2002

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United States Premiere Recently, some of the world's most interesting films have come from economically troubled Argentina. One of the very best yet is Bolivia, winner of several international prizes, including the FIPRESCI (International Film Critics' Federation) Award at the London International Film Festival. Director Israel Adriâ?¡n Caetano's film is "harrowing, hard-hitting, and highly involving on both emotional and intellectual levels." The story is simplicity itself: Freddy has left Bolivia and come to Argentina, looking for work.

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Director Karen Moncrieff's provocative new film, Blue Car, is a tragically and skillfully woven tale of heartbreak and rapidly fading innocence. Seventeen-year-old Meg, neglected by her overworked mother and responsible for her troubled younger sister, yearns for her father-who abandoned the family years ago-to come back and drive her away in his car to a world free from cares and problems. As an emotional outlet, Meg writes incredibly poignant poetry, which catches the eye of her teacher, Mr. Auster (David Strathairn). Immediately recognizing Meg's gift, Mr.

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Northern California Premiere Maxime arrives in Paris. He's an innocent, a clairvoyant, and a bit of a lunatic: operating solely on instinct and impulse, he is, in fact, a modern Candide, or perhaps d'Artagnan. He's looking for Justine, the woman he loved when he was in India. Instead, he finds Jack, an American businessman and his total opposite. Through unlikely circumstances, Maxime and Jack become fast friends, and when Maxime leaves for India to find Justine, Jack decides to drop everything and go along with him. Both, however, are in for a big surprise.

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World Premiere Courageous...pushes the boundaries of what is permissible in modern cinema...powerful and intense. - Robert Hawk Director Brent Sims' work is always arresting, uncompromising, and controversial. With Gutter Punks (Cinequest, 1998), Sims took a gritty and intimate look at street kids. In Becoming Vex, he again focuses his attention towards young people (this time twenty-somethings) and portrays perhaps a more misanthropic view of society and the effects of violence. Trust lives in the 'burbs.

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Northern California Premiere Srdan Golubovic's entrancing first feature reveals what happens when youthful ambition and brotherly love are threatened by a world of revenge and manipulation. Sasha is a competitive sharpshooter qualifying for the Junior World Championships - and his world is coming apart at the seams. Sasha's father was Yugoslavia's most famous marksman. Sasha's older brother, Igor, once also World Champion Sharpshooter and a sniper during the civil war, is now a junkie.

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Hungary in 1960-a few years after the revolution and during a time of social uncertainty and harsh living conditions. A communist state dedicated to the welfare of the people, it was said. Young Aaron's father leaves him at an orphanage where rigid discipline dominates and where children are subjected to extreme cruelties. Bewildered at first, Aaron is punished by the other boys but is soon accepted as a fellow sufferer. The director of the home is a devoutly religious martinet and takes every opportunity to punish the boys-a crime in a communist state.

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Northern California Premiere A Song for Martin is acclaimed director Bille August's most intimate and possibly most challenging work to date, focusing on an intimate tale of a mature love affair gone tragically off-key. Barbara, a middle-aged violinist, goes through the motions in an indifferent marriage. After Martin, an esteemed composer, shows an interest in her, they embark on a secretive relationship. Barbara soon divorces her husband and further alienates her grown children by marrying Martin.

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Northern California Premiere Tolin is the biggest television variety show in Mexico, and its host, famous comedian and conductor, Salvador, is one of the most beloved people in the country. It's lucky then that Pancho and Emilio, two brothers who lead a small gang of thieves, choose Salvador's taxi to rob. Recognizing the star, Pancho immediately sees an opportunity for lots of cash. For Emilio, it's the opportunity for his dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian to come to fruition. The once simple mugging soon turns into a more complicated case of kidnapping.

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Northern California Premiere Rachel, a nice Jewish woman from New York City, is getting married to Christine, a nice blond woman from San Diego. But that's not where the story really begins. As Rachel tells it, Mom first freaks out at the thought that her daughter is not going to marry a good looking doctor and give her perfect grandchildren. But Mom soon reverts to the quintessential Jewish mother, aggressively trying to fix up Rachel with every "Ms. Rightowitz" in town and proudly thinking of herself as the Mother of all Mothers of Lesbians.