Nashville Film Festival Announces 2010 Narrative Features and First-Time Filmmakers in Competition
'Hipsters,' 'New Low,' 'One Too Many Mornings' and World Premiere of 'Art House' Among Highlights
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee - February 24, 2010 - "Art House," a film starring Greta Gerwig ("Hannah Takes the Stairs," "Baghead," "Greenberg") and punk-rock icon Iggy Pop will world premiere as part of the Narrative Features Competition at the 2010 Nashville Film Festival (NaFF), which takes place April 15-22 at the Regal Green Hills Cinemas. Directed by Victor Fanucchi, "Art House" is one of a dozen films in the competition, which will also include the Southeastern US premieres of the Russian musical "Hipsters" by director Valeriy Todorovskiy and "The Athlete," directors Davey Frankel and Rasselas Lakew's profile of the great Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila.
 Rounding out the announced narrative features in competition are "Applause" (Martin Zandvliet, Denmark); "Backyard" (Carlos Carerra, Mexico); "Beyond the Pole" (David L. Williams, UK); "The Be All End All" (Bruce Webb, UK); the world premiere of the "Colonel's Bride" (Brent Stewart, USA); "TiMER" (Jac Schaeffer, USA); and "Waiting for Forever" (James Keach, USA). Two more films will be announced in the weeks ahead.
"The quality of films I had to choose from this year was outstanding," said NaFF artistic director Brian Owens. "Each year I feel that talented filmmakers from around the world are raising the bar on what's possible to bring to the screen, and getting even more creative in how they are telling stories. I could easily program an entire other festival with what I couldn't fit in. I'm excited to bring such a stellar variety of films to Tennessee."
Entries to the Festival, which began in July of last year, reached a new level this year, with 2,216 feature-length narrative, documentary and short films from 82 countries.
The First-Time Filmmakers Competition, new this year to NaFF, was also announced, highlighting a dozen films by directors making their feature-length debuts. Among highlights in the competition are Adam Bowers' "New Low," in which a ne'er do well must choose between a similar self-loather and a selfless social worker, and Michael Mohan's coming-of-age comedy "One Too Many Mornings," in which a young man fleeing from life and love problems runs headfirst into the problems of his consoler.
Patron level memberships that include an All-Festival Pass, an invitation to the 2010 NaFF Patrons Party and priority seating at the Festival, can be purchased now at NashvilleFilmFestival.org. Individual tickets for the 2010 Nashville Film Festival will go on sale online in early April.
A comprehensive listing of announced films in the Narrative Feature and First-Time Filmmaker Competitions follows. Two additional films in each category, and a complete list of films screening at the 2010 Nashville Film Festival, will be announced in early March.
Media Credentials
Members of the media interested in attending the Festival and applying for media credentials should put their request in writing to Joe Pagetta, Media Relations Manager, at jpagetta@wnpt.net. Requests should include complete name, title, affiliation and contact info, intended type of coverage and expected publication or air date.
Narrative Feature Competition
APPLAUSE (Martin Zandvliet, Denmark)
When the critically-acclaimed actress Thea Barfoed (Paprika Steen) ends her rehab, she confronts a hard choice. During her heavy drinking period, she divorced and lost custody of her two boys; now she wants them to be a part of her life again. Her ex-husband Christian is quickly softened by her tough, manipulative, but charming figure and agrees. She has to prove to herself and to him, but the hard life on stage, and the ghosts of the past slowly comes knocking on her door. (Southeast Premiere)
ART HOUSE (Victor Fanucchi, USA)
A communal house left in trust many years ago to provide art students support in the way of free housing, Art House has accumulated its share of legends, lore, art, art junk and a reputation for hard partying. When a university dean and an influential descendant of the original benefactor decide to turn the place into housing for varsity golf, the residents' only chance of blocking the move is to prove their value and vitality as an artistic community. The burden is on art student Nora Ohr (Greta Gerwig), who is energetic, compassionate, but by no means perfect. Can the residents of Art House get their act together and make a name for themselves as artists before they're kicked out? Cast includes Iggy Pop. (World Premiere)
THE ATHLETE (Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew, Ethiopia)
This unique and elegant hybrid of autobiography, biopic and documentary tells the inspiring story of the great Ethiopian marathon runner Abebe Bikila, who in 1960 became the first African athlete to win gold at the Olympics: a new world record, and barefoot at that. Four years later in Tokyo, he did it all again, this time wearing shoes, and at age 32, Abebe Bikila became the first man to win consecutive marathons at the Olympics. Bikila's story took a shocking turn after these triumphs, yet nothing could keep him from pursuing his dreams all the way to the finish line and inspiring generations of Africans in the process. (Southeast Premiere)
BACKYARD (Carlos Carerra, Mexico)
The true story of the border town of Juarez, Mexico where since the mid-90's thousands of women have gone missing or turned up as sun-burnt corpses in the desert. Can new police captain Blanca Bravo (Ana de la Reguera) stop the savagery? (Tennessee Premiere)
THE BE ALL END ALL (Bruce Webb, UK)
Fifteen-year-old lads Robbie and Ziggy have been best mates all their lives. When Robbie finds out he's got a fatal heart condition, he's got just one final wish: "You've got to get a girl to shag me," he pleads with Ziggy. Now it's up to Ziggy to get a girl into Robbie's bed ... by any means necessary. Packed with plenty of delightfully slangy Brit wit, this hilarious and heartwarming tale is a mature account of what it means to be a friend. (Southeast Premiere)
BEYOND THE POLE (David L. Williams, UK)
Brian and Mark are setting out on the first carbon neutral, vegetarian, and organic expedition ever to attempt to reach the North Pole. As a world-first, they have high hopes of getting into the Guinness Book of Records and, if all goes well, of saving the planet from Global Warming. Unfortunately, they hadn't reckoned on the polar bears, the competitive gay Norwegians or on Mark's rapidly loosening grip on reality. No one said saving the planet was easy, but does it have to be this hard? Beyond the Pole is Touching the Void with laughs, and Withnail and I on ice. Funny and subversive, it's the story of two men trying to find their place in the world before the end of the world. It asks one question of us all: how far would you go to save the planet? (Tennessee Premiere)
THE COLONEL'S BRIDE (Brent Stewart, USA)
A fallen man and retired US Army Colonel, Bill (JD Parker) is an occasional commercial real-estate agent who spends most of his waking hours in the company of bourbon, cigarettes and a persistent cough. Attempting to make amends with a tattered past, he embraces a young, Vietnamese mail-order bride (Alicia Truong). After a brief courtship they are wed, and despite a language barrier and the Colonel's impotence, Bill attempts to prove his love as a companion and make amends for a history of regrets. (World Premiere)
HIPSTERS (Valeriy Todorovskiy, Russia)
A vibrant musical might not be what you'd expect from contemporary Russian cinema, but Valery Todorovsky's Hipsters is an Iron Curtain version of Swing Kids meets Hairspray, bursting with razzle, dazzle and, of course, rhythm. The film chronicles the 1950s conflict between Russia's communist government authorities bent on keeping all things Soviet, "normal" Russians primarily interested in surviving for one more day, and teens craving American pop culture -- "stilyagi" or "hipsters." The battle of conformity and individual expression supplies a high level of tension that keeps one mentally interested in this marriage of Dostoyevsky and Footloose. (Southeast Premiere)
TiMER (Jac Schaeffer, USA)
What if a clock could count down to the moment you meet your soul mate? In this alternate version of present day Los Angeles, a revolutionary device called the TiMER fulfills this fantasy. For a reasonable installation fee and moderate monthly charges, a TiMER implanted in the wrist will accurately display the numbers of days, hours, minutes and seconds until the wearer's date with destiny, unless, that is, you're Oona O'eary (Emma Caulfield, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who faces the rare dilemma of a blank TiMER. Her soul mate -- whomever and wherever he is -- doesn't have a TiMER. Only when Oona ignores the ticking clock can she finally experience the exhilarating and unpredictable hot mess that is love. (Tennessee Premiere)
WAITING FOR FOREVER (James Keach, USA)
Who decides what is normal? A unique love story about friendship and a view of the world from different perspectives, Waiting for Forever explores the connections people make in the face of life's changes. Best friends while they were growing up, Emma (Rachel Bilson) and Will (Tom Sturridge) lost touch a long time ago -- as far as she knows. To Will, who survives on his talent as a juggler and entertainer, Emma never stopped being the most important person in his life. When Emma's father gets sick, Emma returns to their hometown, trying to leave behind her complicated love life and failing career as a TV actress. As its characters face love, death and their own preconceptions, Waiting for Forever questions the realities of life. (Southeast Premiere)
First-Time Filmmaker Competition
BOMBER (Paul Cotter, UK, USA)
An 83-year-old man returns to Germany for a long planned journey of atonement. When Ross, his useless son agrees to drive him there, a nightmare family road trip ensues. (Southeast Premiere)
THE BURIAL (Danielle Boucher, David William Mills, France)
When three estranged brothers gather for their mother's funeral the last thing they expected was a family road trip. Mother's final wish was clear: "take me to the river and bury me with your Father." The reluctant sons, a girlfriend and a coffin squash into a vintage hearse, bumble their way from France to England, and realize that to bury the past, there's some digging up to do. (North American Premiere)
DEAR LEMON LIMA (Suzi Yoonessi, USA)
As sweet and colorful as a snow cone, this delightful happy-sad confection follows an awkward Alaskan teen as she discovers her Yup'ik heritage, while rallying her fellow misfits to compete in her school's Snowstorm Survivor competition. (Tennessee Premiere)
FIGHTING FISH (Annette Apitz, USA)
Twenty-one-year-old David still lives at home, taking care of his young siblings. When his wild and beautiful sister Alice returns after a long absence, their complicated past comes back to haunt them. As David falls in love with the new girl in town, Alice is driven to desperate measures to keep her brother close, and her world intact. (World Premiere)
HERPES BOY (Nathaniel Atcheson, USA)
Rudolph Murray (Byron Lane, Herpes Boy web series) hates his life. He has a large purple birthmark on his upper lip and everyday he finds someone staring, pointing, or calling him names-like Herpes Boy. He makes videos for the Internet in which he rants about his quirky life and zany family, including his New Age mother (Beth Grant, No Country For Old Men, Little Miss Sunshine, Donnie Darko), emotionally distant father (Michael Chieffo, L.A. Confidential), and grumpy grandmother (Julianna McCarthy, The Young and the Restless). When his "actress-slash-model-slash-dancer"cousin (Ahna O'Reilly, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) re-edits his videos to make herself more popular, it attracts a huge new audience and makes Rudolph an unlikely-and unwilling-cyber-celebrity at the worst possible time in his life. Also starring Octavia Spencer (Ugly Betty), Zack Silva (Days of Our Lives), and celebrities from You Tube's LonelyGirl15 and MakeMeBad35. (Southeast Premiere)
NEW LOW (Adam Bowers, USA)
The worst thing about Wendell isn't his slightly balding head, skinny frame, or thin lips; it's that he's a bit of an idiot. He just started dating Vicky, an angry drunk, who conveniently shares his lack of ambition and cleanliness. But he might prefer a relationship with Joanna because she's a selfless social worker who doesn't have lip acne. Eventually, Wendell is going to have to decide who he really belongs with: the best girl he's ever known -- or the worst. (Tennessee Premiere)
NORTHLESS (Rigoberto Pérezcano, Mexico, Spain)
Andres reaches the Mexican border to cross into the United Sates. There between each attempt, he discovers that Tijuana is a troubled city. As he waits there, Andres is not only confronted with his feelings and what he left behind, but also with those he meets. (Tennessee Premiere)
ONE TOO MANY MORNINGS (Michael Mohan, USA)
Peter has just run away from his girlfriend of 5 years, seeking solace in his estranged friend from high school, Fischer. Fischer lives in a church, for free, in exchange for turning off the lights and locking the doors. It's a good fit for him - he doesn't really have any aspirations beyond that. As Fischer tries to help Peter recover, Peter quickly learns that Fischer has much more serious problems of his own. One Too Many Mornings is a coming of age comedy about how running away from your problems can cause you to smack headfirst into someone else. (Southeast Premiere)
SNOW & ASHES (Charles-Olivier Michaud, Canada)
An armed conflict rages in a region of Eastern Europe. Blaise Dumas, war journalist for Frontline Reporters covers the war. In Quebec, when he erupts from a coma, Blaise discovers that his long time collaborator and photographer has not come back with him. Blaise sets out to remember the events that lead to his friend's disappearance and his own escape from the war zone. A compelling human, post-modern western tale that forces us to reflect and ask moral questions about the unpredictable choices of life, the strength of the media and the sacrifices that journalists have to make for their craft. (Southeast Premiere)
VEGETARIAN (Seong-woon Lim, South Korea)
A young woman abolishes meat from her diet and her home, and soon rejects her husband, who smells of meat. Rejected by her family as a result, she grows despondent, alienating herself from everyone. Her sister tries to reach her, but only her brother-in-law, an artist, manages to penetrate her withdrawn state. Her mysterious trauma ignites creativity and desire in him, and they collaborate passionately on beautiful body-painting art-drawing on her psychological pain but also providing the catalyst for her mystical transformation. (From Sundance Film Festival) (Southeast Premiere)
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About Nashville Film Festival
The longest-running film festival
in the South, NaFF also ranks among the most prestigious, continually
garnering accolades and notice from a wide range of entertainment and
trade publications, including the Associated Press, The New York Times,
The Wall Street Journal online, MovieMaker Magazine, Film Festival
Today, IndieWire, Variety, Billboard, New York and Script Magazine.
Between 2003 and 2009, NaFF' attendance numbers doubled, capped off
with a staggering 26% increase in festival goers between 2006 and 2007.
In 2009, nearly 23,000 film lovers, entertainment professionals and
industry insiders from all over the world made the trek to NaFF,
enjoying 258 films from 48 countries, incisive industry panels, music
showcases and spirited party mixers. Among the diverse group of
celebrities who have attended NaFF in the past either as film
presenters, award recipients or film fans are William Shatner, Hal
Holbrook, Vincent D'Onofrio, Sheryl Crow, William H. Macy, Vincent
D'Onofrio, Patricia Neal, Rob Thomas, Giancarlo Esposito, Ray McKinnon,
Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Walton Goggins, Craig Brewer, Harmony Korine,
Al Gore, Nicole Kidman, Kiefer Sutherland, Kimberly Williams-Paisley,
Peter Falk, Paul Reiser, Patrick Swayze, Rick Schroder, John Waters,
Matthew McConaughey, Robert Redford, Harry Belafonte, Oprah Winfrey,
Michael Moore, Kevin Smith, Barbara Kopple, and D.A. Pennebaker.
Nashville
Film Festival is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation and receives
funding from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, William
N. Rollins Fund for the Arts of The Community Foundation of Middle
Tennessee, The Memorial Foundation, Nashville Metro Arts Commission,
National Endowment for the Arts, Ragsdale Family Foundation, Tennessee
Arts Commission, and its generous patrons and sponsors.
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