Tribeca unveils transmedia Storyscapes titles

The festival’s second wave of selections include the reintroduction of the Restored/Rediscovered programme with Charles Lane’s Sidewalk Stories and a special screening of Alberi by Michaelangelo Frammartino at VW Dome at MoMA PS1 Performance Dome, among other selections. The 12th edition of Tribeca will run from Apr 17-28 in New York City.

“The documentary films in the Spotlight section this year highlight several famous individuals (including one very cute cat) who use their wit and bold personas to make us think and laugh,” said director of programming Genna Terranova. “A mix of established film-makers and rising talent tops off the rest of the section with features exploring some fresh takes on unconventional relationships.”

Speaking about Storyscapes, Tribeca Film Institute director of digital initiatives Ingrid Kopp said: “The possibilities for telling stories are evolving and our aim is to create an immersive space where this participatory, transmedia work can be experienced.

“I am honoured to have been a part of this festival-first and cannot think of a better location than New York City for such a vibrant conversation around this emerging art form. We look forward to building a community in this space where storytelling and technology, authorship and openness meet.”

Two features – one narrative and one documentary – will be selected to receive the Heineken Audience Award for best feature. Films playing in the World Narrative Competition, World Documentary Competition, Viewpoints, Spotlight and Midnight sections are eligible.

The complete list of films and projects selected for Spotlight, Midnight, Special Screenings and Storyscapes follows. All synopses are based on those supplied by the festival.

SPOTLIGHT

Tribeca’s Spotlight section offers world premieres and advance premieres with “bold-faced” names and topics of interest from both established and emerging film-makers in the narrative and documentary world. Co-sponsored by Cadillac and JetBlue,

Adult World (USA), dir Scott Coffey
Amy (Emma Roberts) is naïve, awkward and anxious to get her poetry career off of the ground. She begrudgingly accepts a job at the local sex shop, Adult World, while pursuing a surefire kick-start for her success: a mentorship with reclusive writer Rat Billings (the hilarious John Cusack). As Amy’s world melds with that of Adult World, she slowly learns that inspiration can be found in the most improbable places.
World Premiere, Narrative

Almost Christmas (USA), dir Phil Morrison
Two French Canadian ne’er-do-wells travel to New York City with a scheme to a get rich quick selling Christmas trees. Easygoing charmer Rene (Paul Rudd) clashes with misanthropic ex-con Dennis (Paul Giamatti), whose wife Rene just stole. Still, this odd couple must make an honest go of it in this buddy comedy co-starring Sally Hawkins, by the director of the indie breakout hit Junebug.
World Premiere, Narrative

At Any Price (USA), dir Ramin Bahrani
The robust farming industry of Iowa is the backdrop for this father-and-son story. Dean Wipple (Zac Efron) longs to be a professional racecar driver. His father Henry (Dennis Quaid) plans to make him the heir to their family farming empire. When Henry’s ethics and expansion practices come under fire, the family must unify or risk losing everything. Temptation, ambition and competition are the driving forces behind this modern-day drama co-starring Heather Graham and Clancy Brown. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
New York Premiere, Narrative

Before Midnight (USA), dir Richard Linklater
In the eagerly anticipated third chapter in the star-crossed tale of Jesse and Celine, director and co-writer Richard Linklater fast-forwards to nine years after their last meeting. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy deliver powerfully authentic performances as the companions who find themselves at yet another crossroads in their twisting but passionate relationship. The picturesque streets of Greece serve as the latest backdrop to the love story. A Sony Pictures Classics release.
New York Premiere, Narrative

Big Bad Wolves (Israel), dirs Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
A vigilante cop and a vengeful father capture and interrogate an accused serial killer. Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado’s follow-up to Rabies (TFF 2011) examines a horror that most would not want to imagine: what would you do if someone hurt the one you loved most? A revenge thriller with teeth, Big Bad Wolves delivers on its raw tension and operatic drama. In Hebrew with subtitles.
World Premiere, Narrative

Bottled Up (USA), dir Enid Zentelis
In this modern-day drama, Oscar-winner Melissa Leo conveys the heart-wrenching struggle that comes with loving an addict. Complaining of back pain months after a car accident, Sylvie’s (Marin Ireland) addiction to painkillers is clear to everyone except her mother, Faye (Leo). A promising solution appears in Becket (Josh Hamilton), but relationships and loyalty are soon tested when his feelings fall in an unexpected place.
World Premiere, Narrative

Byzantium (UK-Ireland), dir Neil Jordan
Neil Jordan’s exploration of vampirism began with Interview With The Vampire. Now he returns to this lurid, malevolent realm through Clara (Gemma Arterton) and her daughter Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan). Creatures from Clara’s past come calling, and these immortals are forced to relocate. Dire consequences follow when Eleanor makes a connection with a local boy (Caleb Landry Jones) and slowly reveals the truth of who they are and how they survive. An IFC Films release.
US Premiere, Narrative

A Case Of You (USA), dir Kat Coiro
A young writer (Justin Long) woos a cute and quirky barista (Evan Rachel Wood) by creating an embellished online profile. When she falls for his alter ego, he must keep up the act or lose his dream girl. Directed by TFF alumna Kat Coiro and featuring a cast of cameo performers including Peter Dinklage, Sam Rockwell, Vince Vaughn and Sienna Miller, A Case Of You is a rom-com for the social media age.
World Premiere, Narrative

Cycling With Moliere (Alceste À Bicyclette) (France), dir Philippe Le Guay
Once-great actor Serge Tanneur (Fabrice Luchini) now spends his days alone, cycling through the windblown landscape of France’s Île de Ré. Even an offer from his old friend Gauthier (Lambert Wilson) to return to the stage in Molière’s The Misanthrope fails to draw his interest. At least, at first. Phillippe Le Guay’s comedy of egos colliding on the French seaside
turns into a search for the creative spark.
International Premiere, Narrative

The Director (Italy), dir Christina Voros
How do you make one of the world’s most revered fashion brands your own? That is the task facing creative director Frida Giannini in this look at the past, present and future of The House Of Gucci, directed by director-cinematographer Voros (Kink) and co-produced by James Franco. Taking advantage of rare, behind-the-scenes access, Voros shows how the Florentine trendsetter has been reimagined in the past few years.
World Premiere, Documentary

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (USA), dir Chiemi Karasawa
Broadway legend Elaine Stritch remains in the spotlight at 87-years old. With interviews from Tina Fey, Nathan Lane, Hal Prince and others, Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me blends rare archival footage and intimate cinema vérité to reach beyond the Emmy and Tony winner’s brassy exterior, revealing a multi-dimensional portrait of a complex woman and an inspiring artist.
World Premiere, Documentary

The English Teacher (USA), dir Craig Zisk
Teacher Linda Sinclair (Julianne Moore) balances her staid home life with an incredible passion for her subject, but her routine is forever altered when a former star pupil and his unsupportive father reenter her life. Go-to television director Craig Zisk, whose credits include Scrubs, Weeds and United States Of Tara, takes a turn on the big screen with this comedy about self-discovery co-starring Greg Kinnear, Nathan Lane, Michael Angarano and Lily Collins. A Cinedigm and Tribeca Film co-release.
World Premiere, Narrative

Gasland Part II (USA), dir Josh Fox
Two years ago, Josh Fox introduced us to hydraulic fracturing with his Oscar-nominated exposé Gasland. Now this once-touted energy source has become a widely discussed, contentious topic. In his follow-up, Fox reveals the extreme circumstances facing those affected by fracking, from earthquakes to the use of federal anti-terror psychological operations tactics. Gasland Part II shows that issues raised by fracking cannot be ignored for long.
World Premiere, Documentary

G.B.F. (USA), dir Darren Stein, written by George Northy
The bitter fight for supremacy between a school’s most popular girls takes an unexpected turn when Tanner (Michael J Willett) becomes its first openly gay student. As they race to bag the big trend in fashion accessories, the Gay Best Friend, Tanner must choose between skyrocketing popularity and the friends he is leaving behind. Darren Stein (Jawbreaker) returns with another comic send-up of high school clique culture, including cameos by Megan Mullally and Natasha Lyonne.
World Premiere, Narrative

Gore Vidal: The United States Of Amnesia (USA), dir Nicholas Wrathall
Anchored by intimate, one-on-one interviews with the man himself, Nicholas Wrathall’s new documentary is a tribute to the iconic Vidal. Commentary by those who knew him best – including film-maker/nephew Burr Steers and the late Christopher Hitchens – blends with footage from Vidal’s legendary on-air career to remind us why he will forever stand as one of the most brilliant and fearless critics of our time.
International Premiere, Documentary

Greetings From Tim Buckley (USA), dir Daniel Algrant
“Like father, like son” is a demanding expression for someone who never knew his dad. When young Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) is asked to participate in a tribute concert for his late musician father Tim, music opens his eyes to the artistic legacy that he is destined to follow. Imogen Poots co-stars in this quiet and powerful tribute to those legends sustained by admiration, love and music. A Tribeca Film release.
US Premiere, Narrative

Haute Cuisine (France), dir Christian Vincent
Chef Hortense Laborie (Catherine Frot) is plucked from relative obscurity to whip up classic French dishes for the most powerful man in the nation. Based on the real-life story of the personal chef to former French president François Mitterand, Haute Cuisine uses the politically charged kitchen and corridors of the Élysée Palace as a backdrop for a non-stop parade of mouthwatering dishes in this French comedy. In English, French with subtitles. A TWC release.
North American Premiere, Narrative

I Got Somethin’ To Tell You (USA), dir Whoopi Goldberg
Having broken racial and sexual boundaries as a pioneering comic talent, the late Moms Mabley has long been an icon in the comedy world. Now Whoopi Goldberg takes a deep dive into Mabley’s legacy via recently unearthed photography, rediscovered performance footage and the words of numerous celebrated comedians. A passion project for Goldberg, I Got Somethin’ To Tell You shows Mabley’s historical significance and profound influence as a performer vastly ahead of her time.
World Premiere, Documentary

In God We Trust (USA), dir Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson
Bernie Madoff ruined many lives before his arrest in 2008. Perhaps no one was so personally affected as his longtime personal secretary, Eleanor Squillari. Meet Squillari in the days and months after the arrest, as her obsession with the case grows into her own unique search for clues. In God We Trust follows Squillari on her personal journey for justice, exposing previously unknown facts about the greatest financial crime ever committed.
World Premiere, Documentary

Inside Out: The People’s Art Project (France, UK), dir Alastair Siddons
Siddons’ documentary tracks the evolution of the world’s largest participatory art project, the wildly popular “Inside Out.” Travel the globe with French artist JR as he motivates communities to define their most important causes by pasting giant portraits in the street, testing the limits of what they thought possible. In capturing the process, Siddons creates a glowing testament to the power of the image and the role that art can play in transforming lives. In Arabic, Creole, English, French, Spanish with subtitles.
World Premiere, Documentary

Lil Bub & Friendz (USA), dirs Andy Capper and Juliette Eisner
Called “the most famous cat on the internet,” the wide-eyed perma-kitten Lil Bub is the adorable embodiment of the Web’s fascination with all things cats. Lil Bub and her owner embark on a wild cross-country romp to meet the internet’s most famous cat-lebrities. Chock-full of adorable kitties, hilarious videos and the dedicated cat enthusiasts who love them, Lil Bub & Friendz is a fun and hip peek behind the memes we know and love. Includes Mike “The Dude” Bridavsky, Ben Lashes, Grumpy Cat, Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat.
World Premiere, Documentary

McConkey (USA), dirs Steve Winter, Murray Wais, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Rob Bruce
An all-star roster of sports movie-making talent directs this biography of extreme ski trailblazer Shane McConkey, once described as “the most influential skier ever.” McConkey covers 40 years and countless high places to track Shane’s conversion from downhill racer to freeskiing marvel to pioneer of a hair-raising new discipline – ski BASE jumping – giving alarming new meaning to the question, how far would you go to be the next big thing?
World Premiere, Documentary

The Motivation (USA), dir Adam Bhala Lough
Enter the lives and training regimes of eight of the world’s most fearless professional skateboarders. These stars face unique obstacles on the way to the Street League Championship and the coveted title of best skateboarder in the world. Adam Bhala Lough, creator of the 2003 independent hit Bomb The System (TFF 2003), directs this energetic documentary in search of the elusive quality that separates the winners from the pack. Features Nyjah Huston, Ryan Sheckler, Chris Cole, Paul Rodriguez, Sean Malto, Rob Dyrdek, Chaz Ortiz, Luan Oliveira, and Bastien Salabanzi. In English, Portuguese with subtitles.
World Premiere, Documentary

The Pretty One (USA), dir Jenée LaMarque
Audrey has all of the qualities that her twin sister Laurel wishes she possessed: confidence, style and independence. When tragedy strikes, Laurel has the opportunity to reinvent herself. In a complex performance, Zoe Kazan poignantly captures Laurel’s complex mix of loss and awakening, especially as she begins a new relationship with her neighbour (Jake Johnson). Jeneìe LaMarque’s first feature film is a tale of identity and the eternal bond between two sisters.
World Premiere, Narrative

Prince Avalanche (USA), dir David Gordon
Alvin (Paul Rudd) and Lance (Emile Hirsch) spend the summer of 1988 repainting a highway in a fire-damaged forest. The isolation quickly wears thin on Lance, yet an unlikely friendship emerges within their cutting jibes and forced reconciliations to meet the long road that lies ahead. Green returns to the lyrical tone of his earliest films in this blend of comedy and road-movie stoicism, based on the 2011 Icelandic film Either Way. A Magnolia Pictures release. New York Premiere, Narrative

The Project (USA), dirs Shawn Efran and Adam Ciralsky.
The Project profiles the precarious, real-life story of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, a group of Somali pirate hunters. Taking the hijacking of the African waterways and the kidnapping of innocent citizens into their under-trained hands, the PMPF face mutiny, death and a loss of corporate funding in their dangerous quest to free the Middle East shipping industry from terror. The mercenaries’ epic battle makes for a disarming ride.
World Premiere, Documentary

Reaching For The Moon (Flores Raras) (Brazil), dir Bruno Barreto
Frustrated poet Elizabeth Bishop travels to Brazil and encounters the beguiling architect Lota de Macedo Soares. Initial hostilities make way for a complicated yet long-lasting love affair that dramatically alters Bishop’s relationship to the world around her. Anchored by magnificent lead performances from Miranda Otto and Glória Pires, Reaching For The Moon is a snapshot of the search for inspiration, wherever and however you find it. In English, Portuguese with subtitles.
North American Premiere, Narrative

The Reluctant Fundamentalist (India, Pakistan, USA), dir Mira Nair
Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake) returns with another spellbinding adaptation of a celebrated bestseller. Pakistan-born Changez (Riz Ahmed) turns a Princeton degree into a cushy life on Wall Street with a gorgeous girlfriend (Kate Hudson). Then the Twin Towers fall, and his American dream shatters amid interrogations and overwhelming national distrust. He soon questions his allegiances, as this thriller exposes the dangers of being a stranger in your own land. Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber and Om Puri also star. An IFC Films release.
US Premiere, Narrative

Richard Pryor: Omit The Logic (USA), dir Marina Zenovich
This portrait of legendary comedian Richard Pryor chronicles his life from his troubled youth in Peoria, Illinois, to his meteoric rise as one of the most respected comic actors of the 20th century. Often misunderstood during the height of his celebrity, the late superstar has never been profiled this extensively. Marina Zenovich’s revealing and entertaining film lays bare the demons with which he struggled and reminds us just how daring and dangerous artistic freedom can be. Includes interviews with Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Mel Brooks, Quincy Jones, Lily Tomlin, Jesse Jackson.
World Premiere, Documentary

A Single Shot (UK, USA, Canada), dir David M. Rosenthal
A Single Shot brings together indie stalwarts such as Sam Rockwell, William H Macy, Melissa Leo and Jeffrey Wright to paint a portrait of John Moon, a man attempting to win back his estranged family while desperately outrunning an accidental crime. Director David M Rosenthal returns to the festival with this suspenseful backwoods tale of circumstance, based on Matthew F Jones’s 1996 novel.
North American Premiere, Narrative

Some Velvet Morning (USA), dir Neil LaBute
Fred arrives at Velvet’s doorstep, suitcases in tow. He tells her that he has finally left his wife to be with her, news to Velvet since she has not seen him in years and is now with Fred’s recently married son. As Fred’s hopes crash to earth during a conversation brimming with passion, remorse, humour and anger, the twisted heart of a fascinating relationship is revealed. Stanley Tucci and Alice Eve star in this living room drama.
World Premiere, Narrative

Trust Me (USA), dir Clark Gregg
Featuring Sam Rockwell, William H Macy, Felicity Huffman, Allison Janney and Amanda Peet, Trust Me follows flailing Hollywood agent Howard, who seemingly strikes gold after signing the next big child star. What results is an unexpected ride through the nasty inner workings of Hollywood, as Howard desperately tries to make it in an industry that has no interest in recognising his bumbling but ultimately genuine nature.
World Premiere, Narrative

Whitewash (Canada), dir Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais
The brutality of winter and the power of the mind are aptly portrayed in this dark comedy set in Northern Quebec. Bruce (Thomas Haden Church) is merely trying to survive a harsh winter when he meets Jean. Conflict leads to an accidental death, and Bruce finds himself in a complicated and unexpected place. Grappling with his guilt, Bruce creates a prison from which he cannot escape. Haden Church perfectly utilises his comic talent in this wry, well-crafted film.
World Premiere, Narrative

MIDNIGHT

Dark Touch (France), dir Marina de Van
Niamh is the lone survivor of a bloody massacre after the furniture and objects in her family’s isolated house take on a monstrous life of their own. The police ignore her wild stories and the family friends and social worker who take her in try to introduce a new life. But in this psychological thriller, Niamh is unable to leave her violent past behind her, endangering everyone who crosses her path.
International Premiere, Narrative

Frankenstein’s Army (Netherlands), dir Richard Raaphorst
In the final days of the second world war, a team of Russian soldiers finds itself on a mysterious mission to the lab of one Dr Victor Frankenstein. They unearth a terrifying Nazi plan to resurrect fallen soldiers as an army of unstoppable freaks and are soon trapped in a veritable haunted house of cobbled-together monstrosities. Frankenstein’s Army is the wild steampunk Nazi found-footage zombie mad scientist film you’ve always wanted.
International Premiere, Narrative

Fresh Meat (New Zealand), dir Danny Mulheron
After a poorly executed escape from the police, a gang of dysfunctional criminals flees to the suburbs and gets more than it bargained for when it crash lands in the garage of an upper-class Maori family whose refined palates have developed a taste for human flesh. This action-packed horror-comedy tells a blood-spattered tale of basement butchery and shifting allegiances as these unlikely adversaries enter a deadly showdown. A Tribeca Film release.
New York Premiere, Narrative

The Machine (UK), dir Caradog James
Caradog James adds another layer to the Frankenstein story in the latest gripping sci-fi adventure to come out of the UK. Already deep into a second Cold War, Britain’s Ministry Of Defence seeks a game-changing weapon. Programmer Vincent McCarthy unwittingly provides an answer in The Machine, a super-strong human cyborg played by the impressive Caity Lotz (The Pact). When a programming bug causes the prototype to decimate his lab, McCarthy takes his obsessive efforts underground, far away from inquisitive eyes.
World Premiere, Narrative

Mr. Jones (USA), dir Karl Mueller
Scott (Jon Foster) is a film-maker in need of inspiration. He and his girlfriend Penny move into a desolate house hoping to make a breakthrough. Then they discover their neighbour, the elusive Mr Jones. Famous for his haunting sculptures, Mr Jones has remained a mystery to the world. Scott and Penny, convinced that they have found the perfect film subject, sneak into his workshop and realise that their curiosity may have chilling consequences. Who is Mr Jones?
World Premiere, Narrative

Raze (USA), dir Robert Beaucage
Stuntwoman Zoe Bell (Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill 1 & 2) headlines this sly subversion of the women-in-prison genre. After Sabrina (Bell) is abducted, she finds herself in an underground lair, forced to do battle with other innocent women for the amusement of unseen spectators. Each of these reluctant warriors has something to lose, but only one will remain when the game is done. Violent and relentless, Raze takes its video game aesthetic to the deepest and darkest places, rarely surfacing for air. Includes Rachel Nichols and Tracie Thoms.
World Premiere, Narrative

V/H/S/2  (USA, Indonesia), dirs Simon Barrett, Adam Wingard, Eduardo Sanchez, Gregg Hale, Timo Tjahjanto, Gareth Evans, Jason Eisener
Investigators break into a house, find a vast collection of VHS tapes and play them one by one. The videos include visions of the paranormal, flesh-eating zombies, a shockingly genuine scene of hell on earth and a slumber party gone horribly awry. This highly anticipated sequel to last year’s horror breakout V/H/S features contributions from contemporary genre film-making’s leading talents, including the creators of Hobo With A Shotgun, The Raid, You’re Next and The Blair Witch Project. In English, Indonesian with subtitles. A Magnet Release.
New York Premiere, Narrative

STORYSCAPES

Created in collaboration with Bombay Sapphire Gin, this is a new juried section to showcase innovative, interactive, transmedia work across genres.

A Journal Of Insomnia (Canada), Project creators: Bruno Choiniere, Philippe Lambert and Guillaume Braun
Insomniacs are both spectators and actors in this large, interactive fresco that combines hundreds of personal reflections on sleepless nights, gathered online from insomniacs around the world since fall 2012. This work, produced by The National Film Board Of Canada, provides a cutting portrait of insomnia as a universal and peculiarly wide-ranging affliction and challenges visitors to experience the condition for themselves.

Robots In Residence (USA), Project Creators: Brent Hoff and Alexander Reben
Robots In Residence challenges Alfred Hitchcock’s claim that “in feature films the director is God; in documentary films God is the director.” Here there is no god, as pre-programmed robots collaborate with festival audiences to direct and shoot a documentary in its entirety. Robot artist Alexander Reben and film-maker Brent Hoff forge a provocative new form of documentary storytelling by using robots as a lens through which we take a new look at humanity.

Sandy Storyline (USA), Project Creators: Rachel Falcone, Laura Gottesdiener, and Michael Premo
Using audio, photography, text and video, Sandy Storyline is an ever-growing documentary narrative as community members and volunteers offer their accounts of the storm and the efforts to recover and rebuild local neighborhoods. The project forges a new type of media in time of crisis, one that is participatory, interactive and designed for community empowerment.

Star Wars Uncut (USA, pictured), Project Creator: Casey Pugh
Love Star Wars but think you would have done it differently? Then this fun, creative and wonderfully nostalgic interactive media project is for you. Using everything from hand-drawn animations to intricate reenactments, fans and series novices created short alternatives to the Star Wars storyline and went online to piece them all together. Discover a whole new approach to Star Wars, one 15-second burst at a time.

This Exquisite Forest (USA), Project Creators: Aaron Koblin and Chris Milk
Conceived by Chris Milk and Aaron Koblin and produced by Google and Tate Modern, This Exquisite Forest was inspired by the surrealist game “exquisite corpse” and its idea of collaborative creation. The project, hosted at exquisiteforest.com, allows visitors to create short animations right in their web browser. Other users may build on the animation at any point, creating a collection of navigable, branching narratives resembling trees that grow bigger as more artists contribute.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Alberi (Italy), dir Michaelangelo Frammartino
Wrapping the audience in waves of sound, Alberi takes us on a circular journey through the Italian countryside. The natural music at the tops of the eponymous trees makes way for the rhythmic cadence of civilization – men baring axes and the natural clatter of daily life – before their unforgettable return home from the forest. The singular artistry of director Michelangelo Frammartino (Le Quatro Volte) is displayed in this mesmerising homage to nature. Italian with subtitles. Alberi will run as an installation in the VW Dome at MoMA PS1 from Apr 18 through the end of the month, with a special event celebrating the world premiere on the evening of Apr 20.
World Premiere, Documentary

Sidewalk Stories (USA), dir Charles Lane
The low-budget, New York-in-the-80s movie that proves that silence is not all that golden, Charles Lane’s magnetic 1989 film Sidewalk Stories is long overdue for rediscovery. Lane plays a sidewalk chalk artist whose efforts to care for an abandoned toddler are confounded by the oddball homeless characters he meets. Black-and-white and mostly silent, the film is an effort by a black artist to give a voice to those who have none.
Narrative

Herblock – The Black & The White (USA), dir Michael Stevens, written by Sara Lukinson and Stevens
Herbert Block’s career at The Washington Post spanned 55 years and thirteen presidents, a timeframe in which he claimed three Pulitzer Prizes, the Medal Of Freedom and a significant role in President Nixon’s resignation. Ben Bradlee, Tom Brokaw, Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, Jules Feiffer, Ted Koppel and Jon Stewart are among the many commentators bearing witness to Block’s life, work and indelible contribution to American satire. Block is scheduled to attend.
World Premiere, Documentary

The Trials Of Muhammad Ali (USA), dir Bill Siegel
Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the US government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognisable figures in sports history.
World Premiere, Documentary

Running From Crazy (USA), dir Barbara Kopple
Join actress Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of legendary author Ernest Hemingway, as she examines the mental illness and suicide that colours her family’s history and tries to avert that fate for herself and her daughters. By mixing in remarkable archival footage of the three Hemingway sisters, two-time Academy Award-winner Kopple expands one famous family’s deeply embedded truths into a broad picture of the courage it takes to face the past and change your future.
New York Premiere, Documentary

Möbius (France), dir Eric Rochant
Set in the incomparable beauty of Monaco, Eric Rochant’s first feature in seven years follows undercover Russian FSB officer Gregory Lioubov (Jean Dujardin, The Artist) and international trader Alice Redmond (Cécile De France, Hereafter), who has her own secrets to hide. Their relationship sparks a deadly chase to snag Lioubov’s real target, business magnate Ivan Rostovsky (Tim Roth). Also starring Émilie Dequenne, Möbius is a spy thriller that leaves you guessing which way is up. Featuring special guest appearances from director Eric Rochant and main actress Cécile de France.
International Premiere, Narrative

The short film programme will be announced next week.