DancesWithFilms: Archives - Features E thru L
















	EASTER USA, 2004, 35mm, 92 min. (Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 2004 - GRAND JURY AWARD) Dir: Richard Caliban • Writers: Will Scheffer, Richard Caliban • Prods: Will Scheffer, Mark V. Olsen, Brad M. Gilbert, Christine K. Walker Cast: Jodie Markell, Barry Dell Sherman, Sean Runnette, Max Wright Wilma and Matthew Ransom - a young couple have been on the run from a tempestuous past and a mysterious trail of burning churches across the Nebraska plains. Their journey is surreal and eccentric, yet sobering and illuminating, as they are forced to face the truths they have hidden from each other and themselves. Myth and religious allegories blend with candid humor to tell the story of this haunted couple’s search for forgiveness and redemption. EAST OF SUNSET USA, 2004, DIGITAL, 89 min. (Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 2005) Dir: Brian McNelis • Writer: Heather J. Miller • Prod: Bruce Coughran Cast: Emily Stiles, Jimmy Wayne Farley, Dikla Marshall, George Garritano, Lucia Sullivan In this musically-inspired tale, Carley lives a life of pills, dive bars and uncommitted sexual encounters. When she meets up with an artist with “recreational” heroin issues, she is forced to face her avoidance of intimacy and her own drug use; Performances of the early songs of Tom Waits throughout. EQUINOX KNOCKS USA, 1999, 35mm, 112 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 1999) Dir: Fran Rzeznik, Writers: Fran Rzeznik & Zinka Benton, Producer: Zinka Benton Cast: Guilford Adams, Debra Cassidy, Kat James, Amber Lea Voiles, Sean Corrigan A comedy of swapped sexual identitiy in a small Texas town with “magical” results. EVE OF UNDERSTANDING USA, 2006, DIGITAL, 93 min. (DWF 2006) Writer/Dir: Alyson Shelton • Prods: Jen Prince, Alyson Shelton Cast: Rebecca Lowman, Bellamy Young, Daniel Magill, Mark Reeb, Tom Procida, Susan Roberts, Jenna Craig, Jennifer Harlow, Shaeri Richards, John Gremillion Donna can’t seem to get her life together. Chain-smoking with a bad haircut, she feels it has all gone wrong. When Donna’s mother, Eve, dies, all Donna inherits is a list of addresses and mementos to be delivered to the significant people of her mother’s past. Each delivery closes a chapter in Eve’s life, but they are ripping Donna’s old wounds wide open: her absentee father, her Evangelical aunt, people who were supposed to be there but weren’t. Her mother’s dying wish sends Donna on a road trip from Texas to Arizona to make peace, uncover secrets, and find some understanding of the life she’s been dealt. EXTRAORDINARY VISTOR CANADA, 1998, 35mm, 90 min. (West Coast Premiere, DWF 2004 - AUDIENCE AWARD) Writer/Dir: John W. Doyle, Producers: Jennice Ripley & Paul Pope Cast: Mary Walsh, Andy Jones, Raoul Bhaneja John the Baptist is making a rare return appearance to save the world. With the millennium approaching, the Blessed Virgin Mary comes to the Pope with bad news: God’s patience has run out, and humanity’s time is up. She is allowed one intervention however, in the form of John the Baptist, and if he can find even one sign of hope, the human race will be saved. But there’s a catch - he has only seven days to do it in. Upon his arrival in St. Johns, Newfoundland, it isn’t long before John gets mixed-up with an eccentric chat show hostess, a harebrained inventor, a loyal, if loony, bunch of followers and a wacky plot to sabotage the root of all evil: the stock markets... THE FALL BEFORE PARADISE USA, 2003, 35mm, 100 min. .(West Coast Premiere, DWF 2004) Writer/Dir/Prod: Steven Gillilan Cast: DeVere Jehl, Sabrina Gennarino, Jennifer Chudy, Shelley McPherson, Tony Tsendeas, Nathan Taylor, And Sophie Radoci A psychiatric patient – haunted by disturbing dreams from the eyes of an abducted boy – believes he is having psychic visions. He will never have peace until he rescues the boy’s abducted sister from a doomed, abused life. But the psych ward has no intension on letting him leave. If there is a child, her fate rests in the hands of his outpatient girlfriend, whose main focus is thinking of ways to bomb the phone company. Together, two chemically imbalanced lovers struggle to see truth amidst the delusions of mental illness and stand alone in their quest to rescue the abducted girl. THE FALLS USA, 2003, Digital, 85 min..(Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 2004) Writer/Dir: Paul DeNigris • Prods: Paul DeNigris, Laura DeNigris, Steve Briscoe Cast: David Tully, Diedre Kilgore, Johanna Watts, Ken Dapper, Steve Briscoe, J. Todd Howell, Anslem Richardson, David Kampman, Jill Moray, and Michael DeNigris David Marx should have left Buffalo long ago, but now it's too late. His ex-girlfriend Jennifer Barnes - his red-haired angel - is missing. Her father Ethan Barnes, the richest man in town, calls David the prime suspect. And Detective Allen Crane, one of the cops in Barnes’ pocket, wants to make David's life a living hell. Then Robin Stevens - the woman who broke Jen and David up - reappears in David's life. Wearing Jen’s clothes and her all too familiar red hair, Robin starts pushing David’s buttons and pushing him toward murder... As if snared in the undercurrents of the nearby Niagara River, David’s life is out of control. Soon he'll reach the rapids, then comes... The Falls. FAULT LINES USA, 2001, Digital, 110 min. (Southwest Premiere, DWF 2002) Writer/Dir: Michael Beubis, Prods: Michael Beubis, Timothy Roarke Cast: Kayren Butler, Pamela Dillman, Gil Ferro, Victoria La Vinger, Christi Lemmon, Kenneth Moskow, Kim Murphy, Mark Pellegrino, Tim Taule Unique in both its style and structure, Fault Lines is a romantic comedy that interweaves the lives of an eclectic group of characters as they wrestle with success and happiness in the ever-shifting landscape of Los Angeles. FIERCE FRIEND USA, 2006, DIGITAL, 104 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 2006) Dir: Jacob Cooney • Writers: Kevin Kelly, Matthew Martinez • Prod: Jane Kelly Kosek Cast: Kevin Kelly, Les Borsay, Kelly Pendygraft, Erin Torpey, Thyme Lewis, JoJo Wright, Richard Riehle A story about two boyhood friends who come to a crossroads in their adult relationship when one of them finds true love. The story explores the blurry line between love and friendship and obsession and jealousy. FIERCE FRIEND is a thrilling ride into the psyche of a sociopath. FINAL RINSE USA, 1999, 35mm, 92 min. .(Southwest Premiere, DWF 2000) Dir: Robert Tucker, Writers: Robert Tucker, Arthur Schurr, Producer: Dan Reardon Cast: Frank Gorshin, Joey Ramone, David Cale, Sebastian Bach, John Fugelsang, Terence Goodman, Jennifer Regan, Uncle Floyd, Michael Hannon Part Spinal Tap, part Silence Of The Lambs, FINAL RINSE trails overly hard-boiled Detective Max Block as he pursues crazed big-hair rocker serial-killer Trojan through a rock and roll pastiche of pop-culture references, violent confrontations, and serious hair. When the roots of the conflict are finally bared, Block learns that cop and killer share a past that leads to a very split end. 5 CARD STUD USA, 2002, Super16, 96 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2002) Dir: Hank Saroyan, Writer: Lawrence H. Toffler, Prod: Chantel Sausedo Cast: Khrystyne Haje, Lawrence H. Toffler, Kevin McClatchy, Steven Houska, Jeff Parise, Brian Everett, Chantel Sausedo, Landon Wine, Doris Hess Five guys, one girl, and the same old game. It was supposed to be a one-night-stand. But when Greg, the risk-averse leader of the weekly poker game unexpectedly falls for Aly, a girl with a reputation and a boyfriend, all bets are off. He is forced to battle his neuroses, Aly must confront her insecurities, and Greg's buddies have to face the impossible - growing up. Something's gotta give. But what? THE FIVE STAGES OF BEER USA, 2003, Digital, 88 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2003) Dir: Brian Mix, Writers: Mark Yturralde, Brian Mix, Prod: Mark Yturralde • CoProd: David Glanzer Cast: Frank Lauria II, Sam Upton, Jenya Lano, Stacy Burnham, Mau Barclay, Vince Cuseo, Stacey Branscombe, Maria DiJosia Dennis has his life all planned out: Get a degree, a wife, a house, a dog... you know the rest. But when his wife leaves him, the future looks like nothing more than a tall, cold glass of beer. Enter Dennis's best friend and bar owner, Mick. His plan for happiness is about a one-night-stand long. But when one night turns into something more, what's a player to do? Can a leopard change its spots? Find out as Dennis and Mick go through the denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance of relationships -- or in bar talk: The Five Stages of Beer. FIX USA, 1996, 35mm, 89 min..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 1998) Writer/Dir: Richard Zelniker, Producers: James DeRin, Richard Zelniker Cast: Lisa Collins, Burr Steers, James Patrick Stuart A story about the psychology of sexuality with an unforgettable twist. Two brothers. A woman. Family secrets. We watch as these two young men come to terms with a long and simmering childhood secret, brought to the surface by a woman with whom they are both involved. FOLLOWING BLISS USA, 2005, DIGITAL, 93 min. (DWF 2006) Writer/Dir: Cleve Lamison • Prods: Mevlut Akkaya, Michelle Olofson, Cleve Lamison, Patrick DiRenna Cast: Ellen Bethea, Sean Patrick Reilly, Reena Shah, Julian Rozzell, Jr, Cleve Lamison, David Brown Jack Newman is a former musician who now works as a minor (but well-paid) cog in the huge corporate machine run by his father-in-law. And he’s miserable. His pregnant wife, Jenny, has created the perfect little home for her budding family and couldn’t be happier. When Jack’s old band mate shows up with a scheme to get the band back together for a yearlong road tour, Jack contemplates leaving Jenny alone to raise their child. Jenny becomes furious. Tonight, love becomes vengeance and joy turns tragic when the dreams of Jack and Jenny Newman collide. FORMOSA USA, 2005, DIGITAL, 86 min. (West Coast Premiere, DWF 2005) Dir: Noah Kadner • Writer: Jamieson Stern • Prod: Anita M. Cal • Co-Prod: Lisa Diane Washington • Cast: Steven Gilborn, Jamieson Stern, Jessica Kiper, Clayton Rohner, Geoffrey Lewis, Richard Keith, Cameron Bender, Tara Nulty, Saginaw Grant, Erik Holland Albuquerque, 1951. A struggling community of social guidance filmmakers, searching for ways to keep their studio afloat, spend their last dollars on a mysterious con man they mistake for a Method actor. The con man wants a quick buck, and the filmmakers want a realistic edge to their films. Both get much more than they bargained for in this warm, engaging comedy in the vein of Ed Wood, Pleasantville and Shadow of the Vampire. FROM OTHER WORLDS USA, 2004, 35mm, 88 min..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 2003) Writer/Dir: Barry Strugatz • Prods: Linda Moran, Rene Bastian, Diana Williams Cast: Cara Buono, Isaach De Bankole, Melissa Leo, Robert Downey, Sr., Robert Peters A sci-fi comedy about a depressed Brooklyn housewife who sleepwalks through her life until she encounters a UFO in her backyard. With the help of a fellow contactee, an African immigrant, she is determined to solve the mystery of her otherworldly experiences. Along the way, she finds romance, saves the planet and finds new meaning in her life. THE GENTLEMAN DON LA MANCHA USA, 2003, 35mm, 65 min. (Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 2004) Writer/Dir: Ted Roach • Prods: Eliot Preschutti, Ted Roach Cast: Pedro Shanahan, Alex Black, Ed Smaron, Eloy Medez, Joe Allen Price, Billy St. John, Elizabeth Tatus, Brad Gooding, Stephen Niederinghaus, Travis Johns A modern day fable, based on the classic Don Quixote, set in a small town on the Texas-Mexican border. On one side, a gang of vigilante ranchers stands dead-set on rounding up illegal aliens crossing the border. On the other, an elementary school history teacher, obsessed with America’s revolutionary past and by the need to stand up for his radical beliefs. Frustrated by his failure to change the minds of the citizens of Borderland, the teacher’s passion throws him over the edge and into a rebellious alter ego still fighting the American Revolution. In the name of Lady Liberty, this modern day Don Quixote rides courageously towards a confrontation with the ranchers, and his date with destiny. GHOSTS OF HAMILTON STREET USA, 2003, Digital, 118 min. (West Coast Premiere, DWF 2004) Dir: Mike Flanagan • Writers/Prods: Jeff Seidman, Dave Foster Cast: Scott Graham, Zak Jeffries, Kristin Carter, Kerry Brady, Jamie Sinsz, Steve Thomas, Sarah Brandes, Tom Brandau Brody Campbell has failed as a writer, a father, a friend, and a lover. Shortly after the wedding of a childhood friend (and former lover), Brody begins to realize that something strange and terrible is beginning to happen around him… people are disappearing without a trace, and only Brody seems to remember that they existed at all. Brody soon finds that there is a specific pattern to these disappearances, and must struggle to protect those he cares about the most from forces he may never understand. Equal parts supernatural mystery and moving drama, this haunting, thoughtful film will resonate long after the credits roll. GIRL IN 3D USA, 2004, 35mm, 88 min..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 2003) Writer/Dir: Luis Aira • Prod: Luis Aira, Sal Tassone, Jeff Poehlmann, Blanca Valdez, Michael Porter, Cheche Vidal • Cast: Bevin Tucker, Coyote Shivers, Yareli Arizmendi, Michael Aronin, Gichi Gamba, Jimmie Wood Vicky, an ambitious blonde living in Hollywood gets hired to be the “Toy” of her favorite rock star, Stu, who is in desperate need of inspiration. Starry-eyed and reckless, she enters a world fueled by addiction and an abusive thirst for fame. Prey to hidden agenda’s of those around him, Stu’s fantasy world meets harsh reality in a head on collision that forces him to connect with Vicky. The record company needs a hit but Stu can’t find the magic. Fate brought them together but will the music break them apart? GOING NOMAD USA, 1998, 35mm, 97 mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1998) Writer/Dir./Producer: Art Jones Cast: Damian Young, Victor Argo, Jose Yenque, Tom Oppenheim, Craig Smith In a small town called New York, 33-year-old El Cid Rivera (named after the Charlton Heston screen legend), battles with lifes problems. Maybe he needs a bigger apartment, or new friends, or simply a chance to lead a small Latin American nation. By day, he struggles at dead-end jobs. By night, he seeks peace for his tortured head...late at night, when the clamor subsides, when the city opens up and breathes easy... El Cid takes to the streets with the Asphalt Nomads -- a tribe of nocturnal drifters who pilot old Buicks & Lincolns down empty blactop in search of The Perfect Ride -- finding the freedom of America’s open road within Manhattan’s city limits...until sunrise comes. Until the small town wakes again and El Cid must return to battle, climbing walls, testing bounds. GOLOKA USA, 2003, Digital, 93 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2003) Writer/Dir/Prod: Riz Story Cast: Jolene Nicole Ybarra, Riz Story, Crispin Tillet, Martin Brown Alone on a tiny remote tropical island, writer GABRIEL CHRISTAN tests the boundaries of his sanity when a beautiful young girl mysteriously washes up on the beach. But the real miracles begin when she regains consciousness and reveals to him the secrets of the Universe, telepathically. In the climactic ending, the miracle begins to unravel and Gabriel is left fighting for his sanity. GREASEWOOD FLAT USA, 2003, 35mm, 120 min. (West Coast Premiere, DWF 2003) Writer/Dir: Susan K. Brigham, Prods: Susan K. Brigham, Gary P. Brigham, Derek A. Welte Cast: Chip Adams, Mark Boone Junior, Irene Bedard, Allison Marley, Kieran Mulroney, Jamie Johnsen--Brigham, Virginia Hawkins, Lee McLaughlin The story of Johnny, a struggling blues musician estranged from both his family and the country roots he left behind. Faced with endless dead-end gigs and his own loss of passion for the music he once thought was his life, he finds himself returning home, with his band mate and loyal friend Fred, to the three generations of women that he left behind. GREEN LIGHTS USA, 2001, 35mm, 95 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2002) Writer/Dir: Robert H. Lieberman, Prods: Robert H. Lieberman, Slawomir Grunberg Cast: John FitzGibbon, Daniel Dresner, Shawn Randall, Joel Leffert, Mimi Bensinger, Karen Rockower, Tim True, Sam Harris, Jim Byrne When Bob Beeman, a lowly film scout arrives in town, bellhops begin tap dancing, children start singing and Shakespeare is waiting around every corner as the rumor spreads that he’s a big time producer. Snared by Alex and Jimmy, a luckless writer/composer team, Beeman starts believing the myth swirling around him and turns the community upside down with his 'folie de grandeur'. In attempting to make their musical film, Beeman hopes to save his own failed life, and with it, the hopes and dreams of the town that has adopted him. Clearly Beeman and the town are headed for disaster. HALE BOPP USA, 2003, Digital, 91 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 2003) Writer/Dir: Chris Rubeo, Prods: Chris Rubeo, Jeanine Rohn, Steve Parker Cast: Andrea Mustain, Brad Eric Johnson, John Jordan, Ginifer King, Fred Warner, John Stoops A Chicago love story about Rachel, a restless and wild girl, full of potential but spinning in circles. Into her life come Ethan, a straight-laced young architect and seeming ‘perfect guy,’ who has invested himself and his heart in women like Rachel before--and is sure he has learned his lesson. Together, Ethan and Rachel navigate the course of a relationship that is as infuriating as it is inspired, as tender as it is passionate. And for Rachel, this love forces her to confront not only her chosen lifestyle, but the hidden traumas of her past. HAPPY F* ENDINGS UK, 2006, DIGITAL, 82 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 2006) Writer/Dir: Chris Thompson • Prod: Gemma Mitchell Cast: Jamie Macdonald, Jennie Cook, Kirstin Maclean, Kjartan Behm, Iain Gunn, Simon Doherty Ever get bored of happy endings? Or any endings for that matter? Happy F**** Endings is a sci fi, romantic comedy that's the result of what happens if the characters of a film get bored with thier stereotypical relationship story, and if they happen to have strange powers like telekinesis and the ability to control time. HARD USA, 1998, 35mm, 102 mins..(DWF 1998) Dir: John Huckert, Writers: John Huckert, John Matkowsky, Producers: John Matkowsky, Noel Palomaria, John Huckert Cast: Noel Palomaria, Malcolm Moorman, Charles Lanyer, Michael Waite When a series of brutal killings of young male hustlers awaken the police to the threat of a serial killer, rookie detective Raymond Vates must battle an intolerant police department that is indifferent to what it calls “misdemeanor killings.” Jack is the killing machine stalking the nighttime streets of L.A. seeking out the runaways and other lost souls who gather around the hot glow of Hollywood’s neon underworld. But it seems the killer has his eyes on a bigger prize, Vates himself. HEADHUNTER USA, 2005, HD24, 87mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2005) Writer/Dir/Prod: Paul Tarantino Cast: Ben Parrillo, Mark Aiken, Kristi Clainos, Matt Bushell, Lindsey Stoddart Ben is an every-man in search of a better job. When he is led to a high-end corporate headhunter by one of his clients, the headhunter turns out to be a head turner named Sarah, who hooks him up with a job that's too good to be true…and it is. Soon Ben finds himself involved in a supernatural trap, where he must find the head of the long dead Sarah by the anniversary of her death, or perish himself. HEADS N TAILZ USA, 2005, 35mm, 93mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2005 - FUSION Audience Award 2005) Writer/Dir: Stephen David Brooks • Prod: Scott Putman, Billy ‘Sly’ Williams, Philippe Diaz Cast: Kevin Rankin, Billy ‘Sly’ Williams, Daniel Quinn, Lucy Jenner, Tucker Smallwood, Leigh Rose They call him Heads. Every day he flips a quarter to see whose turn it is to do what violent thing needs to be done...And it never, ever comes up Tails. How can this be? TailZ never flips, but always “wins.” He explains it as random chance, quantum weirdness, the very structure of the universe. We find Heads and Tailz wandering the wrong side of the Yellow Brick Road is search of a third guy who stole their money. They really want to find that money, but what these three really need is to find a heart, a brain and a life. THE HEAT CHAMBER USA, 2004, DIGITAL, 86mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2005) Writer/Dir: Mark Norberg • Prod: Dino Donofrio Cast: Shawn Hoffman, Kelly Chambers, Susan E. Matus, Carolyn Hennesy After a near fatal crash, a professional race car driver is unable to raise the cash needed to fix his car and return to the racing circuit. His temporary jobs stretch on into two long years as the strain of his stalled career tears at his once happy marriage. When a mysterious woman offers him an enormous sum of money to perform in an underground pornographic film, he must choose between the demands of his conscience and the pull of his frustrated desires. HEIGHT OF THE SKY USA, 1999, 35mm, 120 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1999) Dir: Lyn Clinton, Writers: Lyn Clinton & Michael Harvkey, Producer: Lyn Clinton Cast: Jennifer Weedon, Jackie Stewart, Grant Moninger, Mark Johnson, Ryk St. Vincent, Evan Palazzo, Barry Lehman On a dusty southern farm in 1935, when tuberculosis strikes a young Gabriel Jones bringing grief to his family and threats of being kicked off the farm by the land owner, his father cannot send Gabe away and instead hides him at a mountain cabin, leaving his daughter and other sons to run the farm. A dark conflict arises with the return of the mysterious Charlie Peterson, who holds the key to past secrets surrounding the Jones family. Determined to uncover the devastating truth about her family, Leora must come to understand the most compelling secret of all. HIP, EDGY, SEXY, COOL USA, 2001, 16mm, 86 min..(DWF 2002 - FUSION AUDIENCE AWARD) Dirs: Robert B. Martin, Jr., Aaron Priest, Writer: Aaron Priest • Prod: Robert B. Martin, Jr. Cast: Robert B. Martin, Jr., Aaron Priest, Currie Graham, Danika McKellar, Bodhi Elfman, Danny Masterson, Clifton Collins, Jr., Robert Hedgys, Lawrence Hilton Jacobs, Kinka Usher, and over 200 cameos "Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool", cliche's used in the business of American Advertising, define the tone and title of this irreverent, tongue in cheek "documentary" that provides an "inside look" into the world of broadcast advertising. This world is parodied by the plight of "The Monkey Brothers", the fastest-rising commercial casting directors in the history of advertising. However The Monkey Brothers, proud of their Associate Degrees from Devine Technical Institute, seek greater legitimacy in their community and Hollywood at large as they seek not only to surpass the success of their rivals, The Donkey Dudes Casting, but also earn them the right to an Oscar, because in their words, "We don't cast commercials, we cast very, short films." HIT ME USA, 2004, DIGITAL, 86mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2005) Writer/Dir: Michael Kinney • Prods: Megan Peterson, Merry Chen, Michael Kinney, Max Herholz, David Bresenham • Cast: Max Herholz, Camden Brady, Kofi Natei Dan Selig is a bored thirty-five year old office worker who’s looking for a way to change his life. His math skills are beyond compare, but he’s not content using those skills to analyze ingredient lists for his food company employer. His ray of light comes in the form of a curvy peroxide blonde named Alicia. A dangerous femme fatale, Alicia recruits Dan to join her blackjack card counting team and rip off a Las Vegas casino. They have only one night to take down the blackjack tables as computerized card shuffling machines will be installed the following day. As the team hits the felt in Sin City, we learn that the perfect score isn’t so perfect. HURRICANE FESTIVAL USA, 1997, 35mm, 90 mins..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 1998 - CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD) Dir: Chi Y. Lee, Writers: Chi Y. Lee, J. Nigro Sansonese, Producers: Li-Fen Chien, Carl J. Chen Cast: Andras Jones, Derek Mears, Miranda Viscoli Nick is a street smart magician who meets Pet Boy, a naive, clearly retarded child trapped in a man’s body, in jail. After they are released, Nick incorporates Pet Boy’s unusual talent of a heightened sense of smell into his street magic act. When Pet Boy discovers a “Magic Festival” being held in Atlantic City, they steal a bus and head for the festival. On the way, they pick up a girl named Mila. Together they begin a cross-country journey to fulfill their individual dreams of grandeur and fame, but instead encounter a hurricane in their lives. ICE: BEYOND COOL CANADA, 2000, 16mm, 52 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2001) Writer/Dir: Tony Papa, Prod: John Lazarus, Composer: Graeme Coleman Cast: Erin Mathews, Tonia Usher An exhilarating hour of music, movement and hard-hitting drama, ICE: BEYOND COOL artistically captures an urban teen’s struggle to fight the creeping unreality of her life and the increasing lure of suicide. Created by award-winning producer/director Tony Papa, ICE: BEYOND COOL is a vivid, compelling, multi-layered kaleidoscope that explores the hopeless bravado, isolation and angst of today’s youth. THE INSTRUMENT USA, 2005, DIGITAL, 100mins..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 2005) Writer/Dir/Prod: Adam Nemett • Cast: Hilton Carter, David Hittson, Richard Kalter, Ajay Kapur, Jamie Klassel, Heather Iandoli, Jose Mertz, Taryn Wayne Arthur Zarek, an enigmatic art school custodian, dies and leaves behind the blueprints for a new system of ritual worship - one based on music. Seven students are selected to live together in Arthur’s sacred space (known as ‘The Instrument’) and agree to undergo the collective rite of passage. But when the rituals take a dark turn, The Instrument becomes a magnifying glass for the fantasies and horrors of the human mind. Featuring an eclectic original score, THE INSTRUMENT is a narrative portrait of musical transformation - the spiritual power of Sound and Silence. IN THE EYE OF THE STORM USA, 2001, 35mm, 105 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2001) Writer/Dir/Prod: Mark Richardson Cast: Mark Richardson, Margaret Richardson, Lara MacGregor, Adam Oliensis, Chris Joslyn A wealthy woman and her estranged son, both seeking reconciliation, become trapped in the mother's beach house during a massive hurricane. Unable to escape, mother and son are forced, for the first time, to confront their hostile relationship and explore the secrets and lies that haunt their past. As the deadly hurricane intensifies outside, an equally destructive tempest escalates inside until, both figuratively and literally, mother and son are likely to be torn apart forever. INDEMNITY USA, 1998, 16mm, 90 mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1998) Dir: Michael Trent, Writers: Leslee Scallon, Michael Trent, Producer: Leslee Scallon Cast: Alan Altshuld, Gary Lee Garton, Colin MacDonald, Jock MacDonald, Leslee Scallon, Michael Sidney, Jessica Sitomer, Michael Trent They were pawns in a game they didn’t know they were playing. A young boy with a large trust fund is kidnapped by a band of motley kidnappers brought together by one man bent on revenge. Retreating to the mountains of Oregon, they wait to claim their reward. The only problem is that the boy isn’t who they thought he was, and the person controlling their destiny has all the insurance. INNER TRAVELER USA, 1997, 16mm, 105 min..(DWF 1998) Writer/Dir./Producer: Christopher Farley Cast: Scott Christian, Jacki Sams, Jim Edwards After being shot in an attempted robbery, “The Stranger” finds himself in the middle of a barren desert with a serious case of amnesia. Trying desperately to remember who he is, the Stranger is courted by two nomads. A beautiful woman named Injo who offers her positive views on life and an angry, filthy creature named Chimley who seems more inclined towards the pleasures of death. Both perspectives are accurate, forcing the Stranger into a dilemma which becomes the true purpose of his travels. He must decide whether he wants to live or die. INSIDE USA, 2006, Super16, 102 min. (West Coast Premiere, DWF 2006 - GRAND JURY AWARD) Writer/Prod/Dir: Jeff Mahler Cast: Nick D’Agosto, Cheryl White, Leighton Meester, Kevin Kilner Alex Wells is a troubled young man. Recently orphaned, this nice-looking library employee prowls his suburban neighborhood and breaks into homes of people that interest him – while they’re home. Lately, he’s become intrigued by the Smiths, a sad, middle-aged couple who come in where he works and check out the same book over and over again. Alex finally follows them home, watches them through the windows and can’t resist getting a closer look at the argument they’re having. Then something happens…they catch him spying. But instead of calling the police, Alice and Mark invite Alex to dinner, eager to know more about this boy who reminds them so much of a recently lost loved one. THE INNOCENTS USA, 1998, 16mm, 105 min. .(Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 1999) Writer/Dir: Katherine Griffin, Producers: Jon Bachmann & Katherine Griffin Cast: Kama Lee, Katherine Griffin, Brad Carroll, Joe Kellogg, Monte Jenkins A coming of age story of two girls in a small Indiana town during the summer of 1961. The girls, Jane and Maggie, embark on a road trip to uncover clues to an illicit love affair involving Jane’s mother in the early 1940’s. Along the way, the girls discover more about their pasts than they first imagined. They find in each other their first true friend as they embark together on an adventure that will forever change their lives and the way they see the world. THE INSURANCE Bulgaria, 1998, 35mm, 90 mins, English Subtitled .(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1998) Dir: Momchil Karamitev, Writer: Alexander Tomov, Producers: Momchil Karamitev, Joseph Cohen Cast: Momchil Karamitev, Todor Kolev, Deljana Hadjiankova, Ilia Karaivanov, Valentin Ghanev, Peicho Peichev A scheming police inspector tries to defraud an insurance company in a complex plot of murder and prostitution. His plan is ruined by a young outlaw bent on revenging his sisters’ disgrace. JACKS OR BETTER USA, 2000, 35mm, 80 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2000 - BEST SCREENPLAY) Dir: Robert Sidney Mellette, Writer: Robert Sidney Mellette, Producers: Hilton H. Smith, Ken Meyer (Exec.) Cast: Jack Wallace, Nathan Anderson, Matt Landers, Vincent Guastaferro, Meshach Taylor, Gathering Marbet A dark comedy about a man who kills his wife in the kitchen so he can play poker in the living room. Skillfully interwoven scenes of callous violence, misogynous banter, and sensitive recollection create a captivating meditation on family secrets struggling to break out of the closet. Strong performances from an ensemble cast of veterans from several of David Mamet’s theatre companies bring a believable reality to an unreal world. JANE WHITE IS SICK & TWISTED USA, 2002, 35mm, 84 min..(DWF 2002) Dir: David Michael Latt, Writers: David Michael Latt, Kim Little, Prods: David Michael Latt, Kim Little, Leigh Slauner, Kevin Weiler Cast: Wil Wheaton, Kim Little, Alley Mills, Colin Mochrie, Chris Hardwick, Danica McKellar, Debra Wilson, Dustin Diamond, Brad Sherwood, Michelle Phillips, David L. Lander, Richard Kline, Eric Lutes, Andy Laver, Ted Shackelford Jane White does anything (and we mean anything) it takes to get on The Gerry Show - the most outrageous TV Talk Show in history. JOE KILLIONAIRE USA, 2004, HD24, 111 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 2004 - FUSION AUDIENCE AWARD - HONORABLE MENTION) Writer/Dir: Sean David Morton • Prods: Melissa Ann Morton, Ted Melfi, Johnny Martin Cast: Timothy Vaughan, Erik Hanson, Alice Alyse, Sarah Ann Schultz, Leah Felder, Alahna Moreshead, Juanita Frazzini Goode A group of the world’s most beautiful women come to a castle in France to compete on the reality TV show “We Know What You Are…Now How Much?” for a chance to become ROYALTY! The man of their dreams is the handsome and dashing Evander T. Motel, the Duke of Boofington, heir to a half-billion dollar fortune and a man with a dark secret. But the women’s champagne wishes and caviar dreams turn to murder, madness and mayhem, when the contestants are mysteriously killed one by one. As the ratings for the show skyrocket into a global phenomenon, the list of suspects grows, and the winner of the contest may just be the last girl left…ALIVE! JOYFUL PARTAKING IN THE SORROWS OF LIFE USA, 2001, 35mm, 120 min..(Southwest Premiere, DWF 2002) Writer/Dir: William Moreing, Prods: James Easton, William Moreing Cast: John Procaccino, Elizabeth Huddle, Jane Jones, Kit Harris, George Catalano, Bridget O’Neill, Barbara Dirickson, Erik Ray Anderson, Kathryn Mesney, Andrew Hefferman, Kelland Lindsey, Monica Appleby A bittersweet story of a day in the life of Walter Majeski, a former TV weatherman whose young son perished in a freak snowstorm that Walter failed to forecast. Interwoven with funny, touching, human stories of his neighbors, JOYFUL PARTAKING looks at how seemingly small acts of kindness or carelessness can change a life forever. KNOCK ON WOOD USA, 1998, 35mm, 95 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1998 - AUDIENCE AWARD) Writers/Dirs./Producers: Donna Silverberg & Bradley Fisher Cast: Rikki Dale, David Elliott, Kate Vogt, Ro Disalvo, Mary Harper-Johns Fated by her superstitions, New York Jewish princess Randy Hartman is forced to share a ride across America with country boy Gale Foreman. Variety called this an “engaging festival favorite” and an “unabashed tribute to the screwball romances of Preston Sturges and Frank Capra.” With wildly eccentric supporting characters and just the right mix of madcap and romance - our mismatched traveling companions find bad luck turns to love on the road in this classic romantic comedy. KUSAH HAKWAAN USA, 1998, 16mm, 75 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 1999 - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD) Dir./ Producer: Sean Morris, Writers: Sean Morris & Bryan Davidson Cast: Kuth Ka, Robert Gales, James Williams, Kert LaBelle, Paul Asicksik, Don Savage, Gary Waid, Diane E. Benson In a dim, fire-lit clan house, a Tlingit Elder reveals the centuries old legend of Kusah Hakwaan - a demon which lives in the spirit worlds of Southeast Alaska. Using innovative special-effects, compelling action scenes, and breathtaking footage, independent filmmaker Sean Morris weaves together age-old creation myths to explain the unknown. The resulting story echoes the Tlingit’s esteemed tribal values, ancient traditions, and the influence of the all-knowing spiritual world. KUSAH HAKWAAN is the first dramatic feature film made in Alaska by an Alaskan. LAST CHANCE USA, 1999, 35mm, 100 mins..(Los Angeles Premiere, DWF 2000) Dir: Bryan Cranston, Writer: Bryan Cranston, Producers: Jud Cremata, Bryan Cranston Cast: Tim Thomerson, Robin Dearden, Bryan Cranston, Amy Hathaway, Annie Corley, Jay Thomas A waitress at a desert roadside diner struggles to keep her family together. But a growing friendship with an aging trucker, stranded with a disabled rig, helps her understand that it’s not too late for her to find happiness. THE LAST KENNEDY USA, 2003, Digital, 112 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2003) Dir: Richard Culver, Writers: Darla Lee Rothman, Richard Culver, Prod: Darla Lee Rothman Cast: Darla Lee Rothman, Richard Culver, Roger Bezanis, Lynn Merrill, Teddi Haynes This compelling and disturbing psychological drama tracks the lives of Walter Lee Fitzgerald and his wife Linda through a government conspiracy centered on changing the outcome of a future presidential election. The film weaves its way through the minds of the pawns who would change history, the candidate at risk and the conspirators manipulating the buttons. As told by Linda Fitzgerald, unwittingly used in the plot, this haunting and gripping American tragedy transcends mere film going and becomes an experience that can’t be forgotten. THE LAST SUMMER USA, 2004, 35mm, 95 min..(West Coast Premiere, DWF 2004) Writer/Dir: Jonathan Landau • Prods: Terence Michael, Richard Finney, Les Franck Cast: Corey Jackson, Muse Watson, Nick Searcy, Rachel Shumate, David Andrews Set in 1981, “The Last Summer” tells the story of 12 year old Joel Shuman’s first summer after the death of his mom. Joel helps his family come to terms with their sudden loss while spending his last summer of innocence with the best friends he will ever know. “The Last Summer” remembers a time when life was still a mystery, and every day you got a clue. LITTLE RED USA, 2000, 35mm, 85 mins..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2000) Dir: Clay Valenti, Writer: Clay Valenti, Producers: Billy Crush, Clay Valenti Cast: Brandon Price, Char Clay, Ben Farr, Cisco Reyes, Zachary Goden, Moreno Brown, Chuck Henry Rising from the gritty streets of Baltimore, comes a story of love, deceit and faith. Darrell Collins, a good kid thrust into a brutally compromising position, falls in love with his high school sweetheart, Angel. Darrell soon finds himself trying to protect her from falling into the world of drugs, carelessly handed to her by her older dealing brother. When Angel recruits Darrell’s three best friends to be her runners, a downward spiral escalates into Angel’s death. The kid who had the brains to get out of the urban forest heads right back into it. An urban tale that tells it like it is of who’s going to survive. LOVE AND SUPPORT USA, 2000, 35mm, 90 min..(WORLD Premiere, DWF 2001 - BEST SCREENPLAY) Dir: Joe Furey, Writers: Joe Furey, Howard Berger, Prod: Suzi Tunney Cast: Joe Furey, Pat Finn, Kristin Dattilo, Jenna Hoffman, Wayne Fedderman Martin Lewis’s girlfriend just dumped him. His life is going nowhere, fast. Until he joins a support group for lonely hearts and meets Russell, a kindred spirit. Martin agrees to help Russell win back his lost love and through a series of misadventures, traveling a winding path towards self-discovery. THE LUCKY GIRL** UK, 2006, Super16, 81 min. (WORLD Premiere, DWF 2006) Writer/Dir: Chris Thorndyke • Prods: Chris Thorndyke, Greg Dunigan, Mark Thorndyke Cast: Madden Page, Ringo Hayden, Deirdre Wallace, Chad Stansbury, Gerry Katzman, Tiffany Auman A warm, caring mysterious man is forced to tell a troubled little girl the story of her life or she will never speak again. He does so under protest. As we watch this tale of depravity and debauchery unfold, we grow more and more sympathetic to our young heroine. And left both shocked and relieved to learn of the world to which she now calls home.