Opening Night
Shrek Forever After (3D), directed by Mike Mitchell. (USA) - World Premiere. Shrek, who has already successfully challenged an evil dragon, rescued a beautiful princess and saved his in-laws’ kingdom, is faced with the question: What’s an ogre to do? Well, if you’re Shrek, you suddenly wind up a domesticated family man. Instead of scaring villagers away like he used to, a reluctant Shrek now agrees to autograph pitch forks. What’s happened to this ogre’s roar? Longing for the days when he felt like a "real ogre," Shrek is duped into signing a pact with the smooth-talking dealmaker, Rumpelstiltskin. Shrek suddenly finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away, where ogres are hunted, Rumpelstiltskin is king and Shrek and Fiona have never met. Now, it’s up to Shrek to undo all he’s done in the hopes of saving his friends, restoring his world and reclaiming his one True Love. Starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.

Closing Night
Freakonomics, directed by Alex Gibney, Morgan Spurlock, Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing, Eugene Jarecki and Seth Gordon. (USA) - World Premiere. From the innovative documentary filmmakers behind "Super Size Me," "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," "Jesus Camp," "Why We Fight" and "The King of Kong," comes a dynamic adaptation of the smash bestselling book, "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Exposes the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. The groundbreaking book spent more than 2 years on the New York Times Bestseller list and is now one of the most highly anticipated films of the year.

World Narrative Feature Competition
This year's World Narrative Competition is an international film collection comprised of many first and second time directors presenting works from eight countries, seven of which are World Premieres. These films take us around the globe - from a rich and cinematic fable from the exquisite islands of Iran, to a quest for inspiration in post-war Bosnia, to the mind of music legend Serge Gainsbourg in the heart of Paris, to a family pasta empire hanging by a thread in southern Italy. There are stories of boys: some who come of age in a brutal American juvenile detention center and others who are on an impromptu and poignant road trip in Ireland; and stories of women: challenging conventions to save loved ones in politically corrupt Paju, defending their children from false perceptions in a small Irish neighborhood, and confronting the pressures of a traditional Turkish family in Berlin. Young men also find themselves in crisis, dealing with crime and love intertwining on the streets of New York and grappling with memory and mortality on the beaches of North Carolina. The 12 films in this section will compete for Best Film, Best New Narrative Filmmaker and Best Actor and Actress prizes.

Buried Land, directed by Geoffrey Alan Rhodes and Steven Eastwood, written by Geoffrey Alan Rhodes, Steven Eastwood, and Dzenan Medanovic. (USA, UK, Bosnia and Herzegovina) World and TFF Virtual Premiere. The small town of Visoko heralds to the world a remarkable discovery: A valley of ancient pyramids predating Egypt exists under the hills of central Bosnia. Tourists flood the war-scarred region, and locals are caught between the real and the imagined (mirroring the film's vacillation between documentary and fiction). With the help of a young man returning to his homeland, an American film crew determines the role of faith in capturing what cannot yet be proven. In English, Bosnian with English subtitles.

Dog Pound, directed by Kim Chapiron, written by Kim Chapiron and Jeremie Delon. (France) World Premiere. In North America more than 100,000 children are held in detention centers. Sixty percent are destined to become repeat offenders. Director Kim Chapiron (Sheitan, TFF '06) takes a searing look at three incarcerated teenagers fighting for their lives and for hope. An electrifying cast delivers blistering performances packed with intensity and emotional power in this story of unlikely friendships in the midst of a brutal and deficient correctional system.

Loose Cannons (Mine Vaganti), directed by Ferzan Ozpetek, written by Ivan Cotroneo and Ferzan Ozpetek. (Italy) North American Premiere. Ferzan Ozpetek (Facing Windows, A Perfect Day) sets this playful family comedy in the picturesque city of Lecce in the deep south of Italy. Tomasso, a reluctant soon-to-be-partner in his wealthy family's pasta business, has plans to come out, and hopefully get out of his familial obligation. But when his plans are thwarted by his brother, Tomasso gets stuck on the path that he was desperately trying to avoid. In Italian with English subtitles.

Lucky Life, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, written by Lee Isaac Chung and Samuel Gray Anderson. (USA) World Premiere. When one of them falls ill, a group of friends takes one last trip to the beach, desiring a meaningful farewell. Years later, as one of the couples plans to have a child, the trip lingers as a haunting memory. Lee Isaac Chung's follow-up to his award-winning Munyurangabo is equal parts graceful, warmly acted relationship drama and beautifully shot visual poem.

My Brothers, directed by Paul Fraser, written by William Collins. (Ireland) World Premiere. When 17-year-old Noel accidentally breaks his dying father's most prized possession, a cheap wristwatch, he and his two cheeky younger brothers borrow the boss' bread van for a clandestine quest to replace it. But what begins as a quick road trip soon turns into an emotional odyssey for the boys. A longtime writing collaborator of Shane Meadows (Somers Town, TFF '08 award winner), Paul Fraser makes a stellar feature directing debut with this poignant and bitingly funny family journey.

Open House, directed and written by Andrew Paquin. (USA) World Premiere. Brian Geraghty gives a haunting performance as prim and taciturn David, forced for years to watch over his sexually predatory partner Lila and her violent urges. David longs for human connection and a less violent existence, and when a would-be victim becomes a chance at redemption, he is torn between his humanity and the only life he's ever known.

Paju, directed and written by Chan-ok Park. (South Korea) North American Premiere. Joongshik and Eunmo live in Paju: a gray town where the urban landscape is as bleak as the fate of its residents. In writer/director Chan-ok Park's emotionally intense follow-up to award-winning Jealousy Is My Middle Name (TFF '03), the personal travails of two antiheros are delicately unveiled through an anachronistic period of eight years, demonstrating how easily the lines of development and destruction are sometimes blurred. In Korean with English subtitles.

Gainsbourg, Je t'Aime... Moi Non Plus, directed and written by Joann Sfar. (France) International Premiere. From a young man in Nazi-occupied Paris to the sultry crooner who bedded Brigitte Bardot and married Jane Birkin to the vulnerable poet hidden behind a shroud of provocation, Serge Gainsbourg's is a life large enough for grand treatment on film. One of France's greatest mavericks is brought back to life (uncannily, by Eric Elmosnino) in this imaginative and visually flamboyant film debut from one of France's greatest cartoonists. In French with English subtitles.

Snap, directed and written by Carmel Winters. (Ireland) World Premiere. With a fresh and intense style, playwright-turned-director Carmel Winters composes a gripping psychological drama about three generations of a family poised to repeat the mistakes of the past. Aisling O'Sullivan (The War Zone) commands the screen as a calloused mother who will do anything to protect her son, even deny her own past. From the producers of TFF award winner Eden and the Academy Award winner Once.

When We Leave (Die Fremde), directed and written by Feo Aladag. (Germany) North American Premiere. When young Turkish-German woman Umay can no longer stand her husband's ill-treatment, she flees from Istanbul with her five-year-old son into the arms of her family in Berlin. But love, affection, and loyalty soon become irrelevant as they struggle to reconcile Umay's willful self-determination with the social system that governs their lives. This passion piece on female flight from oppression builds its considerable dramatic intensity to a glowing payoff. In German, Turkish with English subtitles.

The White Meadows (Keshtzar haye sepid), directed and written by Mohammad Rasoulof. (Iran) North American Premiere. Poetry, mythology, metaphor, and the absurd are expertly woven to tell the fable-like story of Rahmat, who sails from island to island off the coast of Iran to collect tears. Moody and elegant, The White Meadows is acclaimed writer/director Mohammad Rasoulof's (Head Wind, TFF '08) mesmerizing cinematic statement on conformity, social norms, and the collective condition of Iran. In Persian with English subtitles.

William Vincent, directed and written by Jay Anania. (USA) World Premiere. The versatile James Franco (Milk, Spider-Man) stars in the story of William Vincent, a quiet and peculiar criminal uninterested in the fruits of crime. When he falls for a gangster's (Josh Lucas) favorite call girl (Julianne Nicholson), William is forced to flee New York. But after four years in exile, William secretly returns, intent on rescuing the woman he loves from her dangerous fate.

World Documentary Feature Competition
Gripping personal tales, illuminating examinations of global events, and fresh perspectives on familiar topics comprise the World Documentary Feature Competition. This international selection of captivating non-fiction films provides a rich tableau, reflecting the complexity of human experience and emotion and issues around the world - a man who yearns to resolve national conflict through non-violent means; a President and citizen bound together by genocide and the love of their country; a family of artists mourning the loss of their talented daughter and sister; and the tumultuous relationship between a troubled playwright and her daughter. There are also stories that investigate crime, the interconnected world of falcon trade, royal dynasties, the CIA, and Al Qaeda; a rare and candid look into the secrets of the Russian mafia; and the ties between soccer, organized crime and gambling. These 12 non-fiction entries compete for Best Documentary Film and Best New Documentary Filmmaker.

American Mystic, directed by Alex Mar. (USA) World Premiere. Set against a vivid backdrop of American rural landscapes, Alex Mar's meditative documentary artfully weaves together the stories of three young Americans exploring alternative religion: a Wiccan in California mining country, a New Ager in upstate New York, and a Native American father and sundancer in South Dakota, all yearning for fulfilling spirituality in disparate but often strikingly similar ways.

The Arbor, directed by Clio Barnard. (UK) World Premiere. Brilliantly blending the borders of narrative and documentary filmmaking, artist-cum-director Clio Barnard beautifully reconstructs the fascinating true story of troubled British playwright Andrea Dunbar and her tumultuous relationship with her daughter. Working from two years of audio interviews, Bernard uses classic documentary techniques, actors, theatrical performance, and Dunbar's own neighborhood to generate a unique cinematic feast while unraveling the truths of a dark family past.

Budrus, directed by Julia Bacha. (USA, Palestine, Israel) North American Premiere. In one of the most conflicted parts of the world, a Palestinian family man unites rival parties Fatah and Hamas, Western activists, and even groups of progressive Israelis in a nonviolent crusade to save his village from being destroyed. Award-winning documentarian Julia Bacha (Encounter Point, TFF '06) captures with rawness and galvanizing intensity the power of ordinary people to peaceably fight for extraordinary changes. In Arabic, English, Hebrew with English subtitles.

Earth Made of Glass, directed by Deborah Scranton. (USA) World Premiere. This powerful investigative documentary by the Oscar-nominated director of The War Tapes (best doc, TFF '06) skillfully weaves interviews with President Kagame of Rwanda and Jean-Pierre Sagahutu, a survivor of the horrific 1994 genocide. When a president and a citizen, bound together by a profound love of country and an unquenchable desire to see the truth revealed, fight to expose the truth behind a murder and France's hidden role in the Rwandan genocide, their stories will inspire and uplift. In English, French, Kinyarwandan with English subtitles.

Feathered Cocaine, directed by Thorkell Hardarsson and Orn Marino Arnarson. (Iceland) World Premiere. Behind drugs, people, and weapons, falcon smuggling has become the world's most mysterious and profitable illegal trade. Held in highest esteem by the wealthy elite throughout the Persian Gulf, the sporting birds have earned the label "feathered cocaine" as thieves race to ransack them from all parts of the world. This bold investigative documentary unspools the surprising links between the falcon trade and royal dynasties, the CIA and KGB, the oil industry, and Al Qaeda.

Freetime Machos, directed by Mika Ronkainen. (Finland, Germany) North American and TFF Virtual Premiere. Matti and Mikko play for Finland's worst amateur rugby team. Overworked and domesticated, the two men long for a space to revel in their masculinity and bond with other men. Following the two friends and their teammates on a quest to end the season with just a single win, award-winning writer/director Mika Ronkainen (Screaming Men) crafts a genuine and disarmingly funny love story of modern male friendship. In Finnish with English subtitles. Part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival.

Into Eternity, directed by Michael Madsen. (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Italy) International Premiere. Three miles below the earth, the people of Finland are constructing an enormous tomb to lay to rest their share of humans' 300,000 tons of nuclear waste. To avoid disaster, it must remain untouched for at least 100,000 years. In this poetic, hauntingly beautiful, and thought-provoking doc, Danish filmmaker Michael Madsen ponders how to warn future civilizations that the buried treasure of our nuclear era—unlike the pyramids and great tombs of pharaohs—must never, ever be discovered.

Monica & David, directed by Alexandra Codina. (USA) North American Premiere. Monica and David are in love. Truly, blissfully in love. They also happen to have Down syndrome. Alexandra Codina's affectionate and heartwarming documentary is an intimate, year-in-the-life portrait of two child-like spirits with adult desires. Supported (and, for more than 30 years, sheltered) by endlessly devoted mothers, Monica and David prepare for their fairy tale wedding and face the realities of married life afterward.

Sons of Perdition, directed by Jennilyn Merten, Tyler Measom. (USA) World Premiere. In the polygamist community cultivated by the notorious (and now incarcerated) "prophet" Warren Jeffs, women are a commodity, children are reared to be ignorant, and free thought is surrendered. For a group of teenage boys, the desire for autonomy means banishment from their homes and families. This fascinating documentary explores the heartbreaking losses and hopeful determination of these exiles as they struggle to make new lives in mainstream America.

Thieves By Law (Ganavim ba Hok), directed by Alexander Gentelev. (Israel, Germany, Spain) World Premiere. In an unprecedented insider first look, Thieves by Law is a front-row invitation into the living rooms and offices of some of the most controversial and elite head honchos in the Russian mafia. Rising through the criminal ranks, the balance of what's legitimate versus what's illegal, and the meaning behind those tattoos made so famous by Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" it's all out on the table. In Russian, Hebrew with English subtitles.

The Two Escobars, directed by Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist. (USA, Colombia) World Premiere. Born in the same city in Colombia but not related, Andres Escobar and Pablo Escobar shared a fanatical love of soccer. Andres grew up to become one of Colombia's most beloved players, while Pablo became the most notorious drug baron of all time. While adeptly investigating the secret marriage of crime and sports, Michael Zimbalist and Jeff Zimbalist (Favela Rising, TFF '05) reveal the surprising connections between the murders of Andrés and Pablo. An ESPN Films release. Part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival.

The Woodmans, directed by C. Scott Willis. (USA, Italy, China) World Premiere. The Woodmans are a family united in their belief that art-making is the highest form of expression and an essential way of life, but it's only photographer daughter Francesca who achieves worldwide acclaim, after a tragedy that would forever scar the family. With unrestricted access to all of Francesca's works and diaries, The Woodmans paints an incisive portrait of a family broken and then healed by its art. In English, Italian with English subtitles.

Discovery
Innovative visions from emerging voices populate this selection of 17 films that range from light fun to provocative and timely. The section features documentaries about topics from urban surfing to the collaborative process of seminal downtown New York artists. From a prep school student who starts an underground movement to recruit fellow misfits to a lesbian-trannnie comedic love story set in Rio, from an envelope-pushing slap at the art world to unemployed friends who commit a seemingly inconsequential crime, these exciting narratives introduce us to characters stepping into varying situations that will change the course of their lives.

Arias With a Twist: The Docufantasy, directed by Bobby Sheehan. (USA) North American Premiere, Documentary. A joyously uplifting celebration of the creative process and the inventive, outrageous downtown art scene of New York of the past 30 years, Arias with a Twist focuses its lens on the inspired collaboration between cabaret and drag artist Joey Arias and master puppeteer Basil Twist, whose groundbreaking 2008 show brought them some of the biggest success of their careers. Featuring never-before-seen footage of Andy Warhol, Jim Henson, Keith Haring, Grace Jones, and Divine.

Beware the Gonzo, directed and written by Bryan Goluboff. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Eddie "Gonzo" Gilman is starting a revolution. When the wild-eyed rebel journalist is ousted from his prep school’s newspaper by its über-popular editor, Eddie fronts an underground movement to give a voice to all the misfits, outcasts, and nerds. Soon the power of the press is in Eddie’s hands, but will he use it wisely? Ezra Miller, Jesse McCartney, Zoë Kravitz, Campbell Scott, and Amy Sedaris star in this pitch-perfect teen comedy.

brilliantlove, directed by Ashley Horner, written by Sean Conway. (UK) World Premiere, Narrative. Love and lust entangle over a sweltering summer as a novice photographer, Manchester, documents his sweaty affair with his taxidermist girlfriend, Noon. But when a wealthy art-world pornography collector "discovers" Manchester as a genius, the trappings of the art world are unleashed upon the unsuspecting couple, shattering Noon’s trust and heart. Director Ashley Horner captures the yearning and desire that can simultaneously strengthen and burn romance.

Elvis & Madona (Elvis e Madona), directed and written by Marcelo Laffitte. (Brazil) North American and TFF Virtual Premiere, Narrative. The lives of a beautiful biker babe and a tall blonde trannie intertwine in this vibrant Rio-set romantic comedy. Elvis is an aspiring young photographer delivering pizzas to make ends meet. Madona’s plans for a spectacular drag show have just been dashed when her rotten sometime lover steals all her money. When they meet by chance, Elvis and Madona’s unlikely love will help them chase their dreams and deal with the obstacles that arise along the way. In Portuguese with English subtitles.

Gerrymandering, directed by Jeff Reichert. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. This wake-up-call doc exposes the hidden history of our country’s redistricting wars, mapping battles that take place out of public scrutiny but shape the electoral landscape of American politics for decades at time, posing a threat not just to Democrats and Republicans, but democracy as a whole. Featuring stories from nine states, Gerrymandering takes a hard look at the framework of our democracy and how it provides our politicians a perfectly legal way to control electoral outcomes.

The Infidel, directed by Josh Appignanesi, written by David Baddiel. (UK) International Premiere, Narrative. Mahmud Nasir (comedian Omid Djalili) may not be the most observant Muslim, but deep down he is a true believer. His life is turned upside down when he learns he was adopted, but most scandalous is that his birth mother was Jewish! And his given name was Solly Shimshillewitz! As Mahmud tumbles into a full-scale identity crisis, a true comedy of religious errors unfolds. With Richard Schiff and Matt Lucas. A Tribeca Film release.

Into the Cold, directed by Sebastian Copeland. (USA) World and TFF Virtual Premiere, Documentary. The absolute top of the earth is a place few try to reach on foot. Even fewer succeed. With the vast arctic ice vanishing rapidly, photographer, extreme adventurer, and environmental advocate Sebastian Copeland sets out to reach the North Pole on the centennial of Admiral Peary’s reach in 1909. This inspiring documentary follows their tumultuous two-month trek—not just through piercing cold and merciless terrain, but straight into the depths of the soul.

Just Like Us, directed by Ahmed Ahmed. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. First-time director Ahmed Ahmed takes us on a hilarious tour from Dubai to Beirut, Riyadh to New York with a gaggle of other stand-up talent, including Maz Jobrani, Tom Papa, Ted Alexandro, Tommy Davidson, and Omid Djalili (The Infidel). Along the way, taboos of culture and geopolitics are exploded, and a younger generation of both comedy talents and audiences is born.

Keep Surfing, directed by Björn Richie Lob. (Germany) International Premiere, Documentary. This kinetic and fast-paced documentary will put you right on the Eisbach in the heart of Munich, where river-surfing was invented 35 years ago. Stunningly shot with cameras literally on the surfboards, you can sense the exhilaration as they take to the water. With cameos by surfing legends like Nick Carroll and Kelly Slater, Keep Surfing will make you want to hit the waves! In English, German with English subtitles.

Legacy, directed and written by Thomas Ikimi. (UK/Nigeria) International Premiere, Narrative. British-Nigerian director Thomas Ikimi builds a thrilling psychological drama around an all-consuming central performance by Idris Elba (The Wire). Black ops operative Malcolm Gray is returning home after a botched mission in Eastern Europe. Holed up in a rundown Brooklyn motel room, he is torn between retribution and personal salvation as he mentally unravels. When the walls close in, his story may be all he can leave behind….

Meskada, directed and written by Josh Sternfeld. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. In Josh Sternfeld’s (Winter Solstice, TFF ’03) meticulously crafted murder mystery, a Catskills police detective (Nick Stahl, In the Bedroom) charged with investigating a juvenile homicide in an affluent suburb finds he must return to his struggling hometown of Caswell to find the killers. As his investigation picks up intensity, the grieving mother begins a battle of will and vengeance with members of Caswell, igniting a class war between two vastly different towns in rural America.

No Woman, No Cry, directed by Christy Turlington Burns. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. More than half a million women each year die from preventable complications during pregnancy or childbirth. In her gripping directorial debut, Christy Turlington Burns shares the powerful stories of pregnant women in four parts of the world, including a remote Maasai tribe in East Africa, a slum of Bangladesh, a post-abortion care ward in Guatemala, and a prenatal clinic in the United States.

The Other City, directed by Susan Koch. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. There's a part of Washington, DC never seen by the tourists and ignored by the mass media. At least three percent of DC is HIV positive, a staggering rate higher than parts of Africa, but the city is also full of encouraging stories of grassroots movements to extend education, combat stigmas, and spread hope. TFF alum Susan Koch's (Kicking It, TFF ’08) eye-opening documentary tells the unheard stories behind the growing epidemic in our nation's capital.

The Sentimental Engine Slayer, directed and written by Omar Rodriguez Lopez. (USA, Mexico) North American and TFF Virtual Premiere, Narrative. Reality and fantasy entangle in the semi-autobiographical tale of a twentysomething misfit’s loopy trip through manhood in the dusty US-Mexico border town of El Paso, Texas. While director/writer/star Omar Rodriguez Lopez’s psychedelic sonic sensibilities are most well-known for fueling the Grammy-winning rockers The Mars Volta, it is piercingly clear that he is also a riveting and rare voice for independent American cinema. In English, Spanish with English subtitles.

Snowmen, directed and written by Robert Kirbyson. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. This fun, warmhearted film for the whole family follows the adventures of Billy, a 10-year-old boy convinced he has only weeks to live, and his misfit friends. Along their journey of self-discovery, the boys conquer neighborhood bullies, unite a community, and discover that the only lasting legacy is friendship. With Bobby Coleman, Josh Flitter, Ray Liotta, and Christopher Lloyd.

The Travelogues, directed and written by Dustin Thompson. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Experimental filmmakers Dustin Thompson and Kathryn Ramey (Yanqui Walker and the Optical Revolution, screening with The Travelogues) explore, in richly textured and multilayered fashion, journeys of adventure and conquest. The Travelogues views the natural and manmade landscape through the lens of the filmmaker’s imagination, and Yanqui Walker portrays real-life American William Walker’s ascent to the presidency of Nicaragua in 1856, raising compelling questions about perception and the construction of history.

The Trotksy, directed and written by Jacob Tierney. (Canada) US Premiere, Narrative. Like most high schoolers, Leon Bronstein (Jay Baruchel, Tropic Thunder) is having an identity crisis. What differentiates Leon, however, is that he believes he is the reincarnation of Soviet thinker Leon Trotksy and predestined to follow the same path as his namesake. Tackling issues from students’ rights to semi-formal dances, this "revolutionary" comedy will have you united in laughter. A Tribeca Film release.

Cinemania
An assortment of exciting and eclectic narrative films that push the boundaries of creativity and genre, offering smart thrills, spine-tingling horror, imaginative alternative realities and outrageous humor. From a Hong Kong woman’s violent rampage, a junior high hermaphrodite’s coming-of-age story, an exciting Vietmanese martial arts action movie, and a transploitation flick, this set of films may be shocking or creepy, but they are always fun filled crowd pleasers.

Clash (Bay Rong), directed by Le Thanh Son, written by Johnny Tri Nguyen, Le Thanh Son, Ho Quang Hung. (Vietnam) International Premiere, Narrative. With lightning-fast martial arts, hyperbolic shootouts, an epic soundtrack, and the archetypes you love and love to hate, this cinematic indulgence follows a badass group of outcasts as they try to take down a fat-cat Vietnamese crime lord. The highest grossing Vietnamese film of the past year, Clash is a crowd-pleasing combination of all your favorite action film scenarios. In Vietnamese, French with English subtitles.

Dream Home, directed by Pang Ho-Cheung, written by Pang Ho-Cheung, Kwok Cheung Tsang, and Chi-Man Wan. (Hong Kong) North American Premiere, Narrative. Cheng Lai-sheung is a young, upwardly mobile professional finally ready to invest in her first home. But when the deal falls through, she is forced to keep her dream alive, even if it means keeping her would-be neighbors dead. Pang Ho-Cheung’s disturbingly imaginative violence unfolds against a backdrop of lifestyle fetishization and the housing market crisis in this metropolitan spin on Guignol horror. In Cantonese with English subtitles.

Possessed (Bulshinjiok), directed and written by Lee Yong-ju. (South Korea) North American and TFF Virtual Premiere, Narrative. In this eminently creepy horror show, college student Hee-jin returns home in the wake of her younger sister’s disappearance, only to find her mother a fanatical religious convert and the family’s neighbors offing themselves in increasingly bizarre and grotesque ways. Together with detective Tae-hwan, Hee-jin must unravel the tangled web of connections between the victims that will lead back to the missing girl. In Korean with English subtitles.

Spork, directed and written by J.B. Ghuman, Jr. (USA) World and TFF Virtual Premiere, Narrative. Junior high isn't easy for anyone, especially if you're a frizzy-haired, pink-cheeked hermaphrodite like Spork. But when the talent show shines a chance for Spork to show up Betsy Byotch's mean girls gang, her recently best-friended trailer-park neighbor, Tootsie Roll, steps it up to coach her in booty-poppin’ moves. This ’80s-inspired dance send-up is littered with colorful dialogue from a tween cast with mouths beyond their years.

Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives, directed and written by Israel Luna. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. When a group of transgendered women are violently beaten and left for dead, the violated vixens turn deadly divas in this hilariously campy homage to the exploitation films of the ’70s and ’80s ("Transploitation," anyone?). Loaded with bodacious bods and extreme violence, this revenge fantasy proves that it takes more than balls to get even.

Zonad, directed and written by John Carney and Kieran Carney. (Ireland) International Premiere, Narrative. In this cheeky comedy from brothers Kieran and John Carney (director of Oscar® winner Once), the Cassidy family lives cheerfully in a small Irish town where the 1950s, it seems, never ended. Then one night a portly brute dressed sorta like an alien arrives at their house. His name is Zonad and he’s from outer space, or so he claims, and soon his cynical, 21st-century attitude begins disrupting this seemingly idyllic little hamlet.

Encounters
This collection of engaging narrative and documentary features includes a mixture of mystery-thrillers and lighter fare with performances by Ellen Barkin, Tilda Swinton, Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehy, Eddie Izzard, Kim Cattrall, Rashida Jones and Melissa Leo. The selections include profiles of men who revolutionized music around the world - the legendary Canadian band Rush, British punk rock pioneer Ian Dury, and Long Island music legend Billy Joel - as well as a look into the life of a man who revolutionized hair and modern pop culture, Vidal Sassoon.

The Chameleon (Le Cameleon), directed by Jean-Paul Salomé, written by Jean-Paul Salomé and Natalie Carter. (France, USA) World Premiere, Narrative. When teenager Nicholas Barclay (Marc-André Grondin, C.R.A.Z.Y.) mysteriously resurfaces after he went missing three years ago, his sister (Emilie De Ravin, Lost) and mother (Ellen Barkin) welcome him back with open arms, but a no-nonsense FBI agent (Famke Janssen) is out to prove he’s an impostor. Working from a true story, director Jean-Paul Salomé (Female Agents) delivers an unsettling psychological thriller, featuring an unforgettable performance by Barkin, that will keep you guessing. In English.

Climate of Change, directed by Brian Hill. (USA/UK) North American Premiere, Documentary. A group of 13-year-olds in India rally against the use of plastics. A renaissance man in Africa teaches villagers to harness solar power. Self-described "hillbillies" in Appalachia battle the big business behind strip mining. Tilda Swinton beautifully narrates this rich and inspiring documentary, from the producers of "An Inconvenient Truth," about a world of regular people taking action in the fight to save our environment. Executive produced by Participant Media and the Alliance for Climate Protection. A Tribeca Film release.

Every Day, directed and written by Richard Levine. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Meet Ned: his live-in father-in-law is putting serious strains on Ned’s marriage. He’s having a hard time adjusting to raising an independent teenager. His job as a TV writer is unfulfilling, and late nights with a sexy coworker are only complicating matters. Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Brian Dennehy, Carla Gugino, Eddie Izzard, and Ezra Miller star in this eloquent and honest look at an everyday family dealing with life’s little curveballs.

Last Play at Shea, directed by Paul Crowder and Jon Small (concert footage). (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. The intersecting histories of a stadium, a team, and a music legend are examined in a documentary that charts the ups and downs of the New York Mets and the life and career of Long Island native Billy Joel, the last performer to play Shea Stadium. Set to the soundtrack of Joel's final Shea concerts, Last Play interweaves personal Joel interviews with exclusive concert footage, featuring guests like Tony Bennett and Roger Daltrey. Part of the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival.

Meet Monica Velour, directed and written by Keith Bearden. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. In this quirky comedy, Tobe (Dustin Ingram, perfectly cast), an awkward teenage aficionado of 1980s soft-core, sets off in his grandfather’s (Brian Dennehy) used Weinermobile to see his sexual idol perform at the Gentlemen’s Club in Indiana. After defending her honor against ruffians who taunt the aging erotic starlet (Kim Cattrall) off the stage, he negotiates his unripe romantic impulses with the reality of her anything-but-glamorous life as a trailer-park single mother.

Monogamy, directed by Dana Adam Shapiro, written by Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan Weiner. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Exhibitionism, voyeurism, jealousy, lust. Brooklyn wedding photographer Theo’s (Chris Messina) side business taking surveillance-style photos of clients on the sly takes an unexpected turn, and creates a rift with his fiancée (Rashida Jones), when he’s hired by a provocative mystery woman. The first narrative feature from Oscar®-nominated director Dana Adam Shapiro (Murderball), Monogamy effectively fuses an absorbing mystery-thriller and a taut relationship drama.

My Trip to Al-Qaeda, directed by Alex Gibney, Documentary. (USA) World Premiere. Academy Award winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, TFF ’07) collaborates with Lawrence Wright to bring Wright's titular one-man play to the screen. With equal parts Spalding Gray and An Inconvenient Truth, My Trip to Al Qaeda chronicles fundamentalist Islam’s rise to power and explores Wright’s struggle to maintain his objectivity as a journalist writing about Islamic terror.

Nice Guy Johnny, directed and written by Edward Burns. (USA) World and TFF Virtual Premiere, Narrative. A master of the modern relationship dramedy, Edward Burns crafts a summery gem centered on baby-faced 24-year-old Johnny Rizzo, who’s about to trade his dream job in talk radio for some snoozeville gig that’ll pay enough to please his fiancée. Enter Uncle Terry (Burns), a rascally womanizer set on turning a day in the Hamptons into an eye-opening fling for his nephew. Nice guy Johnny’s not interested, of course, but then he meets Brooke.

RUSH: Beyond the Lighted Stage, directed by Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn. (Canada) World Premiere, Documentary. For fans and newcomers to the legendary Canadian band Rush, this is the music documentary to experience. Directors Scot McFadyen and Sam Dunn embark on a comprehensive exploration of this extraordinary power trio, from their early days in Toronto through each of their landmark albums to the present day. Sit back and revel in the words, music, and wonder of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Neil Peart.

sex & drugs & rock & roll, directed by Mat Whitecross, written by Paul Viragh. (UK) North American Premiere, Narrative. Mat Whitecross (codirector of The Road to Guantanamo) paints a stylized, ripsnorting portrait of mercurial British punk rock pioneer Ian Dury (flawlessly portrayed by BAFTA nominee Andy Serkis). From a troubled childhood and a battle with debilitating polio to the effects of fame on relationships and fatherhood, here are the highs and lows of a life lived sneeringly, unapologetically out loud. With Olivia Williams, Ray Winstone, and Naomie Harris. A Tribeca Film release.

The Space Between, directed and written by Travis Fine. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Lonely flight attendant Montine McLeod (Academy Award® nominee Melissa Leo) becomes responsible for a 10-year-old Pakistani-American boy traveling solo when news of the 9/11 attacks grounds their flight in Texas. After learning the boy’s father works in the World Trade Center, McLeod musters the compassion she could never afford her own family, and the two embark on a heartrending road trip to meet an uncertain future in New York City.

Tetsuo The Bullet Man, directed by Shinya Tsukamoto, written by Shinya Tsukamoto and Hisakatsu Kuroki. (Japan) North American Premiere, Narrative. More than 20 years after he used 16mm to prove himself worthy of a cult following with Tetsuo, The Iron Man, Shinya Tsukamoto is back with another frenetic, hyperbolic experience. This slick, modernized third installation of the Tetsuo series, shown here in the final director's cut for the first time, continues to challenge ideas of man and machine, and the trouble that ensues when the two become one.

Vidal Sassoon The Movie, directed by Craig Teper. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. With the geometric, Bauhaus-inspired hairstyles he pioneered in the ’60s and his "wash and wear" philosophy that liberated generations of women from the tyranny of the salon, Vidal Sassoon revolutionized the art of hairdressing. This fun, fast-paced documentary traces with visual gusto the life of a self-made man whose passion and perseverance took him from a Jewish orphanage in London to the absolute pinnacle of his craft.

Visionaries, directed by Chuck Workman. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. Oscar-winning filmmaker Chuck Workman brings alive the vibrant history of the avant-garde cinema. Through interviews with filmmakers and critics including Jonas Mekas, Kenneth Anger, Su Friedrich, and Amy Taubin, he reveals how this artistic movement highlights subjective vision, sensory experience, and dreams over plot and storyline. Workman couples these conversations with a dazzling array of diverse extracts from experimental films that illuminate for the general audience a qualitatively different kind of moviegoing experience.

Spotlight
This noteworthy combination of narratives and documentaries from seven different countries includes features from critically acclaimed filmmakers, high-profile cast members and timely subjects. A woman searches for her husband amid the alluring beauty of Egypt. A lone fisherman reels in a mermaid-like catch who ignites an unforeseen passion. A cop with sociopathic tendencies cruises the streets of Texas. A pair of unlikely kidnappers hold the fate of a girl in their hands. Documentarians get below the surface of legendary showbiz icon Joan Rivers. These stories span the wide range of human nature and exhibit the incredible power of perseverance. Audiences will have an opportunity to catch these gems before they hit theaters.

Cairo Time, directed and written by Ruba Nadda. (Canada, Ireland, Egypt) US Premiere, Narrative. In this graceful cross-cultural love story, a happily married woman (Patricia Clarkson) is separated from her husband in the overwhelming city of Cairo. While waiting for his return, she experiences the unique beauty of Egypt with his friend (Alexander Siddig). As their tender friendship blossoms, a series of small yet profound moments changes both of their worlds forever. An IFC Films release.

The Disappearance of Alice Creed, directed and written by J Blakeson. (UK) US Premiere, Narrative. Two men fortify and soundproof an abandoned apartment, kidnapping and imprisoning the daughter of a millionaire for ransom. Her kidnappers, the coldly efficient Vic and his younger accomplice Danny, have worked out a meticulous plan, but Alice is not going to play the perfect victim. This taut, emotionally intense thriller eschews genre conventions, generating tension from the sexual and psychological ties that bind captive to captors. An Anchor Bay Films release.

Get Low, directed by Aaron Schneider, written by Chris Provenzano and C. Gaby Mitchell. (USA) New York Premiere, Narrative. In 1930s Tennessee, backwoods recluse Felix Bush (Robert Duvall) is feared and shunned by the local townsfolk. Then Felix decides to plan a living funeral to lay his own legend to rest. But behind this surreal plan lies a devastating secret that must get out. Academy Award winner Aaron Schneider makes a confident feature debut with this engrossing and slyly funny folk tale of forgiveness and redemption. With Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lucas Black. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work, directed by Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg. (USA) New York Premiere, Documentary. Joan Rivers is the undisputed queen of American comedy, and at 76 years old, with a career spanning five decades, she shows no sign of slowing down. Following Rivers over the course of a year, A Piece of Work reveals the fascinating combination of vulnerability and irreverence behind the public figure in this endlessly entertaining, quintessential profile of a New York icon. An IFC Films release.

The Killer Inside Me, directed by Michael Winterbottom, written by John Curran. (USA)New York Premiere, Narrative. Casey Affleck is Lou Ford, a deputy sheriff whose continuous inner monologue reveals a savage sociopath hidden behind his accommodating Texan smile. When his escalating entanglements with a local prostitute and his prying fiancée back him into a corner, his urges will erupt in shocking violence. Michael Winterbottom’s subversive film noir is adapted from cult pulp author Jim Thompson’s novel. With Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Bill Pullman, and Elias Koteas. An IFC Films release.

Micmacs (Micmacs a tire-larigot), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Anne Wermelinger. (France) New York Premiere, Narrative. Bazil (Dany Boon, Joyeux Noël) is a gentle-natured but unlucky man with a bullet lodged in his brain. Together with a motley crew of wacky new friends, he exacts an intricate revenge plot against the giant weapons manufacturers responsible for his lowly lot in life. From the inimitable and hyper-imaginative director of Delicatessen and Amélie comes a wild and whimsical underdog story, a David and Goliath tale by way of Buster Keaton. In French with English subtitles. A Sony Pictures Classics release.

Ondine, directed and written by Neil Jordan. (Ireland, USA) US Premiere, Narrative. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) weaves a visually arresting tale of a lone fisherman (Colin Farrell) who pulls in the sweetest catch of his life - a mermaid-like beauty. But as their passion grows, their dark pasts come to light, and the real world begins to threaten their fairy tale romance. This stunning film will challenge your senses and imagination as fantasy and reality clash on the big screen. A Magnolia Pictures release.

Please Give, directed and written by Nicole Holofcener. (USA) New York Premiere, Narrative. Death, materialism, liberal guilt, adultery, midlife malaise - writer/director Nicole Holofcener (Friends with Money, Lovely & Amazing) makes such topics sing with earnest emotion and devastating humor. Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt star as well-to-do Manhattanites waiting out the death of their crotchety neighbor so they can take over her apartment. Things get messy when they try to make nice with the old lady and her granddaughters (Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall). A Sony Pictures Classics release.

Soul Kitchen, directed by Fatih Akin, written by Fatih Akin and Adam Bousdoukos. (Germany) US Premiere, Narrative. Acclaimed director Fatih Akin’s (The Edge of Heaven, Head-On) latest is a lively and delicious romp centered on hapless young restaurant owner Zinos, who’s juggling a working-class clientele alienated by his new gourmet chef, a larcenous brother, tax inspectors, health officers, and real estate sharks, but his biggest concern, aside from pleasing palates, is mending the broken heart he was left with when his girlfriend moved to Shanghai. An IFC Films release.

Showcase
A snapshot of global cinema already making impressions on international audiences and representing a diverse range of compelling stories and filmmaking styles comprise the Showcase section. These seven films, all from different countries, and featuring a rich mix of established and first-time directors, portray personal storiesâ - from a man seeking revenge after his brother's murder to the consequences of unexpected love in a fresh French romantic comedy to the mutual bond shared by two grandmothers coping with the loss of their grandsons. Audiences will be introduced to a Port-au-Prince inspired by a 19th-century king, an underground community of Europe in 2024, and a semi-autobiographical portrait of South Korea in the 1970s.

Blood and Rain (La sangre y la lluvia), directed by Jorge Navas, written by Carlos Henao, Alize Le Maoult, and Jorge Navas. (Colombia, Argentina) New York Premiere. In Jorge Navas' beautifully composed neo-noir, taxi driver Jorge begins his night shift bent on revenge after his brother's murder at the hands of a violent gang. But when an accident brings him unexpectedly closer to his party-girl fare Angela, the damaged pair must struggle against forces already set in motion, drawing them inexorably into the rain-soaked underworld of Bogota¡. In Spanish with English subtitles.

A Brand New Life (Yeo-haeng-ja), directed and written by Ounie Lecomte. (South Korea, France) New York Premiere. When her father offers to take her on a trip, nine-year-old Jin-hee happily sings him a love song, the bittersweet notes inaudible to her own ear, until she realizes he has abandoned her at a Catholic orphanage. Celebrated from the Cannes to Berlin film festivals, Ounie Lecomte's directorial debut, a semi-autobiographical portrait of 1970s South Korea, masterfully captures the emotional journey of loss, friendship, and starting anew. In Korean with English subtitles.

Heartbreaker (L'arnacoeur), directed by Pascal Chaumeil, written by Laurent Zeitoun, Jeremy Doner, and Yoann Gromb. (France) New York Premiere. Alex (Romain Duris) and his sister (Julie Ferrier) break up couples for a living. They have a 100 percent success rate and only two rules: Never split a healthy couple, and never fall in love. But with a week to break up beautiful Juliette (Vanessa Paradis) and her seemingly perfect boyfriend, the rules start to bend, and soon the heartbreakers risk having their own hearts broken. This charming and glamorous romantic comedy veers from laughs to tears to tears of laughter. In French with English subtitles.

Lola, directed by Brillante Mendoza, written by Linda Casimiro. (Philippines, France) New York Premiere. Two elderly matriarchs bear the consequences of a crime involving their grandsons: one is murdered, the other is the suspect. Frail, poor, but resolute, they individually traipse around to the prisons, funeral homes, and courtrooms of a stormy Manila in hopes of raising the funds necessary for the victim's burial, and the suspect's bail bond. Brillante Mendoza, named best director at Cannes for Kinatay (2009), is one of the strongest cinematic voices from the Philippines. In Filipino, Tagalog with English subtitles.

Metropia, directed by Tarik Saleh, written by Fredrik Edin, Stig Larsson, and Tarik Saleh. (Sweden, Denmark, Norway) New York Premiere. In the year 2024, all of Europe is united by a vast web of underground railways, populated by an army of downtrodden worker bees. When one such cog starts hearing voices and encounters a femme fatale shampoo model who seems to hold some answers, he finds himself unearthing a vast Orwellian conspiracy in this visually arresting animated noir. With the voices of Vincent Gallo, Juliette Lewis, Udo Kier, Stellan Skarsgard, and Alexander Skarsgard. A Tribeca Film release.

Moloch Tropical, directed by Raoul Peck, written by Jean-Rene Lemoine, Raoul Peck. (Haiti, France) New York Premiere. Haitian auteur Raoul Peck meticulously drapes the poetic across the political in his reflection on the universal malady of absolute power corrupting absolutely. Inspired by the last days of 19th-century Haitian king Henri Christophe, but set in the 21st century in the palace of Port-au-Prince, Moloch Tropical unnervingly resonates in the contemporary moment across different leaders and nations from Saddam Hussein to Bill Clinton. In English, French, Creole with English subtitles.

Road, Movie, directed and written by Dev Benegal. (USA, India) US Premiere. Loath to take over the family hair-oil business, young Vishnu jumps at the chance to drive his uncles beat-'up Chevy truck across India to its new owner. The young runaway, wandering old entertainer, and beautiful woman he picks up along the way make for a magical journey that will change Vishnu's life. With the sumptuous landscape of India as his canvas, director Dev Benegal paints a delightfully original road movie. In English, Hindi with English subtitles. A Tribeca Film release.

Special Events
The Festival presents three Special Events, including a restored print of David Lean’s Russian Revolution epic on its 45th anniversary and two work-in-progress screenings that provide a first look at exciting new films - one a revealing documentary on former Governor Eliot Spitzer, and the other a first-person account of a Marine veteran’s return to Iraq.

Doctor Zhivago, directed by David Lean, written by Robert Bolt. (USA, UK, 1965). David Lean’s romantic Russian Revolution epic, adapted from Boris Pasternak’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, captured five Academy Awards (including Best Adapted Screenplay) and five additional nominations after its 1965 release. In honor of its 45th anniversary, we welcome a magnificent state-of-the-art restoration of Doctor Zhivago, shown theatrically for the first time at Tribeca and available from Warner Home Video on Blu-ray disc May 4. Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness and Tom Courtenay star. In English, Russian with English subtitles.

Untitled Eliot Spitzer Film, directed by Alex Gibney. (USA) Work in Progress screening. Academy Award® winner Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, TFF ’07) takes an in-depth look at New York governor and ‘Sheriff of Wall Street’ Eliot Spitzer, who many believed was on his way to becoming president. Then, shockingly, Spitzer's meteoric rise turned into a precipitous fall when he was caught seeing prostitutes. And as the Sheriff fell, so did the financial markets. With unique access to friends and enemies of the ex-governor, this documentary explores the hidden contours of this tale of hubris, sex, and power.

The Western Front, directed and written by Zachary Iscol. (USA) Work in Progress screening. In 2004, writer/director Zachary Iscol fought as a US Marine in Al Anbar, Iraq’s most violent province. Five years later, Anbar has been transformed into one of the safest, but not because the insurgency was defeated. When Zach returns, he begins to confront the awful dilemmas he faced fighting an enemy that hid among civilians. Profoundly honest, this documentary explores these dilemmas from all sides to reveal a simple but surprising truth about the nature of war and peace.