AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE
Opening Night Selection! Gala Premiere!
NORMAL
at 7:30pm
(U.S., 2002, 110 min.) directed by Jane Anderson, starring Jessica Lange, Tom Wilkinson
Happily married pillars of the community Irma and Roy have shared a wholesome, apple-pie kind of life in small-town Illinois for 25 years. Beyond appearances, however, things are not quite right. For most of his life, Roy has lived with a secret: He was born into the wrong body. His revelation that he can no longer live the charade of life as a man leaves his family stunned and bewildered. Tracing the highlights of Roy's metamorphosis - both the gradual physical changes and the subtle social adjustments at work, church, and family gatherings - the film conveys the family's struggle to survive an emotional high-wire act performed in view of the entire town. Based on Anderson's own play, "Looking For Normal." (An HBO Film)
Shows First
DEVIL TALK
(U.S., 2002, 5 min.) directed by Illeana Douglas, starring Michael Panes
A slice of life comedy about Satan, his mom, and his search for a publicist.
Followed By
OPENING NIGHT GALA
at 10:00pm
Join actor/director Illeana Douglas and other filmmakers and shakers as we take over the Coolidge Corner Theatre to kick off our next decade in style. Sumptuous hors d'oeurves from Boston-area women chefs and fine wines will be served!
MARION BRIDGE
(Friday April 4 at 3:15pm and Sunday April 6 at 5:50pm - at the Brattle Theatre)
MORVERN CALLAR
(Friday April 4 at 5:15pm and Saturday April 5 at 7:30pm - at the Brattle Theatre)
RIPLEY'S GAME
(Friday April 4 at 7:30pm and Saturday April 5 at 10:00pm - at the Brattle Theatre)
SISTERS IN CINEMA
(Saturday April 5 at 3:15pm - at the Coolidge Corner Theatre)
UNDERGROUND VOICES
(Saturday April 5 at 9:30pm - at the Coolidge Corner Theatre)
DANCE BY DESIGN
(Sunday April 6 at 8:00pm - at the Coolidge Corner Theatre)
at The Brattle Theatre
Sneak Preview!
MARION BRIDGE
at 3:15pm
(Canada, 2002, 90 min.) directed by Wiebke von Carolsfeld, starring Molly Parker, Rebecca Jenkins, Stacy Smith, Marguerite McNeil
This story about sibling relations is fraught with competitiveness and long standing misgivings, but above all deep-rooted understanding and love. Molly Parker (Kissed, Center of the World, Six Feet Under), plays Agnes. Struggling with her own self-destructive behavior, Agnes returns to Nova Scotia from Toronto because of the failing health of her mother Rose. She is met by her older sister Theresa, a devout catholic who has recently been dumped by her husband for a younger woman, and Louise, the middle child who has retreated from the outside world. Her arrival sets in motion a chain of events that allows a family to reconnect with their world and each other. Winner of Best First Feature at Toronto International Film Festival 2002. (A Film Movement release) Co-presented by Chlotrudis Awards.
Sneak Preview!
MORVERN CALLAR
at 5:15pm
(Great Britain, 2002, 97 min.) directed by Lynne Ramsay, starring Samantha Morton, Kathleen McDermott
Scottish director Lynne Ramsay follows up her acclaimed debut Ratcatcher with this deft, at times darkly comic portrait. A disconnected young woman, Morvern Callar, wakes up on Christmas Day to find that her writer boyfriend has committed suicide next to her. Rising star/Academy-award nominated actor Samantha Morton (Under the Skin, Minority Report, Sweet and Lowdown, Jesus' Son) plays Morvern, who further discovers her boyfriend's unpublished novel on his computer. She signs her name to his work, and begins a long strange journey. Ramsey's distinctive visual lyricism inspires the film's free-flowing, semi-dreamlike trance state, but it is Morton's superb performance, half shell-shocked, half willfully self-aware, that fully fleshes out its examination of a woman looking for something, anything, to awaken the life within her. (A Cowboy Pictures release).
Friday Night Spotlight! Sneak Preview!
RIPLEY'S GAME
at 7:30pm
(U.S./U.K./Italy, 2002, 110 min.) directed by Liliana Cavani, starring John Malkovich, Dougray Scott, Ray Winstone, Lena Heady
Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, and from the director of the controversial The Night Porter (see Sunday, April 6), RIPLEY'S GAME is set in present day Italy, where art connoisseur, harpsichord aficionado, master of souffles and genius of improvisational murder, Ripley finds his complacency shaken when he is scorned at a local party. While any ordinary sociopath might repay the insult with some mild act of retribution, the game Ripley has in mind is far subtler and infinitely more sinister. Ripley is played this time by the world-weary John Malkovich, who may have been born to play this role. Previously made by Wim Wenders as The American Friend.
Sneak Preview!
FRIDAY NIGHT
at 10:00pm
(France, 2002, 86 min.) directed by Claire Denis, starring Valerie Lemercier, Vincent Lindon
Claire Denis (Beau Travail, Chocolat, Nenette and Boni) conjures up a spellbound night in Paris. Laure, having packed up her possessions to move in with her lover, is more unsettled than she appears. Needing to get out in the fresh air, she jumps in her car, only to become stuck in a terrible traffic jam. As she takes in the sights and sounds around her - the blare of horns and arguments, the shimmer of lights and camaraderie - Laure notices the stranger who will that night change her life. Intensely erotic and romantic, FRIDAY NIGHT is a lyrical ode to unexpected pleasures, to the independence of one's true self, and to the most beautiful city in the world. (A Wellspring Cinema Release)
AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER SCREENING ROOM
Premiere!
HAND ON THE PULSE
at 5:00pm
(U.S., 2002, 52 min.) directed by Joyce Warshow
The poignant story of Joan Nestle, political and sexual "bad girl." Co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives in New York City, Joan has made a significant contribution to our understanding of women's sexuality, gender issues, and the preservation of lesbian history and culture for the last half century. (A Frameline release) Shows with the short BEAUTY PARLOR CENSUS by Margaret Broucek.
Sneak Preview!
LOVE AND DIANE
at 7:00pm
(U.S., 2002, 155 min.) directed by Jennifer Dworkin
The story of a woman getting off crack cocaine in New York City, struggling with welfare and reclaiming her children from the foster care system, LOVE AND DIANE is epic in its scope and cosmic in its implications. The problems of one black mother and her troubled children are a metaphor for how society works, or doesn't. Questions of Diane's recovery, redemption, and salvation are not just her themes, but ours. The idea of tragedy, in an almost classic sense, arises via the relationship between Diane and her oldest daughter, Love, who seems destined by some divinely authored script to repeat the missteps of her mother. And yet the triumph of the human spirit - another cliche, perhaps, but perfectly appropriate here - is the payoff for the five years filmmaker Dworkin spent following Diane and her family, and the concise and emotionally concentrated two-plus hours she allows us to spend with them. A masterpiece! (A Balcony Releasing and Women Make Movies Release)
Premiere!
RENO: REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE
at 10:00pm
(U.S., 2002, 71 min.) directed by Nancy Savoca, starring Reno
Reno is an "opinionated, radical feminist alternative voice who creates heavily improvised stream-of-consciousness topical monologues with incredible wit, political consciousness and common sense." (the Village Voice) Reno's rapid-fire witness to the events of September 11th and how they affected her personally and the world at large became an emotional and cathartic work that drew beleaguered crowds (including local policeman and firefighters). In light of great tragedy, Reno is searching for a way to process the complexity of the pain and find a way back to laughter. (A 7th Art Pictures release)
at THE BRATTLE THEATRE
FILMMAKER WORKSHOP
FROM SCREENPLAY TO SCREEN: DEVELOPING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ROLES FOR WOMEN
12:30pm - 3:00pm
Tamara Jenkins and Illeana Douglas will engage in a lively and highly personal discussion about the depiction of women in film. Topics will include early cinematic influences. Using clips, Ms. Jenkins and Ms. Douglas will talk about their formative movie experiences that still shape their interests today -- the films cover the gamut from 1970s TV Movies of the Week to Paul Mazursky's "An Unmarried Woman." The workshop will also include discussions of Douglas' and Jenkins' experiences as writers, directors and actors working today. Other possible events include: Rarely seen short films; a practical discussion of the actor and writer/director relationship and a public rehearsal of scenes that are part of a work-in-progress screenplay for an upcoming movie.
Tamara Jenkins is the writer and director of the movie Slums of Beverly Hills which premiered at the Directors' Fortnight of the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. Her short films Fugitive Love and Family Remains have been shown at the Museum of Modern Art and have garnered prizes such as a Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking from the Sundance Film Festival. Jenkins is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship for Filmmaking. She is currently writing an original screenplay for This Is That and Universal's Focus Features that she intends to direct.
Illeana Douglas is a distinguished actor and has starred in the critically-acclaimed films Good Fellas, Grace of My Heart, To Die For and Cape Fear as well as numerous others. She has guest-appeared on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. Her directing, writing and producing credits include Devil Talk, The Perfect Woman, Boy Crazy Girl Crazier, and Everybody Just Stay Calm.
Note: The cost of the workshop is $45 and includes complimentary sandwiches, coffee and tea. Participants are encouraged to arrive at 12:00 noon.
Premiere!
LONG LIFE, HAPPINESS & PROSPERITY
at 3:15pm
(Canada, 2002, 90 min.) directed by Mina Shum, starring Sandra Oh, Valerie Tian, Russell Yuen, Ric Young, Chang Tseng
Against a vibrant palette of symbolic Chinese colors - blue for long life, red for happiness, gold for prosperity - director Mina Shum (Double Happiness) carefully constructs a close-knit, working-class community revolving around a Dim Sum eatery and the local All-Fix lotto-and-fortune-telling mart. Out of the vivid details of this Chinese Diaspora world emerge widely recognizable characters, who, while desperately striving to set things right, must learn to trust the universe.
Sneak Preview!
CHAOS
at 5:15pm
(France., 2001, 109 min.) directed by Coline Serreau, starring Catherine Frot, Vincent Lindon, Rachida Brakni
A frenetic modern story from France. A bourgeois couple encounter a prostitute in need, and their lives are never the same again. From the skilled writer/director of the French smash hit, Three Men and a Cradle. (A New Yorker Films Release) Co-presented by The French Consulate.
Saturday Night Spotlight! Sneak Preview!
MORVERN CALLAR
at 7:30pm
(Great Britain, 2002, 97 min.) directed by Lynne Ramsay, starring Samantha Morton, Kathleen McDermott
See Friday, April 4 for description.
Sneak Preview!
RIPLEY'S GAME
at 10:00pm
(U.S./U.K./Italy, 2002, 110 min.) directed by Liliana Cavani, starring John Malkovich, Dougray Scott, Ray Winstone, Lena Heady
See Friday, April 4 for description.
AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER SCREENING ROOM
Premieres!
TV DREAMS: 4 NEW SHORTS
at 1:00pm
These four outstanding documentaries playfully comment on various aspects of television and popular culture: NOVELA NOVELA, by Liz Miller, looks at a radical and popular youth soap opera, considered the "Friends" of Nicaraguan TV; SPIT AND POLISH: HEROINES FROM HONG KONG, by Birgit Rathsmann, looks at female action stars in Hong Kong; TV DREAM HOUSES, by Pamela Ezell, spotlights the architectural drawings by Mark Bennet of TV homes from I Love Lucy to Leave it To Beaver; and D.E.B.S, by Angela Robinson, a pseudo TV pilot of a version of Charlie's Angels played as lesbian debutantes. All four are equal parts socially aware and outright entertaining.
Premiere!
SISTERS IN CINEMA
at 3:15pm
(U.S., 2003, 60 min.) directed by Yvonne Welbon
SISTERS IN CINEMA traces the careers, lives and films of inspiring African-American women filmmakers such as Tressie Souders, Zora Neale Hurston, Madame C.J. Walker, Maya Angelou, Madeline Anderson, Kathleen Collins Prettyman, Darnell Martin, Kasi Lemmons and Julie Dash. Shows with short STRANGE AND CHARMED by Shari Frilot.
Premiere!
FLAG WARS
at 5:30pm
(U.S., 2003, 86 min.) directed by Linda Goode Bryant, co-directed by Laura Portias
A powerful cinema verite look at the life of a black community as it is being gentrified by white gays and lesbians. The resulting Flag Wars in the community are played out literally through the colorful flags dotting the community (America, Gay and Black Nationalist) and through the drama of the everyday lives of the residents of Olde Towne East in Columbus, Ohio, in their homes, in the courtroom and on the streets. Shows with short THE TASTE OF DIRT by Yvonne Welbon.
GEORGIE GIRL
at 7:40pm
(New Zealand, 2002, 70 min.) directed by Annie Goldson and Peter Wells
This is the fascinating profile of Georgina Beyer, a Maori ex-sex worker who became the world's first transgender person to be elected to national office. Chronicling Georgina's transformations from farm boy to celebrated cabaret diva to grassroots community leader, the documentary couples interviews and sensual images of Beyer's nightclub and film performances with footage from a day in the life of the Minister of Parliament. (A Women Make Movies Release) Shows with short GIVE OR TAKE AN INCH by Lee Friedlander.
UNDERGROUND VOICES
at 9:30pm
(U.S., 2002, 60 min.) curated by Rebecca M. Alvin
A program of experimental and personal films and videos by a diverse group of women. The works range from non-narrative abstract experiences to campy comedies. The seven filmmakers included are: Rebecca M. Alvin, Jennifer Evans, Michelle Handelman, Nicole Koschmann, Carol Leigh, Jenny Packard, and Madeline Schwartzman.
AT THE BRATTLE THEATRE
FILMMAKER DIALOGUE
ROLES FOR WOMEN IN THE MOVIES: INDIE AND BEYOND
Noon - 1:30pm
Join director Patricia Cardoso (Real Women Have Curves) and actor Lupe Ontiveros (Real Women Have Curves, Chuck and Buck) as they engage in a distinctive dialogue on how a multi-dimensional female character is developed, from first-hand experience working together on their critically-acclaimed film. Participants are encouraged to come early for a 10:00am screening at the Brattle of Real Women Have Curves.
Premiere!
WHAT I WANT MY WORDS TO DO FOR YOU
at 1:45pm
(U.S., 2002, 78 min.) directed by Madeleine Gavin, Judith Katz, Gary Sunshine
In this raw and deeply emotional documentary, a group of inmates at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women are asked to address meaning in their lives in a writing workshop led by playwright Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues). The writing group includes high-profile convicts such as Pamela Smart and former Weather Underground members Kathy Boudin and Judy Clark, each of whom faces the challenge of addressing her crime and reckoning with her past. Featuring Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei, Rosie Perez, Mary Alice.
THE NIGHT PORTER
at 3:15pm
(Italy, 1973, 118 min.) directed by Liliana Cavani, starring Charlotte Rampling, Dirk Bogarde
Thirteen years after WWII, a former SS concentration camp officer (now working as a night porter at a Vienna hotel) reunites with a past victim-lover, who coincidentally checks into the hotel with her husband. An operatic and disturbing cult classic, from the director of the new RIPLEY'S GAME.
Sneak Preview!
MARION BRIDGE
at 5:50pm
(Canada, 2002, 90 min.) directed by Wiebke von Carolsfeld, starring Molly Parker
See Friday, April 4 for description.
Closing Night Selection!
Sneak Preview!
WHALERIDER
at 7:55pm
(New Zealand, 2002, 105 min.) directed by Niki Caro, starring Keisha Castle-Hughes
Niki Caro's wonderfully inspired feature, WHALE RIDER, is a lush and radiant tale about a Maori community's struggle to overcome its own limitations and the coming of age of one exceptional little girl. An extraordinarily beautiful film filled with sweeping landscapes and whales, WHALE RIDER is an emotionally powerful story of love, rejection, bravery, and destiny. (A Newmarket Cinema Release) Plays with SET SET SPIKE by Emily Hubley.
Premiere!
RUB AND TUG
at 10:00pm
(Canada, 2002, 90 min.) directed by Soo Lyu, starring Don McKellar, Lindy Booth, Tara Spencer-Nairn, Kira Clavell
RUB AND TUG is an amusing portrayal of a fascinating subculture. Lawrence, the owner of a "full body" massage parlor, suspects that the three girls who work for him are secretly performing sex with customers. To catch them in the act, he hires Conrad to serve as the parlour's unlikely manager. A battle wages as Conrad and the three street-smart gals fight for control of the parlour. A surprise and a treat, this festival hit has won the hearts of film goers across North America.
AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER SCREENING ROOM
Sneak Preview!
LOVE AND DIANE
at 1:00pm
(U.S., 2002, 155 min.) directed by Jennifer Dworkin
See Friday, April 4 for description.
RECONSTRUCTION
at 4:15pm
(Romania/U.S., 2001, 90 min.) directed by Irene Lustzig
This is the bizarre story of the 1959 "Ioanid Gang" bank heist in communist Romania. Harvard graduate/filmmaker Irene Lustzig reveals a mesmerizing family story spanning three generations about the subversive crime of six Jewish intellectuals - one of whom is the director's grandmother - while presenting a compelling and complex examination of modern-day Romania.(A Women Make Movies Release) Co-presented by the Boston Jewish Film Festival.
Premiere!
CINEMANIA
at 6:15pm
(Germany/U.S., 2002, 80 min.) directed by Angela Christlieb and Stephen Kijak
Every city has its cinemaniacs, eccentrics whose lives "are" the movies they compulsively watch - often from the same favorite seat. Here are six oddballs from the Big Apple, who carry cinematic obsession to the max, compulsively counting number of movies viewed, gloating over their collections, calibrating running times with subway schedules. A perfect crowd-pleaser!
Premiere!
DANCE BY DESIGN
at 8:00pm
(U.S., 2003, 60 min.) directed by Valerie Weiss
Angela, an architecture student, yearns to be a professional dancer, but a lifetime of intellectual and physical training has not taught her how to have faith in her passion. This is the debut feature film from Valerie Weiss, founder and Filmmaker-in-Residence of Harvard University's Dudley Film Program.
Premiere!
RENO: REBEL WITHOUT A PAUSE
at 9:45pm
(U.S., 2002, 71 min.) directed by Nancy Savoca, starring Reno
See Friday, April 4 for description.
AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER SCREENING ROOM
TV DREAMS: 4 NEW SHORTS
at 5:30pm
See Saturday, April 5 for description.
WHAT I WANT MY WORDS TO DO FOR YOU
at 7:30pm
See Sunday, April 6 for description.
GEORGIE GIRL
at 9:15pm
See Saturday, April 5 for description.
 SPECIAL PRE-FESTIVAL KICK-OFF AT THE COOLIDGE CORNER THEATRE Sneak Preview Screening! LAUREL CANYON at 7:30pm (U.S., 2002, 105 min.) directed by Lisa Cholodenko, starring Frances McDormand, Kate Beckinsdale, Christian Bale, Alessandro Nivola Director Lisa Cholodenko's anticipated second feature, after High Art, once again displays her talent for creating a seductive and enveloping world inhabited by richly drawn characters who are compelled to reach beyond the narrow confines of their own experiences. Frances McDormand's exceptional performance and Folk Implosion's fantastic soundtrack are the cherries on top of this delicious exploration of human nature under the pressures of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Sam, a recent graduate of Harvard Medical School, and his equally straight-laced fiancee, Alex, relocate to Sam's hometown of Los Angeles, where he will complete his residency. They move in with his mom, while they look for an apartment of their own. Sam's mom, Jane (played to perfection by McDormand), is a pot-smoking, free-wheeling, free-loving record producer. Sam has devoted most of his life to not being his mother's son. (A Sony Pictures Classics release) Tickets are $10 and include a special pre-screening reception at 7:00pm. Beer, wine and snacks will be served. Screening and reception co-presented by 92.5 The River! |
 Frances McDormand in Lisa Cholodenko's LAUREL CANYON |
FILMMAKER WORKSHOP!
At the Brattle Theatre
FROM SCREENPLAY TO SCREEN: DEVELOPING MULTI-DIMENSIONAL ROLES FOR WOMEN
12:30pm - 3:00pm
Tamara Jenkins and Illeana Douglas will engage in a lively and highly personal discussion about the depiction of women in film. Topics will include early cinematic influences. Using clips, Jenkins and Douglas will talk about their formative movie experiences that still shape their interests today - the films cover the gamut from 1970s TV Movies of the Week to Paul Mazursky's "An Unmarried Woman." The workshop will also include discussions of Douglas' and Jenkins' experiences as writers, directors and actors working today. Other possible events include: Rarely seen short films; a practical discussion of the actor and writer/director relationship and a public rehearsal of scenes that are part of a work-in-progress screenplay for an upcoming movie.
Tamara Jenkins is the writer and director of the movie Slums of Beverly Hills which premiered at the Directors' Fortnight of the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. Her short films Fugitive Love and Family Remains have been shown at the Museum of Modern Art and have garnered prizes such as a Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Short Filmmaking from the Sundance Film Festival. Jenkins is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship for Filmmaking. She is currently writing an original screenplay for This Is That and Universal's Focus Features that she intends to direct.
Illeana Douglas is a distinguished actor and has starred in the critically-acclaimed films Good Fellas, Grace of My Heart, To Die For and Cape Fear as well as numerous others. She has guest-appeared on the HBO television series Six Feet Under. Her directing, writing and producing credits include Devil Talk, The Perfect Woman, Boy Crazy Girl Crazier, and Everybody Just Stay Calm.
Note: The cost of the workshop is $45 and includes complimentary sandwiches, coffee and tea. Participants are encouraged to arrive at 12:00 noon.
FILMMAKER DIALOGUE!
At the Brattle Theatre
ROLES FOR WOMEN IN THE MOVIES: INDIE AND BEYOND
12 noon - 1:30pm
Real women have real roles. Join director Patricia Cardoso and actor Lupe Ontiveros as they partake in a distinctive dialogue about their first-hand experiences working together on the critically acclaimed art-house hit, Real Women Have Curves. This is a unique opportunity for festival-goers to witness how a multi-dimensional female character is developed through the collaboration of the director and actor. Comparative out-take clips of the same scenes will be shown, exemplifying different interpretations of the Carmen character, played by Ontiveros in the film. Together, the director and actor will demonstrate how the character evolved - from early in the screen-writing phase, through the casting of Ontiveros, through the shoot and the editing process.
Participants are encouraged to come early for a 10:00am screening at the Brattle of Real Women Have Curves prior to this special event.
Patricia Cardoso is a Fulbright scholar and the writer/director of the critically-acclaimed Real Women Have Curves, winner of the Audience Award and a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include the Academy Award winner student film The Water Carrier and The Air Globes. She was awarded two Directors Guild of America Awards and her films have screened at film festivals around the world. Born and raised in Colombia, Cardoso is a graduate of UCLA Film School and used to be an archaeologist.
Lupe Ontiveros has played background characters for two decades (often as the Latino maid). In the past few years, after a prolific career, she received well-deserved recognition in the art-house circuit and was cast in key roles. In addition to Real Women Have Curves (for which she won a Special Acting Award at the Sundance Film Festival), her credits include Chuck and Buck (she won the National Board of Review's Best Supporting Actress award for her role), Storytelling, El Norte and numerous other films. A founding member of LA's Latino Theatre Company, Ontiveros has helped to change the stereotypic image of Latinos in entertainment.
Note: The cost is $12 ($15 will include the matinee screening). Complimentary pastries, coffee and tea will be served.
This special program is made possible through funding from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the LEF Foundation.
