North American Premiere
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Filmed over the course of 10 years, this moving story follows one man?s spiritual journey after he leaves a Buddhist monastery to take a bride, only to find he's lost his way.
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A bittersweet comedy about the ticking away of biological time clocks, Shades of Happiness examines the needs and desires of two thirtysomething women seeking fulfillment. Paula is an arts teacher, whose husband is a family therapist. They have been trying to have a child for years, to no avail. Helena and Mikko are two high tech workers devoted to their careers. When Helena suddenly informs Mikko that her life will not be complete without a child, confusion and turmoil ensue.
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Moments repeat themselves in Seven Heavens. Words resound and images reappear. Johann knows he has seen Jenny before. He can predict her movements and imagines where they will take him before he arrives there. Director Michael Busch recreates Johann?s deja-vu for audiences as he takes them through an aesthetically and intellectually intriguing puzzle that explores memory, spirituality and desire.
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Gone are the days of the Maharaja, who lavished his singers and instrumentalists with bountiful gifts. When Swaroop accompanies his Uncle Nizam and two other musicians on their travels, he learns that the journey of a traditional musician in India is less fruitful than he had imagined. A talented young boy from the small village of Keralia, Swaroop comes from generations of musicians who played for the kings and rajputs. But now there are no more kings, and the rajputs are broke.
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On a rainy night, the composer Mimi Nightingale meets a young singer to whom he gives the poetic name ?Venus Morningstar? and for whom he will write his most beautiful songs. And everything seems to go great. But after seven years of petty arguing, Mimi and Venus? relationship falls apart. After their separation, they both become painfully aware that they have lost the love of their lives. At first, they attempt practical solutions to overcome their grief: Venus finds a new boyfriend and Mimi?kills himself.
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Matti is a family man, content to prove his manhood by changing diapers and cooking. But his wife is bored not only with their humdrum existence, but also with Matti?s macaroni casserole. An angry exchange, resulting in a slap, is the only excuse Matti?s wife needs to take their daughter and leave.
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Going Under is a sensual tale of love?a seemingly impossible love?between two people from different worlds. Director Eric Werthman has designed an emotionally complex and stirring erotic romance, introducing the dark world of unrevealed passions and demonstrating the combined fragility and strength of human spirit.
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Every butterfly has gone through the dark and difficult process of evolution before it can fly freely. It has to experience the process on its own because no one can help, and any attempt to rush through it is fatal.
Flavia is a 30-year-old teacher, mother and wife who always does what is expected of her. But when she meets Yip, a charming woman, casually munching away in a supermarket, a part of Flavia?s past, long buried, is rekindled.
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"My name is Vassi. I am an actor. And an idealist."
Jo Strømgren and Runar Hodne's Destination Moscow is a lopsided view of the last decade of the Soviet Union, as seen through the eyes of an incorrigible idealist from the provinces. It is a road movie in tribute to the deeds of fumbling heroes and the charm of believing in the impossible.
Life is not smooth sailing for Vassi. Between performing plays to meager audiences and helping his shady brother smuggle goods, his dreams of conquering the legendary theatres of Moscow seem more remote than ever.
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Quality of Life is a poignant tale of creative passion about the need to curb an obsession in order to conform to the demands of society. Director Benjamin Morgan journeys into a world typically seen only on buses and concrete, while inhabiting a subculture that is often thought to exist in the darkness of alleyways and rooftops.