

Five Days to Dance, Spain – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Pepe Andreu, Rafa Molés

Hip Hop-eration, New Zealand – U.S Premiere

Directed by Bryn Evans

The Last Five Years, USA

Directed by Richard LaGravenese

Cast: Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan

Like Air, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Jake Viramontez

Featuring: Kathryn McCormick, Alyssa Gaines, Kayla Sameski, and Montserrat Roberts

Songs She Wrote About People She Knows, Canada – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Kris Elgstrand

Cast: Arabella Bushnell, Brad Dryborough, and Ross Smith

The Year We Thought About Love, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Ellen Brodsky

TO THE MAXXX

Attention, A Life in Extremes, Austria – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Sascha Köllnreitner

Cast: Guillaume Néry, Halvor Angvik, and Gerhard Gulewicz

Cerro Torre: A Snowball’s Chance in Hell, Argentina/Austria/UK/USA – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Thomas Dirnhofer

Featuring: David Lama, Peter Ortner, Jim Bridwell, Toni Ponholzer, and Markus Pucher

Fair Chase, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Alex Cullen and Emma Tammi

Far From Home, USA/Argentina/Canada/Italy/Uganda – World Premiere

Directed by Galen Knowles

Featuring: Brolin Mawejje, Rob Kingwill, and Travis Rice

Spirit of Akasha – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Andrew Kidman

Sunshine Superman, USA, Norway, UK

Directed by Marah Strauch

Featuring: Jean Boenish, Carl Boenish

What the Sea Gives Me, USA

Directed by Pierce Kavanagh

Zombie: The Resurrection of Tim Zom, Netherlands – U.S. Premiere

Directed by Billy Pols

Featuring: Tim Zom

REEL NATURE

Gardeners of Eden, USA, Kenya

Directed by Austin Peck and Anneliese Vandenberg

It’s a Wild Life, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Kennan Ward

Featuring: Feynner Arias

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Secret Ocean 3D, USA – World Premiere

Directed by Jean-Michel Cousteau

Featuring: Jean-Michel Cousteau and Holly Lohuis

The Penguin Counters, USA/Antarctica/Argentina – World Premiere

Directed by Harriet Gordon and Peter Getzels

Featuring: Ron Naveen

Swains Island – One of the Last Jewels of the Planet

Directed by Jim Knowlton

Featuring: Jean-Michel Cousteau

Tiger, Tiger – World Premiere

Directed by George Butler

Wild Australia – U.S. Premiere

Produced by Susanne Lummer, Ashley Hoppin

APPLEBOX

Big Hero 6, USA

Directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams

Cast: Scott Adsit, Ryan Potter, Jaime Chung, Damon Wayans Jr., Maya Rudolph

The Boxtrolls, USA

Directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi

Cast: Ben Kingsley,<a href="http://cmarshallpr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d018eb64073b092a8727c9089

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