King Curling is a rollicking, boisterous comedy about the high-stakes world of curling, that most glorious of broom-based ice sports. After breaking under the intense pressure of championship competition, former star Truls Paulsen has fallen far from his former exalted station, battling OCD and a reliance on pills. When he learns that his former coach is in the hospital and in desperate need of an expensive operation, Truls gets himself together for one more, potentially lucrative competition.
Norwegian with subtitles 75 min
Join Festival filmmakers for a discussion about the intersection of art and politics in Middle Eastern cinema. How do the political situations in different Middle Eastern countries affect a filmmaker’s access to funding and resources? Do filmmakers in the Middle East feel a responsibility to challenge the prevailing ideologies of their leaders, and what are the repercussions when they do? In the politically charged climate of many Middle Eastern countries, can art exist without politics?
60 min
Repentant terrorist Rashid uses the declaration of national amnesty as an opportunity to reform and re-enter productive civilian life. Settling back into his hometown, however, proves dangerous as he is menaced by angry neighbors whose families have been torn apart by terrorist attacks. Rashid must navigate these treacherous waters while trying to start a new life in this thriller that confronts the moral and practical complications of reconciliation.
Arabic with subtitles 87 min
The connection between a father and son is explored in this gorgeous paper-based stop motion animation set in a steam-filled old public bathhouse.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
No Dialogue 8 min
A woman suffering from an unexplained stomach pain believes her doctor has the answer, while her husband is more interested in snake hunting in this quirky experimental animated film.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
English 10 min
String puppets twist and turn and struggle to break free from the mysterious prison in which they are confined in in this enigmatic animated parable.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
No Dialogue 9 min
When Edmond's co-workers give him a new set of ears, his life begins to change in this haunting, melancholy animation.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
English 14 min
What starts off as a practical joke turns into a crucial turning point in Lilja’s life in this animated short film about playing with identity.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
Swedish with subtitles 15 min
In this spellbinding stop-motion animation, fifty-something Willy returns to the naturist community where he has spent his youth to visit his dying mother. When she dies shortly after he arrives, Willy is confronted with the choices he has made in his life.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
No Dialogue 16 min
For more than 20 years Charles Manson has refused to communicate with the outside world. Until now. Actual never- before- heard phone conversations between Canadian author Marlin Marynick and Charles Manson are brought to life through animation.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
English 7 min
In the tumultuous South Africa of the late 1980s, young Otelo looks for freedom wherever he can find it. When he and his friends are introduced to surfing, they swiftly take to the sport, a welcome reprieve from pressures both societal and parental. As the group rises in skill and fame, tensions and egos inevitably develop, further flamed by Otelo’s romantic interest in his friend’s sister and the escalating political conflicts around them.
Zulu with subtitles 95 min
A gorgeous array of animation styles and techniques are put to work illustrating these strikingly original tales from around the world. A birthmark forms a bond between father and son in an old public bathhouse in 38 - 39 Cº (USA/South Korea). Life is a constant struggle for a quirky married couple in BITE OF THE TAIL (USA). A man and woman are carried to strange, inhospitable shores in THE CONQUERORS (Canada/France). Charles Manson communicates with the outside world for the first time in 20 years in OLD MAN (USA). When Edmond’s co-workers give him a new set of ears, his life begins to change in EDMOND WAS A DONKEY (Canada/France). Willy is forced to return to his naturist roots in OH WILLY… (Belgium/France). BODY MEMORY (Estonia) explores how far back in our ancestry it is possible to go. Lines blur between patron and bartender in the visually striking THE PUB (UK). A prank takes an unexpected turn in NEXT DOOR LETTERS (Sweden).
98 min
A man and woman are carried by stormy seas onto a strange, inhospitable shore. There they embark on an epic adventure, attempting to survive in their new world in a stunning animated collage.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
No Dialogue 12 min
Lines blur between patron and bartender as intoxication takes hold in this visually striking animation.Part of: Shorts 2: Blurring the Lines
English 15 min
In the late 1970s, when a mentally handicapped teenager is abandoned, a gay couple - a drag performer (Alan Cumming) and a closeted attorney (Garret Dillahunt) - takes him in and becomes the family he’s never had. But, once the unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men must fight a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to care for as their own in this gripping testament to love and family.
English 97 min
Set aboard a fishing vessel, Leviathan documents a story of treacherous waters and working conditions through the stunning imagery of waves, machinery, and animal life. Directors Castaing-Taylor (Sweetgrass) and Paravel offer a thrilling first-hand view of roughnecked oceanic exploration. Not to be missed on the big screen, this film is a visceral, purely cinematic experience.
English 87 min
We all know it takes a whole team of talented people to make a successful movie, but how do you decide who to work with? How do you ensure your producer, DP, editor and more are the best possible fit for your project? First time feature filmmakers discuss their experiences of finding the right people to share their vision and bring it alive on screen.Panelists include:Michael Mayer, Out in the DarkAdrian Saba, The CleanerGabriel Marino, A Secret WorldRobert Budina, AgonMODERATOR - John Mossman, Columbia College Chicago
In the stark volcanic landscape of a remote Hawaiian community, Marshallese patriarch Jacob struggles to provide for his large family. When diagnosed with cancer, he eschews treatment in favor of earning as much as possible for his children and grandchildren. As his illness worsens, Jacob turns a small video camera on himself and begins to tell his own story and the tragic history of the Marshallese people in this hauntingly beautiful affirmation of family.
Marshallese with subtitles 87 min
Based on a novel by Bernard Schlink (The Reader), The Weekend follows Jens as he leaves prison 18 years after being arrested as an RAF terrorist in Germany. Back with his family, friends, and ex-comrades, including his former lover Inga, Jens’ unexpected arrival disrupts their lives, forcing them to re-examine the violent idealism of their youth, especially as he insists on learning who had betrayed him to the police years before in this intense, gripping drama.
German with subtitles 97 min
Tasked with giving away huge sums of money by whatever means possible, Kaveh and Layla drive through the remote, war-torn mountains of Iran with a trunkful of cash. What begins as a seemingly harmless game soon reveals itself to be a twisted bout of charity as the power, humiliation, and shame inherent in their act plays out between the privileged couple and the impoverished villagers.Modest Reception is co-presented by the Global Film Initiative and is part of the Global Lens 2013 film series. For more information, visit www.globalfilm.org.
Farsi with subtitles 100 min
This sweeping epic chronicles an important, still-relevant struggle in Brazilian history. Seeking adventure, the Villa Boas brothers set off from modern civilization into the jungles of Brazil, where they befriend an isolated Xingu village. Working with the Xingu, they help modernize the village. However, progress brings its own set of devastating problems and the brothers begin a decades-long fight to help the Xingu people. Stylish, energetic, and inspiring, Xingu vividly brings their struggle to life.
Portuguese with subtitles 103 min
A poetic, tender road movie, A Secret World follows tormented teenager Maria as she makes her way through Mexico seeking her place in life. The film focuses on the pleasant beauty of the landscape and the eccentric, endearing personality of Maria as she comes into her own. Gorgeously filmed, this lyrical coming-of-age story doubles as a wistful hymn to a young woman’s self-discovery.
Spanish with subtitles 87 min
Malcolm and Sofia, two determined teens from the Bronx, are skilled and ambitious graffiti-writers. When a rival gang destroys their latest masterpiece, the pair hatches a plan to get revenge by tagging an iconic NYC landmark. Their spectacular scheme, however, comes with a $500 price tag. The capers - heists, petty thefts, swindles - they devise to raise money bring more setbacks than they do dollars, but their enthusiasm and energy never wane in this prize-winning debut from director Adam Leon.
English 81 min
Kamel, a shy, good-natured security guard, is torn between two worlds: the Israeli society that treats him and his fellow Bedouins with suspicion and his own family, who are struggling to maintain their ever-threatened way of life. When the shacks where he and his family live on their ancestral lands are threatened with demolition, Kamel goes to extreme lengths to save his family home, in this starkly beautiful portrait of life on the margins.
Hebrew and Arabic with subtitles 82 min
Maria (Naomi Watts), Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical paradise. But on the morning of December 26th, as the family relaxes around the pool after their Christmas festivities the night before, a terrifying roar rises up from the center of the earth. As Maria freezes in fear, a huge wall of black water races across the hotel grounds toward her.
English 114 min
From Chicago filmmaker Julian Grant comes this “neo-noir musical crime drama.” Benji is set up to take the fall for an ill-fated kidnapping, but still finds time to sing when he isn’t hastily bandaging injuries or trying to determine the motivations of a stripper with questionable loyalties. Mixing visual styles and utterly defying any attempt at clear categorization, this catchy, gritty film is not to be missed.
English 84 min
Set in 1952 as England prepares for a coronation, The Scapegoat tells the story of two very different men with the exact same face. Almost identical replicas of each other, they meet by chance in a station bar. Each is at a crossroads in his life: one setting out on a walking tour after losing his job as a teacher; the other avoiding home after a disastrous business venture.
English 108 min
In 1984, all eyes were on Ben Wilson, a high school senior on the verge of leading Chicago’s Simeon High to its second straight state basketball championship and seemingly destined for NBA greatness. But Benji’s story was cut tragically short when he was shot and killed in broad daylight on his way to school. Interviews with family and friends give fresh insight into Benji’s life and untimely end, illuminating one of sport’s most tragic “what if”s.
English 79 min
A playfully inventive jigsaw puzzle of a movie, Boys Are Us follows heartbroken teenager Mia, whose older sister Laura persuades her to take revenge on the male sex. Their plan involves Mia seducing a boy and making him fall in love with her before cruelly discarding him, although the predatory Laura can’t help but complicate matters by toying with the boys herself. Can Mia follow through on their plan? Does she want to?
Swiss-German with subtitles 73 min
Mila (Juliette Binoche) and Javier are brilliant heart surgeons and passionately in love. While their professional lives are clinical and require precision and perfection, their married life is entirely opposite - they drink, eat and make love to excess. When Mila discovers she is pregnant, she and Javier continue to deny what everyone else recognizes: that Javier is an alcoholic. As her pregnancy develops, their impulsive and unpredictable relationship is derailed - and held together by ego, addiction and hope.
French with subtitles 91 min
A powerful drama about cultural conflict and the strength of familial bonds, Agon explores the relationship between Albanian brothers who must deal with prejudice treatment and bigotry in a new country. Saimir is well-established and thriving with a stable job and a fiancé in Greece, while Vini, newly emigrated, is involved with dangerous criminals. Family is incredibly important to both brothers, but their differences open a rift between them that they must confront.
Albanian, Greek with subtitles 110 min
The World Is Funny follows the wanderings of a loose network of characters. Told with meticulous precision, the connections between the characters and the profound implications of their stories grow in richness and complexity as the film progresses. A sharp, ironic sense of humor enriches a melancholy yet inspiring film that has been a gigantic hit in Israel, earning a record-setting 15 Ophir nominations (the Israeli Academy Awards®).
Hebrew with subtitles 122 min
This eclectic encyclopedia of terror and bloodshed features 26 alphabetized segments, each helmed by a different prominent horror movie director. Spanning 15 countries, the offerings range from chilling and gruesome to irreverent and hilarious, as the directors explore the theme of death in many guises. Essential viewing for horror aficionados, The ABCs of Death is an original, provocative work from a who’s who of modern horror filmmakers.
English and various languages with subtitles 123 min
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