3RFF Film Descriptions

Pittsburgh Filmmakers' 25th annual
Three Rivers Film Festival
Nov. 2 – 16, 2006

*13 Tzameti*	Winner of a Best First Feature at the Venice Film Festival and a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. A perspiring first film from the young Georgian director Gela Babluani. Just over a decade ago, Babluani moved to France; although the movie takes place there, it feels far from settled, and you keep asking yourself about the fears that he may have imported from his native land. His pale-faced brother Georges plays a builder who, whether from boredom or bravado, assumes the identity of a deceased client, plunging into an adventure whose outcome he cannot guess. It begins like a Simenon tale, in a quiet seaside location, yet becomes a twisted fairy tale in the depths of a wood. What unravels there should be beyond belief, but such is Babluani’s grip on events, and so ominous is the black-and-white photography, that what might have seemed a nasty contrivance comes across as a calm investigation of fate. — Anthony Lane (Gela Babluani; France/Russia; 2005; 95 min)

4	This controversial drama with political overtones weaves a disturbing and vivid tale of modern Russia. Three strangers meet in a Moscow bar one late night and spin fantastic stories, all of them lies. They depart and go their separate ways through a landscape filled with decaying meat, wild dogs, ravenous crones, cloned piglets, and modern industrial horrors. 4 was held up by Russian censors who wanted almost an hour cut from it, but relented after the film won acclaim at film festivals around the world, including a win at Rotterdam. “Exhilarating, infuriating, mesmerizing, baffling…” – Slant Magazine. With subtitles. (Ilya Khrzhanovsky; 2004; Russia; 126 min)

*49 Up*	Seventh in a series of landmark docu-mentaries that began 42 years ago with 7 Up. Director Apted, inspired by the Jesuit maxim “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man,” interviewed a diverse group of seven-year-olds from all over England, asking them about their lives and dreams for the future. He’s returned to interview his subjects every seven years since; they are now 49. The NY Times called 49 Up and the series as a whole “one of the most remarkable experiments in the history of cinema. The subjects’ lives reveal less about the British class system than about marriage, family relations and the slow turns of the life cycle.” Not to be missed. (Michael Apted; UK;

*American Stag*	Three Rivers Film Festival favorite Ben Meade (Vakvagany, Bazaar Bizarre) traces the forgotten history of “stag” films — those scratchy, under-the-counter, 10-minute sex flicks. The black and white anonymously produced shorts were also known as “blue movies” or “smokers,” because of the smoke-filled rooms where men would gather for private screenings. Once considered “dirty,” they are now fodder for gender and popular cultural discussions. Meade provides a great list of interview subjects: feminist filmmaker Barbara Hammer, film critic Chris Gore, directing legend Melvin van Peebles, pop culture wag Adam Carolla, as well as some exhibitors who showed these movies in the early days. It includes rare footage throughout, such as the mythical stag films of Marilyn Monroe and Barbara Streisand. (Ben Meade; 2006; USA; 70 min) The director is scheduled to appear.

Appalshop Films	Three coal-themed films from members of Appalshop, a non-profit multi-disciplinary arts and education center in the heart of Appalachia (Whitesburg, KY). Sludge is a documentary on the collapse of a Martin County coal-slurry “pond” that sent 306 million gallons of the liquid into the surrounding communities – about three times what was lost from the Exxon Valdez. (Robert Salyer; 2005; 15 min). Slow Voltage is a collage of vintage educational films and new documentary footage, illustrating the connection between our increasing appetite for energy and Appalachian coal fields. (Tom Hansell; 2005; 15 min). Nimrod Workman: To Fit My Own Category is a visit with 80-year-old Workman (pictured): coalman for over 40 years, father of thirteen, and singer of traditional ballads and original folksongs. It displays “a joyous spirit” – New York Times. (Scott Faulkner and Anthony Slone; 1975; 35 min). Tom Hansell is scheduled to appear.

*The Aura*	Director Bielinsky (Nine Queens) died suddenly in June. His final film tells of Espinoza, a shy taxidermist who fantasizes about pulling off perfect crimes. On a hunting trip to Patagonia, he stumbles on a real robbery plot. Unlike those in his imagination, however, this one is complicated by messy reality and assumed identities. The shrewd, serpentine plot – a la Mamet – allows us the fun of trying to arrange puzzle pieces on our own. Espinoza is a fascinating protagonist, a quiet man who suffers from epilepsy. The “aura” refers to the eerie, frozen moment before a seizure when he knows it’s coming. It’s one of several intertwining metaphors and themes (along with gorgeous, almost hypnotic visuals) that make The Aura so satisfying. With subtitles. (Fabien Bielinsky; Argentina; 2006; 134 min)

*Avenue Montaigne*	As breezy as a stroll along the chic Parisian street where it unfolds, this engaging romantic comedy filters several stories of the upscale Champs-Elysées cultural scene through the eyes of a penniless, fresh-faced charmer from the provinces. She waitresses at a small café on the fashionable avenue and begins to rub elbows with an array of characters at a crossroads. Valérie Lemercier virtually steals the show playing a popular but neurotic TV star desperate for serious recognition as an actress. She sets out to win the plum role of Simone de Beauvoir from a visiting American film director, played by Sydney Pollack, who brings bilingual flair to this all-star soufflé. Beautiful cinematography provides stunning views and the talented ensemble cast makes a charming Parisian gem. With subtitles. (Danièle Thompson; France; 2006; 106 min)

*Brothers of the Head*	With a This is Spinal Tap sensibility, this is the story of conjoined-twin musicians plucked from the countryside by a slick star-maker and launched on the London pop scene, circa 1970. With faux-reportage (tracking down the twins after their break-up) and “archival” footage from their heyday, the film conveys the addictive energy of live rock, as well the many pitfalls (drugs, booze, groupies) that can derail even the most dedicated musicians. Co-directors Fulton and Pepe (Lost in La Mancha) put the full arsenal of their documentary skills to use in blurring the border between reality and fiction: it features astonishing performances from real-life twins Luke and Harry Treadaway. And the Buzzcocks’ frontman Pete Shelley lends a hand with a blistering soundtrack hybrid of Small Faces-styled classic rock and early, hyper-angry Brit punk. (Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe; UK; 2005; 93 min)

*The Case of the Grinning Cat*	In the latest creation from legendary French experimental filmmaker Chris Marker, we meander through Paris over the course of three years, ostensibly in search of the mysterious “grinning cats” whose stenciled image have sprung up all over. The film begins in 2001 when Paris was still fresh from the shock of the September 11 attacks, and where newspaper headlines read “We are all Americans.” Over the next year, in the lead-up to the Iraq war, the city’s youth march in numerous demonstrations for many causes as Marker continues his pursuit of the mysterious cats. He finds them again, to his surprise, showing up as the emblem of the new French youth movement. “Make Cats Not War!” street art is the flip side of the idealism and exuberance driving contemporary protests, the likes of which Paris hasn’t seen since the mythic events of May 1968. The film is woven together by Marker’s surreal humor and his astute camerawork. With subtitles. (Chris Marker; USA/France; 2004; 58 min) Screening together with 20 minutes of vintage Chris Marker shorts.

*The Cave of the Yellow Dog*	Set in Mongolia’s chilly north-western plains, this charming story will melt your heart. At the center is a six-year-old girl, the oldest of three children in a nomadic clan of shepherds, who finds a stray dog near the family’s yurt. Her father, concerned about bad luck from a dog that might have associated with wolves, orders her to get rid of him. But his daughter asserts a steely persistence, attempting to hide her new friend she calls Zochor (“Spot” in English). As in her previous film, The Story of the Weeping Camel, the Oscar-nominated director uses an actual nomadic family to enact the tale, and her skillful combination of documentary material and dramatic techniques invests this warmhearted story with great authenticity. The film’s reverence for nature is reflected in the breathtaking beauty, fascinating details of survival, and the illustration of human-animal inter-dependence in the windy grasslands. With subtitles. (Byambasuren Davaa; Mongolia; 2005; 93 min)

*Chelsea Girls*	Even on the fortieth anniversary of this avant-garde landmark, we continue to play catch-up with Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol. No one was more of a voyeur, and in Chelsea Girls we get to join in. The idea behind the project was to capture the young Factory denizens in various rooms at the Chelsea Hotel. The effect was exhilarating, one of the defining moments in the artistic history of the decade. Twelve 35-minute mini-movies were shot with little editing or camera movement. The sound was recorded as it happened to create the greatest sense of immediacy and reality. Some reels are color, some black-and-white. The stars were among Warhol’s most “super”: Ondine, Nico, Gerard Malanga, Ingrid Superstar, Mary Woronov, International Velvet, Marie Menken, Eric Emerson, Mario Montez, and others. From the original footage (over six hours), Warhol created six 35-minute movies into pairs. In an innovative touch, projectionists of the day were brought into the artistic process, deciding the order of the segments, how to pair them, and which one to run with sound and which without. The film offers an unforgettably camp tableaux of the 1960s art scene, from hustlers to hopheads, all engaging in antisocial activity. When it was released, Newsweek praised it as the “Iliad of the underground.” (Andy Warhol; USA; 1966; 210 min)

*Cinematographer Style*	Why do movies look and feel the way they do? Call it magic, or call it cinematography. Out from behind the camera, 110 of the movies’ most gifted pros discuss their craft. Industry legends such as László Kovács, Haskell Wexler and Gordon Willis, to contemporary masters like Roger Deakins, share their diverse approaches to shooting some of the world’s greatest films, from The Godfather to Do The Right Thing. Though they talk tools of the trade, there’s focus on the philosophy behind photographing movies – how they find a style that matches the material, how they determine the use of light and color, what’s involved in a film’s “mise-en-scene,” and their own visual influences. (Jon Fauer; USA; 2006; 86 min) A panel discussion follows the screening, led by local cinematographers and the film’s executive producer John Johnston. Discussion underwritten by Kodak. Followed by a reception underwritten in part by Bluecoat.

*Climates*	Straight from this year’s Toronto and NY film fests, Climates marks a step forward in the evolving world of digital filmmaking, employing the unique textures and possibilities of the digital image. Droll Turkish director Ceylan (Distant) moves metaphorically and geographically from the warmth of western Turkey to the snows of its eastern border in this visually stunning tale of a couple’s break-up. Ceylan himself plays the lead role of selfish middle-aged man who splits with his girlfriend (played by the director’s wife), then travels across Turkey when he changes his mind. A doleful study of a flawed man, and while there is nothing to suggest that Climates is a self-portrait, Ceylan is nonetheless brave for embodying such an unflattering example of manhood. With subtitles. (Nuri Bilge Ceylan; Turkey; 2006; 97 min)

*Close To Home*	Two 18-year-old girls – one rebellious and outgoing, one introverted and timid – are thrown together in the Israeli Border Police. They are assigned to a patrol in Jerusalem as part of their compulsory military service. Their job: to stop Palestinian passersby and ask for identity cards. They are forbidden to sit down, smoke, eat or talk on cell phones. This “buddy film” follows the volatile relationship between the two while they attempt to ignore the reality that slowly makes its way into their lives. With well-developed characters and solid acting the film examines the power of friendship in the midst of political turmoil. With subtitles. (Vardit and Vidi Bilu; Israel; 2006; 90 min) Presented with the Pittsburgh Jewish-Israeli Film Festival.

*Delwende*	Winner of the Cannes Un Certain Regard prize, this inspiring film is based on the true story of Napoko Diarha, a beautiful young dancer exiled to a mysterious community of witches. She is accused of having eaten a soul and will be subjected to the elders’ decree, and the traditional rules which still dictate life in African villages today. In Burkina Faso, like in the rest of Africa, ancestral customs often are the law. In the countryside any rash of unexplained deaths are attributed to soul eaters – meaning women – who, according to the villagers, must be responsible because of their occult-like powers. This is an intriguing look at the persistent power of superstition. With subtitles. (S. Pierre Yameogo; Burkina Faso; 2005; 90 min)

*Dodo*	Comedian and Shenango Valley native Bob Golub has fashioned a hilarious portrait of growing up in a family of ten in a working class suburb of Pittsburgh. Golub started filming his family 26 years ago and has compiled combinations of old and new footage, along with pictures and actors to tell this quintessential American tale. Dodo is the unfortunate nickname of Bob’s father, a roofer by trade, who loved his kids but didn’t express it. The only acceptable way of showing any affection toward each other was through sports. This film takes us on a journey to Golub’s hometown in his search to understand why and to try to break the cycle. His bittersweet story will resonate with all those who simultaneously love and loathe their relatives. (Bob Golub; USA; 2006; 60 m

Film Kitchen	This edition of the popular monthly showcase for independent work features The Dabawallas, a documentary by Carnegie Mellon professor Paul Goodman. It’s about a remarkable large-scale, low-tech meal-delivery service in contem-porary India. Film Kitchen is co-sponsored by Pittsburgh City Paper, Isoldi’s on the Strip, 91.3fm WYEP, and Pittsburgh Brewing. Goodman is scheduled to appear.

*The Guatemalan Handshake*	After a power outage in a small town, demolition-derby driver Donald (Will Oldham) vanishes, leaving his friends and family in a quandary. Handshake captures a childhood summer full of carnivals, lightning bugs and fireworks, with a splash of David Lynch’s view of Americana thrown in. The landscape is strewn with lost objects and lost people: Donald’s pregnant girlfriend, his helpless and car-less father, a pack of wild boy scouts, a lactose intolerant roller rink employee, an elderly woman in search of her lost dog, and a ten-year-old girl named Turkeylegs. Filmed in Harrisburg, many of the crew on this project have a Pittsburgh Filmmakers connection, including the cinematographer, Richie Sherman (a former film and video teacher at Pittsburgh Filmmakers). Awarded a Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. (Todd Rohal; USA; 2005; 96 min) The director is scheduled to appear.

*Home Front*	When Blairsville’s Jeremy Feldbusch was deployed to Iraq in ’03, he was a confident 21- year-old with a wrestler’s body. Less than four months later, a piece of shrapnel got past his goggles, embedded itself in his frontal lobe, leaving him blind and bedridden. Screened at the ’06 Tribeca Film Fest, Home Front is the heartfelt story of his homecoming. Award-winning NY-based filmmaker Hankin (editor for Capturing the Friedmans) guides us through this wounded soldier’s journey to physical and emotional recovery. He follows the vet, his parents and his friends for a year as they attempt to re-create a normal life. Eventually he turns to the Wounded Warrior Project, a support group for disabled Iraq-war vets. A powerful look at the personal cost of war, Hankin goes beyond his preconceptions — and shakes audiences out of theirs. (Richard Hankin; USA; 2006; 93 min) Feldbusch and Hankin are scheduled to appear Nov 8. Proceeds benefit Wounded Warrior.

*An Independent Portrait*	The Pittsburgh premiere by local film-maker José Muniain, just back from the Latino International Film Festival in Los Angeles. It begins as film director Robert Young sits for his first formal portrait with Spanish painter Félix de la Concha in a studio in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. As we watch de la Concha at work, Young discusses his career filming subjects ranging from nomadic Eskimo tribes to Sicilian slum-dwellers. In the process, the two artists discuss their calling. What drives them to do independent work? How do creative people find their subjects? How are they supported, thwarted and inspired by what goes on around them? (José Muniain; USA; 2006; 55 min) Muniain is scheduled to appear.

*Johan*	What if your whole family is crazy about soccer and you’re not? Johan, played by Dutch heartthrob Michiel Huisman, is the 11th male child in a futbol family. The boys make up a complete team, but Johan defies them, wanting to be a singer. This is a lovely little comedy — with great music — about following your dreams, family expectations, and romance, with beautiful actors and scenery thrown in for good measure. With subtitles. (Nicole van Kilsdonk; Netherlands; 2005; 97 min)

*Jumping Off Bridges*	These teens might be from your high school: they scribble in notebooks, listen to punk music, and hang out with their friends. The title is a game 17-year-old Zak and Eric have developed: they take Polaroids of bridges then jump from them into the water late at night. As the movie opens the boys are joined by their female friends. But this idyllic life collapses with Zak’s mother’s crisis. A long-held family secret pulls Zak down; he reaches out to his friends for counsel, but they’re hardly equipped. Writer-director Candler based elements of the story on her own teenage experiences, and she’s captured the dialogue perfectly. This amazing drama examines the inevitable loss of innocence we all must face, with some of the most truthful teen performances you are likely to ever see. (Kat Candler; USA; 2006; 93 min)

*The Lives of Others*	This political thriller begins in East Germany, five years before Glasnost and the fall of the Berlin Wall. It chronicles the consequences of the Minister of Culture’s decision to investigate, by means of surveillance, the lives of a successful playwright and his girlfriend, a popular actress – even though they pose no threat to the state. The complex yet lucid script and the noir-inflected camerawork establish a brooding atmosphere of fear, doubt and suspicion, and create a suspenseful story of political and moral relevance. With its superb cast, this intense drama (a box-office hit in Germany and a favorite at this year’s Toronto Film Festival) succeeds both as a convincing historical recreation and as a compelling tale of individuals whose lives are shaped by the society they live in. With subtitles. (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck; Germany; 2006; 137 min)

*The Motel*	“There is honesty and integrity in the filmmaking and the performances, which make The Motel among the best character studies of the year.” – Atlanta Constitution. This is a beautifully observed portrait of a Chinese-American 13-year-old boy named Ernest who lives and works in a dingy motel operated by his mother. One minute the chubby little guy pretends to battle against invisible intruders, Star Wars-style, and the next he finds a nudie magazine and makes pretend sex moves. The film perfectly captures the glum desperation of inhabiting the biological limbo of early adolescence. And the drama here stems not from the plot, but in the accruing of small, telling details of lives in suspension. One held glance between the mother and the son can communicate more information than any number of speeches. (Michael Kang; USA; 2006; 76 min)

*La Moustache*	A man wears a moustache every day of his adult life. One day he decides to shave it off and no one notices. In fact, his wife and his friends go so far as to inform him they’ve never actually seen him with a moustache. So begins this psychological mystery. Either Marc is a happily married architect, or is dangerously delusional. Or perhaps he is the victim of an elaborate conspiracy to undermine his sanity. This wry existential fable begins to spiral more sideways than downward, as Marc’s notion of concrete reality is tested. It is also a droll meditation on identity and the politics of marriage. “Reminiscent of a John Cheever story like The Swimmer, it is a surreal reflection on perception, reality and memory, whose focus shifts as the film burrows ever more deeply into subterranean territory.” – NY Times. With subtitles. (Emmanuel Carrère; France; 2005; 86 min)

*Off the Black*	This coming-of-age sports story follows Dave, a teenager coping with a distant father by forming an unlikely friendship with the disheveled, irascible high school umpire Ray, played by Nick Nolte. But Ray’s not much of a father figure. He’s an aging, divorced drunk, who should’ve been a successful baseball player. Ray is the heart and soul of this fearless portrait, and the acclaimed actor utterly devastates us in his raging lead performance. As they grow more dependent on each other, Ray asks Dave to go to his 40th high school reunion pretending to be his son, a benevolent act of deception that winds up with unexpected results. A touching story of fathers and sons, also starring Timothy Hutton and Sally Kirkland. (James Ponsoldt; USA; 2006; 90 min)

*Old Joy*	Starring Mt. Lebanon’s Daniel London, Old Joy is the keenly observed story of two old friends who reunite for a camping weekend in Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. Set in the context of today’s political climate, Mark (London), on the verge of fatherhood, is the serious one, and Kurt (Will Oldham), in the midst of a series of wild adventures, is more carefree. Their pilgrimage becomes a quiet meditation on life choices, youthful idealism, regret, and forgiveness, as the two must eventually confront the divergent paths they’ve taken. Drenched with the lush greenery of the Pacific Northwest and powered with outstanding performances, The NY Times recently called Old Joy a “must see” film. Featuring the music of a Yo La Tengo. (Kelly Reichardt; USA; 2006; 76 min) Daniel London is scheduled to appear Friday and Sunday.

Special event – Pandora's Box	Commemorating the centennial birth of legendary actress Louise Brooks (Nov. 14, 1906), we present a beautiful restored print of the scintillating German Expressionist masterpiece that made her famous. As the manipulative Lulu, a temptress who ensnares unsuspecting men, Brooks created a landmark sexual persona so subtly charged that today's audiences are still electrified. (G.W. Pabst; Germany; 1929; 125 min) A highlight of this year’s festival is the return of Dr. Philip Carli, performing a live piano accompaniment. Dr. Carli has created piano accompaniments for well over fifty films and has toured throughout North America and Europe, performing at such venues as Lincoln Center and the National Film Theater in London. The film will be introduced by Pittsburgh’s Barry Paris, author of the highly acclaimed biography, "Louise Brooks".

*The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes*	Ten years after their Institute Benjamenta, this is the long-awaited second feature by the Brothers Quay, identical twins from England (who grew up near Philadelphia). The Brothers have made some of the most original films of the last two decades, including Streets of Crocodiles (shown in the ’88 Three Rivers Film Festival). To watch Piano Tuner is to enter a fabulist universe as unique and arcane as any imaginable. The story begins with the abduction of a famous opera singer on the eve of her wedding. The evil Dr. Droz has taken her away to the Carpathian Mountains. An innocent piano tuner is summoned to service the doctor’s strange musical automatons. When he learns of plans to stage a “diabolical opera,” he sets out to save the beautiful singer. The Quays are unrivalled for their silversmith-like fastidiousness in creating hermetic dream worlds, and this live-action film resembles little else in cinema. Abandon all preconceptions and surrender to the darkly magical world. (Timothy and Stephen Quay; UK; 2006; 99 min)

Opening Night –Pittsburgh	Filmed here in 2004, Pittsburgh follows Jeff Goldblum’s return to his hometown to star in Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera’s production of The Music Man with his then-fiancée, Catherine Wreford. This deliciously deadpan comedy walks an elegant line between improvisation, documentary, and re-enactment. Goldblum attacks the project with his trademark quirky enthusiasm and he ultimately ropes his friends Ed Begley Jr. and Illeana Douglas into the musical too. But once the cast assembles in Pittsburgh, Goldblum is stricken with self-doubt over whether he can convincingly play the iconic role of Harold Hill. The co-directors mix genuine documentary – including “real” appearances by Doug Shields, Jennifer Antkowiak, John Shumway, and CLO’s cast and crew – with outright self-parody to make "Pittsburgh" an uproariously funny film. (Kyle LaBrache and Chris Bradley; USA; 2006; 84 min)

*Princesas*	Caye and Zule are complicated, determined women struggling to survive as two street “putas” in a tough, Madrid barrio. Both pin their dreams on money or idealized relationships to get them through the hard days. And both begin to see each other as the only thing solid enough to hold onto. Princesas examines the forces that perpetuate poverty, but it is also a work of poetic realism infused with a wonderful, figurative touch. The director turns tough realities into glimpses of humanity and shows us that their desires are ours — happiness, love, dignity. It avoids all the clichés about prostitution and features revelatory performances from its two actresses, plus great music from Manu Chao and Gato Perez. “A small miracle of controlled empathy” – LA Weekly. With subtitles. (Fernando Léon de Aranoa; Spain; 2005; 113 min)

Requiem	This compelling drama, set in the ’70s, follows a fragile young German girl during her first year away from home — a strict religious family in a small town. Despite her long battle with epilepsy, she is anxious to study at the university. But a new friendship with Hanna and budding romance with Stefan crack open the shell of faith and family security. Rejecting psychiatry and medical solutions out of fear, she ultimately turns to a young, crusading priest, himself out of place in the contemporary world. She’s enthralled as he spins an increasingly dubious and demonic narrative about her condition. This exceptional film, which has already won several best acting awards for its star, is based on the true story of a 23-year-old student in Miltenberg, Germany who underwent an exorcism in1976. Alternately shocking and meditative, Requiem is a bold triumph for the director and his muse, actress Sandra Hüller. With subtitles. (Hans-Christian Schmid; Germany; 2006; 93 min)

Closing night – Speedy	Alloy Orchestra's annual visit to Pittsburgh closes out the film festival with a feel-good comedy. In his last film before talkies arrived, the great Harold Lloyd stars as a happy-go-lucky soda jerk who falls for the daughter of the last horse-drawn tram driver in the city. When railroad developers try to put the old man out of business, Lloyd stumbles in and tries to save the day. The Alloy Orchestra provides original accompaniment for the film's famous Coney Island sequence and a rousing chase scene. Shot on location, with cameo appearances by Babe Ruth and a vintage Yankee Stadium, this glimpse at New York in the 20s is breathtaking. Though his films are not as well known today, Lloyd was as popular as Chaplin and Keaton in the silent era, and this is a rare opportunity to view his masterpiece with such a rollicking score. (Harold Lloyd; USA; 1928; 85 min)

*Stolen*	In 1990 — in the wee hours after Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day — thieves disguised as cops entered the Gardner museum and successfully perpetrated the largest art heist in modern history. Among the thirteen priceless paintings stolen were works by Rembrandt, Degas, Manet, and Johannes Vermeer’s The Concert. At the heart of this glob-trotting, edge-of-your-seat, documentary-thriller is Harold Smith, the most renowned art detective in the world. Cunning and witty, Smith takes us through the Boston criminal underground and to Ireland to investigate a possible IRA connection to Vermeer thefts. This highly entertaining film not only tries to solve a perplexing mystery, but also to understand the mysterious importance of art. Features readings by Blythe Danner and Campbell Scott, and cinematography by Albert Maysles. (Rebecca Dreyfus; USA; 2005; 85 min)

Short Film Competition	Space is devoted in the Film Festival each year for a competitive selection of shorts – a program for media artists to present work that allows them to creatively take risks, break new ground or challenge the viewer. Within the categories of experimental, narrative, animation, and documentary, with a wide variety of themes, there are 18 shorts divided into 2 separate programs. Several artists are from the Pittsburgh area (Hernstrom, Peiffer, Tassick, Loyola-Garcia) and some are national recognized (Kuchar, Ryan, Leveque, Condit). Prizes donated by Pittsburgh Filmmakers and Kodak will be awarded at the screenings. Finalists are “Dancing Ground,” Tobin Addington; “Jukebox,” Alex Budovsky; “Untold Coffee Stories,” Carolina Loyola-Garcia; “Dramatically Repeating Lawrence of Arabia,” Les Leveque; “Sissy Boy Slap Party,” Guy Maddin; “Portrait of a Campaign,” Erica Peiffer; “Gesture Down,” Cedar Sherbert; “Anger Stone,” Dave Ryan; “Chronicles of Impeccable Sportsmanship,” Erika Tasini. “Larry, Go Home,” Alina Bliumis; “Little Spirits,” (pictured,) Cecelia Condit; “I Am Like Cities,” Ben Hernstrom; “Bowl Digger,” Kristy Higby; “Vacant Viewables,” George Kuchar; “The Dawn Chorus,” Hope Dickson Leach; “Wilson’s Woodworkers,” Don Swanson; “Negative Douglas,” Keith Tassick; “Teenagers from Inner Space,” tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE.

*The Tales of Rat Fink*	The newest film from Ron Mann (Comic Book Confidential, Grass) is a wildly inventive bio about Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, creator of Kustom Kulture, which includes customized cars, “monster” T-shirts and America’s alternative rodent, Rat Fink (who originated from Roth’s hatred of Mickey Mouse). After airbrushing Rat Fink on a shirt, the character soon came to symbolize the entire hot-rod scene of the ’50s and ’60s. Mann’s largely animated documentary features the voice talents of John Goodman, Ann-Margret, Jay Leno, Brian Wilson, Tom Wolfe, Matt Groening, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Smothers Brothers. (Ron Mann, Canada; 2006; 78 min) Look for hot rods and their local owners in front of the theater before the Nov 11 show.

*Ten Canoes*	From a far away land, Ten Canoes is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. This groundbreaking film is the first Australian feature film completely filmed in the indigenous Aboriginal language. Set a thousand years ago, well before the arrival of the Europeans, it is the season of goose egg gathering. Ten men, led by the tribe’s elder, head into the forest to harvest barks for canoe making. Sensing the need to council one of the younger men when he flirts with his brother’s wife, the elder tells them a mythical story about consequences. This lush, exotic film was inspired by a photograph shown to the director. From this – an image of native men in their bark canoes on the Arafura swamp – the fascinating tale of customs, rituals, lust, jealously, betrayal and revenge evolved. It is peopled by characters that are unforgettable and absolutely loveable – proving that some stories speak to all people, in any time. With subtitles. (Peter Djigirr and Rolf de Heer; Australia; 2006; 90 min)

Special event – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre	With Puerto Muerto live. The musical duo are traveling the country with a new interpretation of this bloodcurdling 1974 classic whose raw power terrifies us even today. An original live “overscore,” evoking old spaghetti westerns and a haunted Americana, is performed live by Chicago's Puerto Muerto over the original soundtrack. You know the story: a group of teenagers check out a cemetery where there have been grave robbings. But things don't go so smoothly. The movie's powerful sense of dread is heightened by the new score, as well as its wicked sense of humor. If you liked last year’s Man With X-Ray Eyes with Pere Ubu, you’ll love this. (Tobe Hooper; USA; 1974; 83 min)

*Wassup Rockers*	After inciting uproars with Kids, Bully, and Ken Park, director Larry Clark returns with an observational tale based on the real lives of seven Latino skaters from South Central LA. With a loose approach to storytelling, Rockers follows the band of outsiders, Latino teenagers who shun peer-mandated hip-hop for the Ramones — and have the lank hair and drainpipe jeans to prove it. Opening in documentary style, the scene is set by largely non-professional actors before they hotfoot it on an adventure to Beverly Hills for the day. It balances sheer fun, free-floating energy, sincere emotion (even when pock-marked with tragedy) with an awesome soundtrack. (Larry Clark; USA; 2005; 115 min)

*Words of My Perfect Teacher*	Set to a world beat with music by Sting, Tara Slone & Joy Drop, Steve Tibbets, U.Man.Tek, and others, Words is for those who wish they’d met Yoda or Merlin. Over the course of one year — from the World Cup to the mythical mountain kingdom of Bhutan — this charming documentary follows three students on a quest for wisdom. The film’s point, inspired by Buddhist philosophy, centers on how to reach those with closed hearts and entrenched views. And Buddhism says that to study the mind and walk a path toward enlightenment, you need a teacher. Enter: soccer obsessed citizen of the world, Dzongsar Khyentse Norbu Rinpoche, one of the world’s most eminent Buddhist teachers — a job description he rejects at every turn. “Lively and funny. You have to love a filmmaker who gets Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal in the same movie.” – Vancouver Sun. (Lesley Ann Patten; Canada; 2006; 103 min)