This year, 12 narrative and 12 documentary features will compete for cash prizes of more than £119,000 as well as artwork from the Artists Awards programme, featuring donated work from renowned artists including Stephen Hannock, Robert Longo, William Wegman and Dustin Yellin.
Hide Your Smiling Faces and Six Acts
Alì Blue Eyes (Alì ha gli occhi azzurri)
(Country: Italy; Year: 2012; Director: Claudio Giovannesi; Writer: Francesco Apice, Claudio Giovannesi, Filippo Gravino; Stars: Nader SarhanStefano RabattiBrigitte ApruzzesiMarian Valenti AdrianCesare Hosny SarhanFatima MouhasebYamina KacemiSalah RamadanMarco ConidiAlessandra RocaElisa GeroniRoberto D'AveniaToto OnnisAlfonso PrudenteAdrian Carana)
One week in the life of 16-year-old troublemaker Nader, who, despite his mother’s threats and family’s insistence that he respect his Muslim roots, fights, steals and pursues an Italian girlfriend.
International premiere
Before Snowfall (Før snøen faller)
(Country: Norway, Germany, Iraq; Year: 2013; Director: Hisham Zaman; Writer: Kjell Ola Dahl, Hisham Zaman; Stars: Billey Demirtas, Eva Medusa Gühne, Suzan Ilir, Nazmi Kirik, Jin Musa, Bahar Ozen, Volga Sorgu, Abdullah Taher, Mohammed Tejir, Birol Ünel)
A youngster from Kurdistan tracks his sister across Europe after she flees before her wedding.
International premiere
Bluebird
(Country: US; Year: 2012; Director: Lance Edmands; Writer: Lance Edmands; Stars: Amy Morton, Louisa Krause, Margo Martindale, John Slattery, Emily Meade)
A small incident spirals into tragedy.
World premiere
The Broken Circle Breakdown
(Country: Belgium, Netherlands; Year: 2012; Director: Felix van Groeningen; Stars: Johan Heldenbergh, Veerle Baetens, Nell Cattrysse)
A young couple fall in love and life seems to hurtle along at a breakneck pace.
North American Premiere
Hide Your Smiling Faces
(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Daniel Patrick Carbone; Stars: Ryan Jones, Nathan Varnson, Colm O'Leary),
Official Site,
Trailer
Tragedy forces a group of children to confront their own mortality.
North American Premiere
Just A Sigh and Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors
Just A Sigh
(Country: France; Year: 2013; Director: Jérôme Bonnell; Stars: Gabriel Byrne, Emmanuelle Devos, Judith Rémy, Roland David, Sébastien Pouderoux, Jean-Charles Clichet, Eddie Chignara)
An actress meets a stranger on a train and conceives of a different life.
International Premiere
Lily
(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Matt Creed; Writer: Matt Creed, Amy Grantham; Stars: Amy Grantham)
Nearing the end of her treatment for breast cancer, Lily focuses on life with newfound clarity, reevaluating her relationship with an older man and her feelings about her long-absent father.
World premiere
The Rocket
(Country: Australia; Year: 2013; Director: Kim Mordaunt; Writer: Kim Mordaunt; Stars: Sitthiphon Disamoe, Loungnam Kaosainam, Alice Keohavong, Thep Phongam, Sumrit Warin)
A youngster and his family try to forge a new life after being displaced by a dam.
North American premiere
Six Acts (Shesh Peamim, S#x Acts)
(Country: Israel; Year: 2012; Director: Johnathan Gurfinkel; Writer: Rona Segal; Stars: Sivan Levy)
A deep dive into the grey area of sexual abuse told through the story of Gili, a teenager who in order to improve her lame social status hooks up with several different boys, all from her new school.
North American premiere
Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors
(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Sam Fleischner; Writer: Micah Bloomberg, Rose Lichter-Marck)
A boy with Asperger's syndrome goes riding on the New York subway for days as his distraught mother searches for him.
World premiere
Before Snowfall and The Rocket
Sunlight Jr
(Director: Laurie Collyer; Writer: Laurie Collyer; Stars: Naomi Watts, Norman Reedu, Matt Dillon, William Haze, Tess Harper, Antoni Corone, Vivian Fleming-Alvarez, Keith Hudson, Victoria Vodar, Michele Feren, Rachael Thompson, Fernando Martinez, Nicole Paris Williams, Ward G Smith, Gabriel Alexander)
Quickie-mart employee Melissa and paraplegic Richie are very much in love. Supported only by Melissa’s small hourly wage, they are nevertheless thrilled to learn that Melissa is pregnant. Then their situation deteriorates, and their tenuous financial situation threatens to bring their happy life crashing down.
World premiere
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
(Country: Taiwan; Year: 2013; Director: Arvin Chen; Stars: Richie Jen, Mavis Fan, Stone, Kimi Hsia, Lawrence Ko)
A married man whose wife wants another child tentatively reconnects with his gay identity.
North American premiere
