Thirty-one independent feature films are set to screen as part of the November 2004 American Film Market’s Premiere Screenings program. Presenting a wide-array of films, most of which are making their world or U.S. debut, the Premiere Screenings section of the AFM offers free badges to all individuals working in the entertainment industry, as well as Santa Monica residents, giving them the opportunity to see upcoming films in an industry-only environment.
The AFM Premiere Screenings run from November 3 – 9 at the AMC Santa Monica, 1310 3rd Street Promenade. Industry executives and Santa Monica residents wanting to take advantage of this unique opportunity must register online for a badge, which will grant them access to all 31 films, as well as the AFM shuttle busses. Registrants can pick their badges up beginning Monday, November 1 on-site at the AFM at the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, 1700 Ocean Ave.
Screenings are as follows:
Admissions
Drama; Dir: Melissa Painter; Cast: Lauren Ambrose, Amy Madigan, Christopher Lloyd, Fran Kranz (90 min.); Dist: Curb Entertainment International Corp.
A charming 17-year-old girl lies about her savant sister’s poetry writing setting off a chain of events that ends in the revelation of a long buried family secret.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 3:00 & Monday 11/8 3:00
Dead & Breakfast
Horror Comedy; Dir: Matthew Leutwyler; Cast: Ever Carradine, Bianca Lawson, David Carradine, Jeremy Sisto (84 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
Six friends stop at a Bed & Breakfast for the night. When the Inn’s owner and chef die, the gang finds themselves under suspicion by the local sheriff. That’s only the beginning, the town becomes possessed and pins down the friends at the D & B.
Screening: Sunday 11/7 11:00 & Tuesday 11/9 1:00
Deck Dogz
Drama; Dir: Steve Poscelsky; Cast: Sean Kennedy, Richard Wilson, Ho Thik, Tony Hawk (84 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
With cops, school and parents hot on their tail, three suburban skate punks hit the road to compete in a prestigious competition and prove their dream of going pro.
Screening: Saturday 11/6 11:00 & Tuesday 11/9 11:00
Familia Rodante
Drama; Dir: Pablo Trapero; Cast: Graciana Chironi, Liliana Capuro, Ruth Dobel, Federico Equerro (103 min.); Dist: Lumina Films
13 members of a family are crammed into a 20 year old camper and forced by Grandma to travel a thousand kilometres in Argentina to attend a family wedding. Excruciating & hilarious in its raw depiction of family politics and the ensuing sexual tension.
Screening: Friday 11/5 1:00 & Saturday 11/6 9:00
Fighting Tommy Riley
Action/Adventure; Dir: Eddie O’Flaherty; Cast: J.P. Davis, Eddie Jones, Christina Chambers, Diane M. Tayler (109 min.); Dist: Curb Entertainment International Corp.
A young fighter and an ailing trainer team up to overcome th demons of their past and chase the dreams of their future.
Screening: Saturday 11/6 11:00
Funny Valentine
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Jeff Openheim; Cast: Anthony Michael Hall, Marlo Marron, Ivan Martin, Lord Jamar (92 min.); Dist: Interactive Film Sales International
A street performer who has trouble meeting women while his friends have no trouble at all discovers his confidence when he asks out the waitress at their local hangout and shows his friends that love is more than a good pick-up line.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 9:00 & Monday 11/8 1:00
Hillside Strangler (The)
Thriller; Dir: Chuck Parello; Cast: C. Thomas Howell, Nicholas Turturro, Allison Lange, Lin Shaye (90 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
Dramatizing one of America’s most gruesome serial killer cases. Two aspiring pimps embark on a killing spree that grips Southern California in a reign of terror for two years.
Screening: Friday 11/5 9:00
Huadu Chronicles: Blade of the Rose (The)
Action/Adventure; Dir: Corm Yuen, Patricia Leung; Cast: Donnie Yen, Charlene Choi, Jaycee Chan, Jackie Cha (107 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
A beautiful young maiden is forced by the emperor to become his concubine although she is in love with another man. As a result she learns to hate all men and usurps the emperor by setting up a new circle where women rule and men serve.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 1:00 & Monday 11/8 1:00
Human Error
Comedy; Dir: Robert M. Young; Cast: Xander Berkeley, Tom Bower, Robert Knott, Sarah Clarke (95 min.); Dist: IndustryWorks Distribution Inc.
In a fantastic world of cutting-edge computer generated images, this contemporary comedy directed by award-winning Robert M. Young follows three middle-management drones as they each attempt to climb the corporate ladder in a strange third-world factory.
Screening: Friday 11/5 1:00 & Tuesday 11/9 9:00
Hunting of the President (The)
Documentary; Dir: Nickolas Perry, Harry Thomason; Cast: Morgan Freeman, Susan McDougal, Paul Begala, David Brock (89 min.); Dist: Regent Entertainment
Using previously unreleased materials; interviews and shocking revelations from both sides of the beltway, this probing work focuses on the smear campaign against Clinton from his gubernatorial days in Arkansas leading up to his impeachment trial.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 11:00 & Saturday 11/6 9:00
Hypnotized
Drama; Dir: Kim In-shik; Cast: Kim Hye-soo, Kim Tae-Woo (110 min.); Dist: CJ Entertainment
A fatal love story between a psychiatrist and a schizophrenic which ends up with tragic consequences.
Screening: Friday 11/5 3:00
Imelda
Documentary; Dir: Ramona S. Diaz; Cast: Imelda R. Marcos (103 min.); Dist: Unitel Pictures International This award-winning documentary explores the complex persona of former Philippine first lady, Imelda R. Marcos, from her rise to power to her fall from grace.
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 1:00
Indian Cowboy
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Nikhil Kamkolkar; Cast: Sheetal Sheth, Carla Borelli, Deep Katdare, Sundra Oakley (86 min.); Dist: Passion River
An English language romantic comedy, “Indian Cowboy” follows Nick on his quest to find “love-love” as it’s depicted in the soft-focus, happy endings of romantic South Asian Bollywood movies.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 1:00
Intoxicating
Psycho-Drama; Dir: Mark David; Cast: Kirk Harris, Eric Roberts, John Savage, Camila Overbye Roos (108 min.); Dist: American World Pictures
Dorian is a young talented surgeon with an insatiable taste for sex, booze and drugs. Since he could heal others but not his dying father, he must confront his choices and decide between intoxication, responsibility and love.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 9:00
Lady Luck & The Player
Romance; Dir: Drew Johnson; Cast: Drew Johnson, Corinna Harvey-Jones, Donald Turner, Wilfred Brimley (105 min.); Dist: Zenpix, Inc.
Childhood friends Danny and Melissa are apart, but forever connected, as he chases his dreams to become a pro athelete, and she becomes a playboy playmate.
Screening: Sunday 11/7 11:00
Moment to Remember (A)
Romance; Dir: John H. Lee; Cast: Jung Woo-sung, Sohn Ye-jin (110 min.); Dist: CJ Entertainment
A drama in which love blossoms between a poor carpenter whose only goal in life is to become an architect and a career woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Screening: Friday 11/5 11:00
Mr. Gam’s Victory
Drama; Dir: Kim Jong-hyun; Cast: Lee Brom-Soo, Yoon Jin-seo, Gong Yoo (110 min.); Dist: CJ Entertainment
A touching drama of a pitcher, Gam Sa-yong, who lived through the 80’s, the golden days of Korean baseball.
Screening: Sunday 11/7 9:00
My Brother
Dist: CJ Entertainment
Jong-hyun has a handicapped brother, and he grows up feeling ashamed to have a handicapped brother in his family. As time goes by, he learns to see his brother’s innocent, pure soul and begins to love him.
Screening: Friday 11/5 9:00 & Tuesday 11/9 9:00
My First Wedding
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Laurent Firode; Cast: Rachael Leigh Cook, Kenny Doughty, Paul Hopkins (90 min.); Dist: American World Pictures
Vanessa confesses to a priest the night before her wedding that she is not ready to wed. Unfortunately the young priest is an imposter and falls in love with her.
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 1:00
Off the Lip
Comedy; Dir: Robert Mickelson; Cast: Marguerite Moreau, Mackenzie Astin, Adam Scott, Mark Fite (89 min.); Dist: Zenpix, Inc.
A young journalist dodges her boyfriend, her boss and the FBI while chasing the elusive big wave surfer, ‘The Monk’ across Hawaii in her attempts to get an interview.
Screening: Thursday 11/4 11:00
Out of Season
Thriller; Dir: Jevon O’Neill; Cast: Dennis Hopper, Gina Gershon (91 min.); Dist: Bauer Martinez Studios
The run-down seaside town is closing for winter.Pierre Walker is leaving. He meets Kelly, who schemes to prevent him from doing so. He becomes involved in a world of burglary, murder plots and small town secrets until it all collides before he can leave.
Screening: Monday 11/8 3:00
Picture of Dorian Gray (The)
Fantasy; Dir: David Rosenbaum; Cast: Josh Duhamel (91 min.); Dist: American World Pictures
Based on Oscar Wilde’s novel, handsome, young, but morally corrupt Dorian Gray has a portrait made of himself. As the years pass, he does not age, but the evidence of his sins shows in the portrait which grows more grotesque with each vile act.
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 11:00 & Monday 11/8 9:00
Queen of Sheba’s Pearls (The)
Drama; Dir: Colin Nutley; Cast: Helena Bergstrom, Peter Vaughn, Eileen Atkins, Elizabeth Spriggs (132 min.); Dist: Svensk Filmindustri, AB
In 1944 Jack Carter celebrated his 8th birthday and lost his mother. The same day in 1952, Jack turned 16, the King died and a stranger attended his party-that stranger would turn his world upside down and raise the question “is there life after death?”
Screening: Thursday 11/4 3:00
Rice Rhapsody
Comedy; Dir: Kenneth Bi; Cast: Lylvia Chang, Martin Yin, Melanie Laurent, Maggie Q (110 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
A single mother worries that her child might be gay like her two older brothers…
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 9:00 & Sunday 11/7 9:00
S Diary
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Kwon Jong-kwan; Cast: Kim Sun-ah, Kim Soo-ro, Lee Hyun-woo, Kong Yoo (110 min.); Dist: CJ Entertainment
Jini writes a diary recalling her past boyfriends. That S Diary contains all her secret love stories about sex, and love affairs.
Screening: Monday 11/8 9:00
Shut Up and Kiss Me
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Gary Brockette; Cast: Brad Rowe, Krista Allen, Christopher Barnes, Kristin Richardson (90 min.); Dist: American World Pictures
Two best friends each meet the woman of his dreams on the same day. Unfortunately, one passes out before he can get her number and the other finds out her uncle is an over-protective mob boss. This comedy asks how far will you go for true love?
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 11:00
Straight Into Darkness
Action/Drama; Dir: Jeff Burr; Cast: Ryan Francis, Scott MacDonald, Linda Thorson, James LeGros (95 min.); Dist: Dream Entertainment
Two American soldiers desert, flinging themselves into unknown geographical and emotional territory in rural WWII France. A hard-hitting drama about survival and the fleeting beauty and innocence of life.
Screening: Friday 11/5 11:00 & Monday 11/8 11:00
Straight-Jacket
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Richard Day; Cast: Matt Letscher, Carrie Preston, Adam Greer, Veronica Cartwright (96 min.); Dist: Regent Entertainment
In 1950’s Hollywood, movie star, Guy Stone, must marry a studio secretary in order to conceal his homosexuality. She has no idea her marriage is a sham, though and turns Guy’s life upside-down.
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 3:00
Strange Bedfellows
Comedy; Dir: Dean Murphy; Cast: Paul Hogan, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Catler (100 min.); Dist: Arclight Films
Hilarious and heartwarming story of two very straight country blokes who, out of financial desperation declare themselves a gay couple to exploit a new tax legislation.
Screening: Friday 11/5 3:00
Whistle (The)
Drama; Dir: Alongkot Auephaibul; Cast: Jessadaporn Pholdee, Natthaweeranuch Thongmee (100 min.); Dist: Worldwide Film Entertainment
At the blow of a toy whistle, a young woman is rescued time and again by a childhood friend only to discover that the young man lies comatose in a hospital bed.
Screening: Monday 11/8 11:00
Window Theory
Romantic Comedy; Dir: Andrew Putschoegl; Cast: Corey Large, Jennifer O’Dell (95 min.); Dist: American World Pictures
An aimless playboy returns to his hometown for his best friend’s wedding, only to find that the bride is his high school sweetheart.
Screening: Wednesday 11/3 3:00
Fore more info, visit the AFM website.
