Sundance 2009: US Dramatic Competition

by Deborah Arthur | | Leave a Comment     

 

Sundance 2009: US Dramatic Competition

 

Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon in The Greatest
Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon in The Greatest

 

Adam (Director-screenwriter: Max Mayer)
A strange and lyrical love story between a somewhat socially dysfunctional young man and the woman of his dreams. Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.

Amreeka (Director-screenwriter: Cherien Dabis)
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives replete with challenges. Cast: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat.

Big Fan (Director-screenwriter: Robert Siegel)
The world of a parking garage attendant who happens to be the New York Giants’ biggest fan is turned upside down after an altercation with his favorite player. Cast: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto.

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men (Director-screenwriter: John Krasinski)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology tries to remedy her heartache by interviewing men about their behavior. Cast: Julianne Nicholson, John Krasinski, Timothy Hutton, Dominic Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Rashida Jones.

Cold Souls (Director-screenwriter: Sophie Barthes)
In the midst of an existential crisis, a famous American actor explores soul extraction as a relief from the burdens of daily life. Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dina Korzun, David Strathairn, Emily Watson, Lauren Ambrose, Oksana Lada.

Dare (Director: Adam Salky; screenwriter: David Brind)
Three very different teenagers discover that, even in the safe world of a suburban prep school, no one is who she or he appears. Cast: Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer, Alan Cumming, Sandra Bernhard, Rooney Mara.

Don’t Let Me Drown (Director: Cruz Angeles; screenwriters: Cruz Angeles, Maria Topete)
Two Latino teens whose lives are affected by the attack on the World Trade Center discover that love is the only thing that keeps them from drowning. Cast: E.J. Bonilla, Gleendilys Inoa, Damian Alcazar, Ricardo Chavira, Gina Torres.

The Dream of the Romans (Director-screenwriter: John Hindman)
A reclusive author of a groundbreaking spiritual book awakens to new truths when two strangers enter his life. Cast: Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Pucci, Olivia Thirlby.

The Greatest (Director-screenwriter: Shana Feste)
After the tragic loss of their teenage son, a family is again thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a young woman. Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons, Aaron Johnson, Zoe Kravitz.

Humpday (Director-screenwriter: Lynn Shelton)
A farcical comedy about straight male bonding gone a little too far. Cast: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard.

Paper Heart (Director: Nicolas Jasenovec)
Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn’t believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature — a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets an unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera. Cast: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Nicolas Jasenovec, Jake Johnson.

Peter and Vandy (Director-screenwriter: Jay DiPietro)
Juxtaposing a couple’s romantic beginnings with the twisted-manipulative-regular couple they have become, the film is a contemporary Manhattan love story with no beginning and no end. Cast: Jess Weixler, Jason Ritter, Jesse L. Martin, Tracie Thoms.

Push (Director-screenwriter: Lee Daniels)
Based on the acclaimed best-selling novel by Sapphire, the film is the redemptive story of Precious Jones, a girl in Harlem struggling to overcome tremendous obstacles and discover her own voice. Cast: Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo’Nique Imes, Lenny Kravitz.

Sin Nombre/U.S.A. (Director-screenwriter: Cary Fukunaga)
A teenage Mexican gang member maneuvers to outrun his violent past and elude unforgiving former associates in this thriller set among Central American migrants seeking to cross over to the United States. Cast: Paulina Gaitan, Diana Garcia, Damayanti Quintanar, Karl Braun.

Taking Chance (Director: Ross Katz; screenwriters: Ross Katz, Michael Strobl)
Based on real events, Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, a volunteer military escort officer, accompanies the body of 19-year-old Marine Chance Phelps back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyo. Cast: Tom Aldredge, Sherman Alpert, Nicholas Art, Kevin Bacon, Blanche Baker.

Toe to Toe (Director-screenwriter: Emily Abt)
The story of an interracial friendship put to the test by the intense pressures of a competitive Washington prep school. Cast: Sonequa Martin, Louisa Krause, Silvestre Rasuk, Anwan Glover, Gaius Charles.

 

Sundance 2009 Boycott: Park City to Suffer?

Cairo Film Festival 2008: What’s the Use?

Amazonas Film Festival and the Environment in THE GUARDIAN

Penélope Cruz, Kristin Scott Thomas, Clint Eastwood at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2009

MARY AND MAX to Open Sundance 2009

Sundance, Prop. 8, and Boycotts

Danny Boyle, GOMORRAH, WALTZ WITH BASHIR: AFI FEST 2008

THE WRESTLER, EVERLASTING MOMENTS, LA RABIA: AFI FEST 2008

Tilda Swinton, Juliette Binoche, Bill Plympton: AFI FEST 2008

THE DESERT WITHIN, TWO-LEGGED HORSE, Documentary Shorts: AFI FEST 2008

by Deborah Arthur | December 3, 2008 | Filed Under American Cinema / Hollywood, Film Festivals 

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