Sundance 2003: the complete programme

LEVITY
Dir: Ed Solomon
After serving 19 years for killing a teenager in an attempted robbery, a man (Billy Bob Thornton) encounters a mysterious minister (Morgan Freeman) and two needy women (Dunst and Hunter) in his search for redemption. Sony Pictures Classics will release this Sundance Opening Night film stateside, with StudioCanal handling international sales.

GARAGE DAYS
Dir: Alex Proyas
A young garage band in Sydney, Australia, tries to make it big. Kick Gurry, Maya Stange, Pia Miranda and Russell Dykstra star. Fox Searchlight is distributing worldwide.

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE
Dir: Thomas Vinterberg
In a futuristic world on the brink of apocalypse, a professor becomes entangled in a fight to save his mega-star ex-wife's life. Claire Danes and Joaquin Phoenix star in Vinterberg's follow-up to his Dogme breakthrough The Celebration. Trust Film Sales is handling sales on this European co-production.

OWNING MAHOWNY
Dir: Richard Kwietniowski
Based on a true story, a gambling addict/banker pushes his bets to the extreme in an embezzling scheme of major proportions. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver and John Hurt star in this Kwietnioswki's follow-up to Love And Death On Long Island. Sony Pictures Classics will release in the US, Alliance Atlantis is handling international sales

THE SHAPE OF THINGS
Dir: Neil LaBute
In a chilling battle of the sexes, an art student uses her boyfriend as the ultimate canvas. Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz, Gretchen Mol and Fred Weller star. Focus Features will release this Working Title production with UIP distributing internationally.

THE SINGING DETECTIVE
Dir: Keith Gordon
From his hospital bed, a writer suffering from a skin disease hallucinates musical numbers and paranoid plots. Robert Downey, Jr., Robin Wright Penn, Mel Gibson, Adrien Brody and Katie Holmes star in this theatrical version of Dennis Potter's acclaimed British TV series. Paramount Pictures have US rights, Icon is selling the film internationally.

A SOLDIER'S GIRL
Dir: Frank Pierson
A Soldier's Girl is based on the true story of a young soldier beaten to death for falling in love with a transgendered nightclub performer. Troy Garity and Shawn Hatosy star. Showtime Networks has US distribution rights.

NORTHFORK
Dir: Michael Polish
Set in 1955, Northfork is about the residents of a small Montana community forced to move their homes to make way for a new dam. James Woods, Daryl Hannah, Kyle MacLachlan, Nick Nolte and Claire Forlani star. Paramount Classics has English-speaking rights and Pandora has international rights.

OFF THE MAP
Dir: Campbell Scott
A coming-of-age tale about an 11-year-old girl, who, during the summer, sees her father come down with a crippling depression. During the course of the season, she learns answers to several mysteries and comes to terms with love and loss. Joan Allen, Amy Brenneman, Valentina d'Angelis and Sam Elliott star.

THE SECRET LIVES OF DENTISTS
Dir: Alan Rudolph
Based on Jane Smiley's novella The Age Of Grief, a dentist has a strange dream that blurs the boundaries between fantasy and reality. Campbell Scott, Hope Davis, Denis Leary and Robin Tunney star. Manhattan Pictures International will release the film in North America.

MASKED AND ANONYMOUS
Dir: Larry Charles
Jack Fate (Bob Dylan), a cult musician who never hit it big, gets sprung from prison by Uncle Sweetheart (John Goodman), a promoter who wants Jack to play a benefit concert -- who stands to benefit is unclear. Cast also includes Luke Wilson, Jessica Lange, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, Val Kilmer, Giovanni Ribisi, Ed Harris, Angela Bassett and Mickey Rourke. Directed by TV veteran Larry Charles, the film is the debut production from Nigel Sinclair and Guy East's Spitfire Pictures, with co-financing from the BBC and international sales agent Intermedia.

CONFIDENCE
Dir: James Foley
A con man's latest scam puts him in debt with the mafia when it turns out that his victim, an accountant, is a 'mob' accountant, leading the kingpin to hire an enforcer. Edward Burns, Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Donal Logue, Rachel Weisz and Morris Chestnut star in this film from the director who gave brought Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross to the big screen..

DOT THE I
Dir: Matthew Parkhill
Young lovers in London are wrapped up in a love triangle that may not be exactly what it seems. Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlie Cox and Natalia Verbeke star in Parkhill's feature debut. Momentum Pictures has UK distribution rights.

PEOPLE I KNOW
Dir: Daniel Algrant
A New York publicist, Eli Wurman, whose career has seen better days, finds himself being entangled in a mystery involving politics and celebrity. Al Pacino, Tea Leoni, Kim Basinger and Ryan O'Neal star. Miramax has US rights to the film, which has already been released in Italy to some good critical notices. Myriad Pictures is handling international sales.

GOOD FENCES
Dir: Ernest Dickerson
A moving portrait of an upwardly mobile African American family for whom the American Dream becomes a nightmare. Starring Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg. Showtime Networks is distributing in the US.

THE EVENT
Dir: Thom Fitzgerald
A family is turned upside down when a DA begins investigations of a series of unexplained deaths. Parker Posey, Olympia Dukakis, Sarah Polley and Don McKellar star. THINKFilm has acquired worldwide rights.

COMANDANTE
Dir: Oliver Stone
Documentary feature, financed out of Spain, about Stone's personal encounters with Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Wild Bunch is handling international sales.

IN AMERICA
Dir: Jim Sheridan
With their two young daughters in two and mourning the loss of a third, Irish emigres Johnny and Sarah use their sheer strength of will and ingenuity to make the most of their new life and find that their kindness to a stranger ultimately opens the door to their new home in America. Starring Samantha Morton, Paddy Considine, Djimon Hounsou, Sarah Bolger and Emma Bolger. Fox is releasing the film worldwide

ALL THE REAL GIRLS
Dir: David Gordon Green
From the director of the acclaimed George Washington comes this film set in a small southern town, where a young man, who has slept with almost every girl in the county, falls in love with his best friend's little sister, a virgin. Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson and Benjamin Mouton star. Sony Pictures Classics will release domestically.

AMERICAN SPLENDOR
Dirs: Shari Springer and Robert Pulcini
An original mix of fiction and reality illuminates the life of comic book hero everyman Harvey Pekar. Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis and Judah Friedlander star in this film that was produced by the old Good Machine for HBO.

DIE MOMMIE DIE
Dir: Mark Rucker
Based on the hit cult play, an ex-pop singer kills her much-hated husband to be with her young lover. Her daughter plots Electra-like revenge. Charles Busch, Frances Conroy, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Priestley, Philip Baker Hall and Nora Dunn star.

THE MUDGE BOY
Dir: Michael Burke
A father and son in rural America lose the most important person in their lives and ultimately find each other. Vincent D'Onofrio, Emile Hirsch and Richard Jenkins star in a film that also involves Stanley Tucci as a producer.

QUATTRO NOZA
Dir: Joey Curtis
An exploration of youth rivalry, love, and war, set against the backdrop of hip hop and illegal street car racing in Southern California. Brihanna Hernandez, Victor Larios, Robert Beaumont and Greg Leone star.

THIRTEEN
Dir: Catherine Hardwicke
A 13-year-old girl's relationship with her mother is put to the test as she discovers drugs, sex, and petty crime in the company of her cool but troubled best friend. Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed star.

THE UNITED STATES OF LELAND
Dir: Matthew Ryan Hoge
A brilliant, troubled teenager kills a retarded boy. His prison teacher and family are left to unravel the meaning of the crime. Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle, Chris Klein, Kevin Spacey, Jena Malone, Lena Olin and Michelle Williams star. The Spacey-produced film is being handled by MDP Worldwide.

THE STATION AGENT
Dir: Tom McCarthy
Finbar Mcbride, a dwarf, is tired of being the centre of unsolicited attention. After taking up residence in an abandoned train depot in rural New Jersey, he finds himself drawn into the lives of two other people living there: an artist and hot dog stand owner. Patricia Clarkson, Peter Dinklage and Bobby Canavale star.

WHAT ALICE FOUND
Dir: A Dean Bell
A down-on-her-luck young woman is taken in by an overly friendly couple and introduced to a truckstop underworld. Judith Ivy stars.

CAMP
Dir: Todd Graff
A musical comedy set at summer camp where aspiring young actors, singers and dancers chase dreams, agents and each other. Fortissimo Film Sales is handling sales on this film, one of two involving New York's Killer Films as a producer. IFC Films co-produced.

THE COOLER
Dir: Wayne Kramer
An Ivy League-educated man is sent in by the mob to revamp the old-school approach to running a casino. William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Paul Sorvino and Joey Fatone star in this film, one of two films made by ContentFilm, with Content International handling international sales.

RHYTHM OF THE SAINTS
Dir: Sarah Rogacki
A street-smart New York girl fights back from danger in her own home with the help of her best friends. Sarita Choudhury, Daniella Alonso and Ryan Donowho star.

PIECES OF APRIL
Dir: Peter Hedges
April nervously prepares Thanksgiving dinner for her family, who consider her the black sheep of the family. However, her relatives face their own dilemmas during the long drive in from the suburbs. Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Alison Pill and Sean Hayes star in this latest low-budget digital video production from InDigEnt, the filmmaking collective behind last year's Sundance sensations, Personal Velocity and Tadpole.

PARTY MONSTER
Dirs: Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato
The true story of Michael Alig, an infamous club kid whose life changed forever after he killed his drug dealer/roommate. Stars Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green, Wilson Cruz, Natasha Lyonne, Marilyn Manson, Dylan McDermott, Chloë Sevigny and John Stamos. Christine Vachon's Killer Films co-produced this with Ed Pressman and John Schmidt's ContentFilm which is handling US distribution. Fortissimo Film Sales has international sales.

DOPAMINE
Dir: Mark Decena
A repressed computer animator fills a void in his life with an artificial creature and comes face to face with love. Jonathan Livingston stars.

THE TECHNICAL WRITER
Dir: Scott Saunders
An urban hermit gets dragged kicking and screaming out of his shell by gregarious neighbours. Michael Harris, Tatum O'Neal and William Forsythe star in this film from the filmmaker who won the Someone to Watch prize at the Independent Spirit Awards four years ago.

CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS
Dir: Andrew Jarecki
Capturing The Friedmans explores the nature of family relations through the prism of the strange and tragic true story of an American family indicted for sex crimes against children.

MY FLESH AND BLOOD
Dir: Jonathan Karsh
My Flesh And Blood follows Susan Tom of Fairfield, California, and her 11 adopted special needs children.

THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND
Dirs: Sam Green and Bill Siegel
The remarkable story of The Weather Underground, radical activists of the 1960s, and of radical politics at its best and most disastrous.

WHAT I WANT MY WORDS TO DO TO YOU
Created by: Judith Katz, Madeleine Gavin, and Gary Sunshine
A look at playwright Eve Ensler's (The Vagina Monologues) writing workshop inside Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women. Featuring Nerys Arias, Cynthia Berry, Kathy Boudin, Judith Clark, and others. With Glenn Close, Eve Ensler, Rosie Perez, Marisa Tomei.

THE SAME RIVER TWICE
Dir: Robb Moss
From peyote to Prozac, a sensitive portrait of five former hippies now approaching middle age.

BUKOWSKI: BORN INTO THIS
Dir: John Dullaghan
The life of late cult author Charles Bukowski.

BROTHER OUTSIDER: THE LIFE OF BAYARD RUSTIN
Dirs: Nancy Kates and Bennett Singer
A documentary about Bayard Rustin - one of the first 'freedom riders', adviser to Martin Luther King and A Philip Randolph and organiser of the March on Washington - who was denied his place in the limelight for the sole reason that he was gay.

THE MURDER OF EMMETT TILL
Dir: Stanley Nelson
A documentary examining the 1955 murder of a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago while he visited relatives in Mississippi and the broad impact of his death, his funeral, and the subsequent trial and acquittal of his accused killers.

STEVIE
Dir: Steve James
The Hoop Dreams filmmaker, who long ago served as Stevie's Big Brother mentor, decides to catch up with the grown-up Stevie. As the story of Stevie's impoverished, trailer-park life is revealed, the filmmaker and the audience get more than they bargained for. Lions Gate acquired the domestic rights at this year's Toronto Film Festival

THE EDUCATION OF GORE VIDAL
Dir: Deborah Dickson
The life and work of Gore Vidal, a contrarian and wickedly funny man, are explored as this documentary joins him at his cliffside villa in Ravello, Italy.

A CERTAIN KIND OF DEATH
Dirs: Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock
Unblinking and unsettling, this documentary lays bare a mysterious process that goes on all around us - what happens to people who die with no next of kin'

STATE OF DENIAL
Dir: Elaine Epstein
An unprecedented and unflinching look at how the citizens of South Africa are living with the AIDS epidemic, given the climate of governmental confusion and neglect.

THE PILL
Dirs: Chana Gazit and David Steward
A documentary recounting the development of the birth control pill.

ROBERT CAPA: IN LOVE AND WAR
Dir: Anne Makepeace
A documentary about the life of famed war photographer Robert Capa.

A DECADE UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Dirs: Richard LaGravenese and Ted Demme
An IFC-produced documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time. This was the last film by Ted Demme, who died of a heart attack last January.

TOM DOWD AND THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC
Dir: Mark Moormann
A documentary about Tom Dowd, an innovative recording engineer and producer of noted albums by John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Otis Redding, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers and many others.

WHALE RIDER (New Zealand)
Dir: Niki Caro
In a small New Zealand coastal village, a 12 year-old Maori girl fights to be allowed to fulfil her destiny as The Whale Rider, a chiefly title reserved once in every generation for a male heir. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton and Cliff Curtis star. Newmarket has US rights; The Works is handling international sales.

THE BARONESS AND THE PIG (Canada)
Dir: Michael Mackenzie
A wealthy American Quaker woman rebels and marries a French baron for love. A plan to start a Parisian salon with a distinctively democratic air brings conflict with her new surroundings and an unusual ally in a country girl raised by pigs. Starring Patricia Clarkson, Colm Feore, Caroline Dhavemas and Bernard Hempton.

LONG LIFE, PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS (Canada)
Dir: Mina Shum
Twelve-year-old Mindy Ho inexpertly tries Taoist magic to fix her single mother's financial situation and seemingly hopeless romantic prospects. Sandra Oh, Valerie Tian, Tsai Chin, Ric Young and Christina Ma star.

LIFE SHOW (China)
Dir: Huo Jianqi
The story of a beautiful, single woman who runs a restaurant in inland China, delving into her battle to understand the rapid changes affecting society around her. Starring Tao Hong, Tao Zeru, Pan Yueming and Yang Yi.

MONDAYS IN THE SUN (Spain)
Dir: Fernando Leon De Aranoa
Dockworkers lose their jobs and succumb to the life of perpetual Sunday. Javier Bardem, Luis Tosar, Jose Angel Egido, Nieve de Medina and Enrique Villen star in the film that beat out Pedro Almodovar's Talk To Her as next year's Spanish entry for the Oscars. Lions Gate Films have North American rights and Sogepaq is handling international sales.

OPEN HEARTS (Denmark)
Dir: Susanne Bier
A Dogme film about an engaged couple that is torn apart after the man is paralysed in an accident, and the woman falls in love with the husband of the woman who caused the accident. Sonja Richter, Mads Mikkelsen, Paprika Steen and Nikolaj Lie Kaa star. Newmarket Films will release this Dogme-style production in US; Trust Film Sales is handling international sales.

THE SEA (Iceland)
Dir: Baltasar Kormakur
Feeling his time running out, an ageing fishing magnate gathers his children in their small Icelandic hometown to settle their mother's inheritance and the future of the fishery that made him powerful. However, the family gathering will not go as planned. Starring Gunner Eyjolfsson, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Helene de Fougerolles and Elva Osk Olafsdottir. Palm Pictures acquired US/UK distribution rights, international sales are being handled by Flach Pyramide International

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM (UK)
Dir: Gurinda Chadha
A story of a traditional family in Britain trying to balance their own traditional desires with their spunky daughter's soccer playing aspirations. Starring Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anupam Kher, Archie Panjabi, Shaznay Lewis, Frank Harper and Juliet Stevenson. Fox Searchlight acquired North and South American rights to the film after it became a big hit for Helkon SK in the UK.

AKA (UK)
Dir: Duncan Roy
A working class young man assumes a bourgeoisie identity in his quest for love in the extravagant world of late 1970's Britain, but struggles with how far he is willing to go with the charade. Matthew Leitch, George Asprey, Lindsey Coulson, Diana Quick, Blake Ritson and Peter Youngblood Hills star in this triptych-format film that received financing from the UK Film Council's New Cinema Fund. It is due to be digitally distributed by independent UK distributor City Screen through its circuit.

HISTORIAS MINIMAS (Argentina)
Dir: Carlos Sorin
Three people and a baby set off on separate journeys, along the same road; their disparate dreams and stories intertwine amidst the breathtaking deserted Patagonic route. Director Carlos Sorin, Carlos Montero, Anibal Maldonado, Maria Rosa Cianferoni, Mariela Diaz and Maria del Carmen Jiminez star. Wanda Vision is handling international sales.

THE MISSING GUN (China)
Dir: Lu Chuan
Small-town policeman Ma Shan wakes up one morning to discover that his gun is missing. During his search, things take a sinister turn when his first love turns up dead and the bullet appear to be from his gun. Jiang Wen, Ning Jing and Wu Yujuan star. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

BOLLYWOOD QUEEN (UK)
Dir: Jeremy Wooding
Bollywood Queen is a cross-cultural romance set in London's East End about a young girl of Indian heritage who is obsessed with both Bollywood musicals and a English boy whose family is the major competitor of her own family's business in the cut-throat world of London's garment district. Preeya Kalidas, James McEvoy and Ian McShane star in this film being handled by Arclight Films .

MUSIC FOR WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS (Norway)
Dir: Unni Straume
Sara, recently divorced and mourning the loss of her only child, rents her basement to Bogdan, a Serbian musician who brings the whole band along. As she learns more about her ex's infidelity, she wonders if Bogdan's lifestyle may be preferable to the manipulative starkness of her ex that ultimately lead to his murder. Starring Lena Endre, Bjorn Floberg, Rebecka Hemse, Petronella Barker and Goran Bregovic.

DEADEND.COM (Canada)
Dir: S Wyeth Clarkson
Deadend.com, in a marriage between reality and fiction, improvisation and interactive filmmaking, is the story of three teens who make a pact to drive from Quebec City to the west coast and upon arrival, commit suicide. Harold Amero, Nicole Raven and Adrian Rogers star.

BENJAMIM (Brazil)
Dir: Monique Gardenberg
The tumultous life of a male model/actor in Brazil through years of career and political turmoil.

28 DAYS LATER (UK)
Dir: Danny Boyle
After a powerful virus, locking those infected into a state of murderous rage, is unleashed on the British public, a group of survivors struggle to salvage a future together. Starring Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Megan Burns, Brendan Gleeson and Christopher Eccleston. Fox is distributing worldwide

I LOVE YOU (China)
Dir: Zhang Yuan
A young woman who has lost her first love begins a relationship with his best friend, and the two of them attempt to create a baggage-free future. Starring Tong Da Wei and Xu Jing Lei.

RED BEAR (Argentina)
Dir: Adrian Caetano
Bear has never gotten over the separation from his wife and daughter after having been convicted for armed robbery and homicide and sent to prison. Now he is out, to finally get his cut of the money and reunite with his family, or at least avenge the damage done. Julio Chavez, Soledad Villamil, Luis Machin, Agostina Lage and Enrique Liporace star.

FEAR X (Denmark)
Dir: Nicolas Winding Refn
When his wife is killed in a seemingly random incident, Harry (John Turturro), prompted by mysterious visions, journeys to discover the true circumstances surrounding her murder. John Turturro, James Remar and Deborah Unger star in a film that is being represented by new UK sales outfit Moviehouse Entertainment.

THIRTEEN STEPS (Japan)
Dir: Masahiko Nagasawa
A released inmate is hired to solve a murder case.

ANGELA (Italy)
Dir: Roberta Torre
True story of an attractive Sicilian mob-wife who participates in her husband's drug-dealing business and falls for her husband's lackey. Starring Donatella Finocchiaro, Andrea Di Stefano and Mario Pupello. First Look Pictures releasing have US rights and Adriana Chiesa Enterprises is handing international sales.

DEATH OF KLINGHOFFER (UK)
Dir: Penny Woolcock
An adaptation from the John Adams opera on the true life incident that took place in the mid 80s. Christopher Maltman, Dean Robinson, Vivian Tierney, Tom Randle, Kamel Boutros, Sanford Sylvan and Leigh Melrose star.

SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY (Ireland, Denmark, UK & Spain)
Dir: Aisling Walsh
Based on a true story, Song For A Raggy Boy is the story of one man's courage to stand up and fight against the tough fascist regime in a boys' Irish Reformatory School in 1939. Aidan Quinn, Alan Devlin, Iain Glen and John Travers star. The film was backed by the Irish Film Board, The Danish Film Institute, Lola Films, Zentropa and Eurimages, with Section 481 and Sale and Leaseback. It is a multilateral co-production between Subotica Entertainment (Irl), Moviefan in Denmark, Zoma Films UK and Lola Films in Spain.. LolaFilms is selling the film internationally, excluding Ireland and Scandinavia & Iceland.

THE KITE (Russia)
Dir: Alexei Muradov
As an executioner for the state, a father kills in order to buy his son more time to live. The boy, who dreams of flying a kite with his father, is an invalid desperately in need of an operation the executioner cannot afford. Victor Solovyev, Nadezhda Ozerova, Pavel Zolotilin, Mikhail Paznikov and Jani Solokhin star.

MADAME SATA (Brazil)
Dir: Karim Ainouz
A portrait of Joao Francisco dos Santos, also known as Madame Sata, a sometime chef, transvestite, lover, father, hero and convict from Rio de Janeiro. Lazaro Ramos, Marcelia Cartaxo and Renata Sorrah star. Wellspring Media has US rights and Wild Bunch is handling international sales.

WOMAN OF WATER (Japan)
Dir: Hidenori Sugimori
A woman whose emotions trigger the rain falls in love with a smouldering pyromaniac. Set in a public bath - a vanishing element of Japanese culture - this is a modern myth of love and healing.

BALSEROS (Spain)
Dirs: Carlos Bosch and Josep Maria Domenec
The story of Cuban refugees who risked their lives in homemade rafts to reach the United States, and what life is like for those who succeed. Lauren Film is distributing in Spain. The film is being sold internationally by Barcelona-based Art Modd Entertainment

THE DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET (UK)
Dir: Kim Longinotto
The practice of female genital mutilation is explored through personal stories of Kenyan women.

IRAN: VEILED APPEARANCES (Belgium)
Dir: Thierry Michel
Depicts contemporary Iran at a turning point in its history, exposing both an extreme fundamentalism being fostered by its leadership and the seeds for change in its youth culture.

THE TRUE MEANING OF PICTURES: SHELBY LEE ADAMS' APPALACHIA (Canada)
Dir: Jennifer Baichwal
The meaning of art itself comes into question in this documentary about Shelby Lee Adams' controversial photos of families in Appalachia.

BUS 174 (Brazil)
Dir: Jose Padilha
Jose Padilha's documentary Bus 174 delves into the backstory behind an actual Sao Paulo bus hijacking. International sales are handled by Zazen Producoes

THE PASSION OF MARIA ELENA (Mexico)
Dir: Mercedes Moncada Rodriguez
A tribal woman from Mexico's Tarahumara Mountains seeks justice for the death of her son who is tragically killed by a car driven by a white woman. Zazen Producoes is handling international sales.

FRESCOS (Russia)
Dir: Alexandr Gutman
A lyrical portrait of life in a contemporary Armenian village following the devastation of an earthquake and the fall of communism.

TO LIVE IS BETTER THAN TO DIE (China)
Dir: Weijun Chen
A rare portrait of a family in a Chinese village living with and dying of HIV/AIDS.

THE PURIFIED (screens with NEW SCENES FROM AMERICA, directed by Jorgen Leth) (Denmark)
Dir: Jesper Jargil
The filmmakers who created the Dogme manifesto reflect, argue, and watch clips of their own films. Featuring Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Mogens Rukov, Kristian Levring and Soren Kragh-Jacobsen.

A FOREIGN AFFAIR
Dir: Helmut Schleppi
Two men looking for household help after their Mother passes away decide to join a Russian romance tour to find and bring home a traditionally-minded wife. David Arquette and Tim Blake Nelson star.

DETECTIVE FICTION
Dir: Patrick Coyle
When a man turns to writing detective stories as an escape from his court-ordered sobriety, the line between reality and fiction blurs. Based on the director's award-winning play of the same name. Mo Collins, Patrick Coyle, Sarah Agnew and Brent Doyle star.

MILK AND HONEY
Dir: Joe Maggio
Over one night in New York City, lives of disparate strangers intersect by fate and circumstance.

THE BEAT
Dir: Brandon Sonnier
In a split narrative, a young man follows two paths: his father's dream of him becoming a cop, and his own dream of becoming a rapper. Cast includes Rahman Jamaal, Kazz Wingate, Toby Howard, featuring Coolio and Brian McKnight.

CRY FUNNY HAPPY
Dir: Sam Neave
Six characters at a crossroads in their lives come together for a thirtieth birthday party that will change them forever. Tif Luckenbill, Marjan Neshat and Amy Redford star.

BOOKIES
Dir: Mark Illsley
A comedy/drama about four college friends who become small time bookies on campus only to find their world spinning dangerously out of control when they attract the attention of the local Mafia. Nick Stahl, Johnny Galecki, Lukas Haas and Rachael Leigh Cook star in this film from Illsley, whose Happy Texas was the subject of a multi-million dollar distribution deal with Miramax during Sundance. .

CIVIL BRAND
Dir: Neema Barnette
A tale of imprisoned, young Black women who empower themselves by fighting against abuse and private ownership of prisons for profit. LisaRaye, N'Bushe Wright, Mos Def, Da Brat and MC Lite star.

BORN RICH
Dir: Jamie Johnson
A documentary on children of the insanely rich, directed by one of their own, Johnson & Johnson heir Jamie Johnson. Ivanka Trump, Georgina Bloomberg and SI Newhouse are featured.

THE BOYS OF 2ND STREET PARK
Dir: Dan Klores & Ron Berger
A documentary about a generation told through the eyes of five men as they recall their childhoods in the 1960s.

LOVE AND DIANE
Dir: Jennifer Dworkin
This film, which played at the New York Film Festival, follows a recovering crack addict and her troubled daughter as they navigate the obstacles of joblessness, parenthood, welfare and public housing.

WHITE OF WINTER
Dir: Robert Saitzyk
A woman searches for a lost child that may only exist in her mind. Zoe Poledouris, Bret Roberts, Tamara Zook and Joseph Chase star.

CITY OF GHOSTS
Dir: Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon's directorial debut has a con man (Dillon) on the run from the law who travels to Cambodia to collect his share in an insurance scam but gets more than he bargained for. Dillon, James Caan, Stellan Skarsgard, Natascha McElhone and Gerard Depardieu star. MGM will distribute in the US and Capitol Films are handling sales.

LAUREL CANYON
Dir: Lisa Cholodenko
A straight-laced son returns home to his pot-smoking, free-wheeling Los Angeles record producer mother with his rich fiancee in tow. Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale and Natascha McElhone star in this film, which premiered in Cannes as part of Directors Fortnight. Sony Pictures Classics has US rights with Focus handing international sales on this, Cholodenko's follow-up to High Art.

THE MALDONADO MIRACLE
Dir: Salma Hayek
Hayek's directorial debut is set in a small dying town where the residents' faith is tested when a statue of Jesus seems to be shedding real tears of blood. Ruben Blades, Christina Cabot, Peter Fonda and Frank Gerrish star. Showtime Networks will distribute in the US.

BUFFALO SOLDIERS
Dir: Gregor Jordan
A criminal subculture operates among US soldiers stationed in West Germany just before the fall of the Wall. Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Dean Stockwell and Elizabeth McGovern star. Miramax will distribute in the US with Focus handling international sales.

RAISING VICTOR VARGAS
Dir: Peter Sollett
A Lower East Side teenager struggles to find some sanity while surrounded by an eccentric grandmother, a crazy new girlfriend, and a longing younger brother. Victor Rasuk, Judy Marte, Melonie Diaz, Altagracia Guzman and Silvestre Rasuk star in this film that was known as Long Way Home when it first screened in Un Certain Regard at Cannes this year. Samuel Goldwyn/Fireworks Pictures will distribute in the US.

NORMAL
Dir: Jane Anderson
After 25 years of marriage, Roy (Tom Wilkinson) surprises his wife (Jessica Lange) and the community when he announces his desire for a sex change operation. Hayden Panettiere and Clancy Brown also star. HBO has US rights.

DYSFUNKTIONAL FAMILY
Dir: George Gallo
This biopic comedy documentary follows Griffin on his Stand Up Comedy Tour and back home to a family reunion, which includes two uncles - one a porn director and the other an ex-pimp. A Miramax release.

GIRLS WILL BE GIRLS
Dir: Richard Day
A fading starlet and her two roommates, played by well-known drag queens, vie for top diva status in timeless Hollywood glamour. Jack Plotnick and Clinton Leupp star.

NIGHTSTALKER
Dir: Chris Fisher
A stylish horror film based on the true life events that terrorised Los Angeles in the 1980s.

THE HEBREW HAMMER
Dir: John Kesselman
A Jewish superhero saves Hannukah from an evil Santa Claus imposter. Adam Goldberg, Andy Dick, Mario Van Peebles, Peter Coyote and Judy Greer star. The second of two films made by ContentFilm, with Content International handling international sales

STOKED: THE RISE AND FALL OF GATOR
Dir: Helen Stickler
A documentary exploring the rise and fall of 80s skateboard legend Gator.

ROLLING KANSAS
Dir: Thomas Haden Church
Four college students hit the road in search of an illusive marijuana crop. Kevin Pollack, Rip Torn, Sam Huntington, Johnny Bartee, Joey Basham, and Kelly Bright star.

SPUN
Dir: Jonas Akerlund
A day in the life of a young meth-head and a colourful cast of addicts. Mena Suvari, John Leguizamo, Brittany Murphy, Mickey Rourke and Patrick Fugit star. Newmarket Films are handling US distribution and StudioCanal will handle non-US distribution.

THE LEGEND OF SURYIOTHAI
Dir: Prince Chatri Chalerm Yukol of Thailand.
Sony Pictures Classics is distributing in the US and Los Angeles-based sales house Intermedia has picked up world sales rights on the historical epic, which is the largest film ever to come out of Thailand. Directed by Prince Chatrichalerm Yukol and originally presented in a three hour version at the Pusan festival in November 2001, the film was subsequently re-cut by Francis Ford Coppola, a film-school friend of the prince.

PIPE DREAMS
Dir: Enzo Mileti
The story of would-be Olympic skiers from Park City, Utah.

TUPAC: RESURRECTION
Dir: Lauren Lazin
MTV documentary about the life of the late rapper

UNCHAINED MEMORIES READINGS FROM THE SLAVE NARRATIVES
Dirs: Ed Bell and Thomas Lennon
Actors read from first-hand accounts of slavery

THE BLUES
A special one-of-a-kind creation exclusively for Sundance, The Blues will sneak peek segments from an epic seven part documentary series from directors Martin Scorsese, Charles Burnett, Clint Eastwood, Mike Figgis, Marc Levin, Richard Pearce and Wim Wenders.

CREMASTER II
Dir: Matthew Barney
The third film of a five-part art-installation epic, Cremaster III is part-zombie movie, part-gangster film. Richard Serra, Matthew Barney and Aimee Mullins star. Glacier Field are distributing in the US.

AN INJURY TO ONE
Dir: Travis Wilkerson
An experimental documentary, stylishly exploring the turn-of-century lynching of union organiser Frank Little in Butte, Montana.

AT THE FIRST BREATH OF WIND
Dir: Franco Piavoli
Using few words and gorgeous imagery, At The First Breath Of Wind is a poetic painting of a family, each in their own space, on an August afternoon. Primo Gaburri, Mariella Fabbris, Ida Carnevali and Alessandra Agosti star.

IRREVERSIBLE
Dir: Gaspar Noe
Told backwards in time, this story of revenge unfolds in the course of one suspenseful night. Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel and Albert Dupontel star. Lions Gate Films are handling US distribution and wild Bunch are handling international sales.

SILT
Dirs: Keith Evans, Christian Farrell & Jeff Warrin
A walk-in cinematic environment using projection performance in which the images are manipulated live.

WATTSTAX
Dir: Mel Stuart
Originally released in 1973, WATTSTAX is a musical and cultural artifact that pays tribute to the Watts riots, which ravaged Los Angeles for six days beginning August 11, 1965. The film's main focus is the Watts Summer Festival's 1972 concert held at the Los Angeles Coliseum, featuring performances by Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, The Staple Singers, The Bar-Kays, Luther Ingram, and a host of others.

IS THE CROWN AT WAR WITH US'
Dir: Alanis Obomsawin
A feature documentary offering a gripping portrait of the Esgenoopetitj Mi'gmaq First Nation during the summer of 2000 as the Canadian government appears to wage war on the community for exercising their inherent and court-affirmed fishing rights.

PIKUTISKAAU (MOTHER EARTH)
Dir: Shirley Cheechoo
A feature-length documentary tracing the Cree philoshophy of Mother Earth and the responsibilities of the Cree people to honour her and those who continue to give life to the Cree people.

CRADLESONG
Dir: Darlene Naponse
A musically driven dramatic feature with original songs that create a journey through the consequences and realities of a rural Native community leading up to one character's moment of madness. Starring Scuyler Webster, Nathan Hunter, Liz Wabegijig, Thea Pattison, Lisa Marie Naponse, Shkebe Landry and Randy Pitawanakwat.

BENEATH CLOUDS
Dir: Ivan Sen
A deliberately paced story of two youth who meet up hitchhiking on the road to Sydney. Both are indigenous Aborigine, though Lena is blonde and blue-eyed; Vaughn is 'black' by Australian standards. They share a road journey for a moment before fully sharing their commonalities in life. Damian Pitt and Dannielle Hall star. Axiom Films is handling international sales.