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Tribeca Festival · 2007

Tribeca Festival 2007

Encounters

The organisers said: "The new Encounters section offers a compelling range of titles by both emerging and established talents, films which are likely to provoke some of the liveliest comments at the festival. Included in this exciting line-up are the World Premieres and the directorial debuts of films by Mary Stuart Masterson, Diego Luna and Jon Poll." Here's what the organisers say about the films.

Programme

23 films · 7 reviews

Jump to a film

The Air I Breathe

Review preview for The Air I Breathe

As the plots begin to coalesce everything becomes far too overwrought.

Amber Wilkinson · 2.5 out of 5
Multi-stranded film sees four lives collide.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2007; Director: Jieho Lee; Writer: Jieho Lee, Bob DeRosa; Stars: Forest Whitaker, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Kevin Bacon, Julie Delpy, Emile Hirsch) , Official site

Full review See: Tribeca Film Festival 2007 Diary Days six and seven

World Premiere

The Animated World Of John Canemaker

Canemaker, a pre-eminent animation teacher, filmmaker, author and historian, who won an Oscar for his animated short The Moon and the Son in 2006.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: John Canemaker)

Anita O'Day: The Life Of A Jazz Singer

An intimate and deeply moving tribute to jazz diva extraordinaire Anita O'Day, completed just weeks before her death in November 2006. Packed with terrific clips and anecdotes from friends and fellow musicians, this enjoyable documentary zips along at the speed of her renowned up-tempo interpretation of Sweet Georgia Brown.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Robbie Cavolina, Ian McCrudden; Writer: Robbie Cavolina, Ian McCrudden; Stars: Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Will Friedwald, Johnny Mandel, Annie Ross, George Wein, Margaret Whiting, Gerald Wilson)

World Premiere

Black White + Gray: A Portrait Of Sam Wagstaff And Robert Mapplethorpe

In the Seventies and Eighties, the relationship between legendary curator Sam Wagstaff, photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and musician/poet Patti Smith was at the epicenter of New York's revolutionary art scene. This engrossing documentary features interviews with Smith and a bevy of art world luminaries including Joan Juliet Buck, Dominick Dunne, Richard Tuttle, Eugenia Parry and Ralph Gibson.

(Country: US, Germany; Year: 2007; Director: James Crump; Writer: James Crump; Stars: Joan Juliet Buck, Truman Capote, Dominick Dunne, Henry Geldzahler, Ralph Gibson, Robert Mapplethorpe, Eugenia Parry, Patti Smith, Richard Tuttle, Sam Wagstaff, )

World Premiere

The Bubble

(Country: Israel; Year: 2006; Director: Eytan Fox; Writer: Eytan Fox; Stars: Ohad Knoller, Yousef (Joe) Sweid, Daniella Wircer, Alon Friedmann, Zohar Liba, Lior Ashkenazi)

US Premiere

The Cake Eaters

A prodigal son's return conjures up old ghosts for three generations of two different families in a small, quiet town. Masterson's debut feature unfolds the intimate secrets and tensions that compel these families to move forward.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Mary Stuart Masterson; Writer: Jayce Bartok; Stars: Kristin Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern, Jayce Bartok, Elizabeth Ashley and Miriam Shor)

See: Tribeca Film Festival Diary Days Seven and Eight

World Premiere

Charlie Bartlett

Review preview for Charlie Bartlett

Yelchin is a charismatic and believable anti-hero, smart but insecure and neither a walking wisecrack-machine nor a stereotypical ‘mixed-up kid’.

Jeff Robson · 4 out of 5
A bright but troubled rich kid unexpectedly finds himself in the American ‘public school’ system – and finds a novel way of beating the bullies.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Jon Poll; Writer: Gustin Nash; Stars: Anton Yelchin, Kat Dennings, Robert Downey Jr, Hope Davis, Tyler Hilton)

Full review

World Premiere

The Descent

A tale of innocence shattered, dreams destroyed and vengeance fulfilled, Descent begins with an idealistic vision of college sweethearts and wild house parties, but quickly falls apart. A rape sends Maya (Rosario Dawson) into a spiral of drugs, rage and despair - until she is reunited with her attacker and offered a chance to settle the score.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Talia Lugacy; Writer: Brian Priest, Talia Lugacy)

World Premiere

The Final Season

Baseball is everything in Norway, Iowa, but when government authorities decide the small town's population no longer warrants its own high school, a longstanding baseball tradition is in peril. Sean Astin stars as the new and untested coach who must provide Norway with one exciting final season in this heartwarming story based on true events.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: David M. Evans; Writer: Art D'Alessandro, James Grayford; Stars: Sean Astin, Powers Boothe, Rachael Leigh Cook, Michael Angarano, Matthew W. Allen, Tom Arnold, Mackenzie Astin, Marshall Bell, Holly Bonelli, Parisse Boothe, Jill Brockhohn)

World Premiere

The Golden Door (Nuovomondo)

Review preview for The Golden Door

A deeply evocative piece of film-making.

Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
Early in the 20th century, hard-working peasant Salvatore takes his family to the New World in search of a better life.

(Country: Italy, Germany, France; Year: 2006; Director: Emanuele Crialese; Writer: Emanuele Crialese; Stars: Vincenzo Amato, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Aurora Quattrocchi, Francesco Casisa, Filippo Pucillo)

Full review

New York Premiere

Good Time Max

Actor James Franco (Spider-Man) cowrites, stars in and directs this stunning drama about two intellectually gifted brothers who take drastically different courses in life. One evolves into a successful doctor while the other leads a roller coaster, drug-fueled existence. But even after growing up and growing apart, they remain inextricably connected to each other.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: James Franco; Writer: Merriwether Williams, James Franco; Stars: James Franco, Vince Jolivette, Wilmer Calderon, Trip Hope, Richard Portnow, Jarrod Bunch, Peter Mackenzie, Brian Lally, Charity Shea, Molly Cheek, Mary Payne)

See: Tribeca Film Festival Diary Days Seven and Eight

World Premiere

The Hammer

In an underdog comedy that never pulls a punch, an aging boxer now working as a construction worker (Adam Carolla) is convinced by a wily coach to step back into the ring after a 20-year hiatus. Though the former rising champion is well past his prime, he embarks on a rollicking quest for what he missed the first time around: a spot on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld; Writer: Kevin Hench, Adam Carolla; Stars: Adam Carolla, Oswaldo Castillo, Harold House Moore, Christopher Darga, Jonathan Hernandez, Heather Juergensen, Paul Alayo, Rian Bishop, Antonio Caballero, Derrick Deane, Lorenzo Eduardo)

World Premiere

In The Beginning Was The Image: Conversations With Peter Whitehead

Peter Whitehead's work as a key independent British filmmaker of the 1960s has been the subject of recent worldwide retrospectives. This documentary on the artist, by a returning TFF filmmaker, is important not only as a portrait, but also as a meditation on the construction of identity.

(Country: UK; Year: 2006; Director: Paul Cronin; Stars: Peter Whitehead)

US Premiere

I Have Never Forgotten You - The Life And Legacy Of Simon Wiesenthal

Review preview for I Have Never Forgotten You - The Life And Legacy Of Simon Wiesenthal

Few documentaries can ever have been put together with the same level of meticulous care as this one, clearly the product of exhaustive research.

Jennie Kermode · 3.5 out of 5
A documentary about famous Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Richard Trank; Writer: Marvin Hier, Richard Trank; Stars: Simon Wiesenthal, Nicole Kidman (voice), Sir Ben Kingsley)

Full review

North American Premiere

JC Chávez

Actor Diego Luna (Y Tu Mam Tambin) steps behind the camera for this heartfelt documentary about the life and career of his countryman, Mexican boxer Julio Csar Chvez, considered one of the sport's - and Mexico's all-time greats. Luna follows Chvez through the final bouts of his career, even as he proudly passes the torch of boxing to his son.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2007; Director: Diego Luna; Stars: Julio César Chávez Jr.)

World Premiere

Lovesickness (Maldeamores)

Tales of maddening infatuationa surprising love triangle, an unfaithful marriage and a hostage situationweave together artfully in the backyards of Puerto Rico. Passion defeats reason again and again in this melancholy comedy about the selfish search for love and connection.

(Country: Puerto Rico; Year: 2007; Director: Carlos Ruíz Ruíz, Mariem Pérez Riera; Writer: Jorge Gonzales, Carlos Ruíz Ruíz; Stars: Luis Guzmán, Miguel Ángel Álvarez, Silvia Brito, Yaraní del Valle, Ednali Figueroa, Luis Gonzaga, Teresa Hernández, Chavito Marrero, Dolores Pedro, Norman Santiago, Fernando Tarrazo)

World Premiere

Music Inn

A cinema veteran makes his debut as a filmmaker, aided by a veritable who's who of distinguished musicians, to tell the legendary story of how enthusiasts and hip scholars were drawn to Lenox, Massachusetts each summer starting in 1951. There their dedication to jazz and folk supported the founding of the world¹s first permanent school of jazz.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Ben Barenholtz)

North American Premiere

Nobel Son

In this taut thriller spiked with droll humor, Ph.D. candidate Barkley (Bryan Greenberg) is kidnapped the night before his father Eli (Alan Rickman) will receive the Nobel Prize. When Eli refuses to pay a ransom equal to the $2 million prize, secrets, betrayal and revenge collide.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Randall Miller; Writer: Jody Savin, Randall Miller; Stars: Alan Rickman, Bryan Greenberg, Shawn Hatosy, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Pullman, Eliza Dushku, Danny DeVito, Ted Danson, Ernie Hudson, Tracey Walter, Lindy Booth)

World Premiere

Shotgun Stories

Review preview for Shotgun Stories

The slow-burning Arkansas vista is beautiful and harrowing at the same time, a panorama interrupted only by tractors dotting the horizon, but one where a car parked in the wrong place can attract a mob of pitch fork bearing men.

Ben Sillis · 4.5 out of 5
Blood ties and vengeance in rural Arkansas.

(Country: US; Year: 2007; Director: Jeff Nichols; Writer: Jeff Nichols; Stars: Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, Barlow Jacobs, Natalie Canerday, Glenda Pannell, Lynnsee Provence, G Alan Wilkins, Michael Abbott, Jr, Travis Smith)

Full review

North American Premiere

Suburban Girl

Review preview for Suburban Girl

Baldwin lifts the scenes he is in with his brand of easy charm an antidote to occasional outbreaks of cheese in the script.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
A May to December romance blossoms between an up-and-coming New York editor and a famous publishing lothario.

(Country: USA; Year: 2007; Director: Marc Klein; Writer: Marc Klein, based on short stories from The Girl's Guide To Hunting And Fishing by Melissa Bank; Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alec Baldwin, Dennis Albanese, Audra Blaser, Vanessa Branch, Geoffrey Cantor, Chris Carmack, Nathan Corddry, Vincent De Paul, Richard Dreyfuss, Maggie Grace)

Full review See: Tribeca Film Festival diary: Days 4 and 5

World Premiere

The True Legend Of Tony Vilar (La Vera Leggenda Di Tony Vilar)

Using a tongue-in-cheek mockumentary style, this half-true, half-imagined tale is based on the story of real-life singer Tony Vilar. Born in Italy, he later moved to Argentina and became one of the most popular crooners in 1960's Latin America, then mysteriously disappeared, leaving a faint trail apparently leading to New York City.

(Country: Italy; Year: 2006; Director: Giuseppe Gagliardi; Writer: Giuseppe Gagliardi, Peppe Voltarelli) , Official site

International Premiere

Vitus

A child prodigy yearns for a "normal" life with his parents and eccentric grandfather in this charming family drama, starring the great German actor Bruno Ganz (Wings of Desire; Downfall). While his parents plan a future of piano competitions, Vitus would rather learn to fly. He just needs to find an adult who'll let him.

(Country: Switzerland; Year: 2006; Director: Fredi M. Murer; Writer: Peter Luisi, Fredi M. Murer, Lukas B. Suter; Stars: Fabrizio Borsani, Teo Gheorghiu, Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker, Bruno Ganz, Eleni Haupt, Kristina Lykowa, Tamara Scarpellini, Daniel Rohr, Norbert Schwientek, Heidy Forster)

New York Premiere