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December 2005
Sundance Lineup

SUNDANCE 2006 LINEUP
November 29, 2005

Source: Indiewire

Sundance Unveils Competition Lineups for '06 Fest; 84 World Premieres To Screen At Upcoming Event

Sixty-four feature films will screen in competition at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, in four sections, festival organizers have announced. The competition is the heart of the United States' leading film festival, which this year will screen 120 features from January 19 - 29, 2006. Organizers selected the highly anticipated roster from a total of 3,148 feature film submissions this year (with more than 1,700 from the U.S. and more than 1,300 from outside the country). Forty-eight of this year's 120 films are from first-time feature filmmakers.

New this year is an out-of-competition section dubbed simply, Spectrum. It replaces the former American Spectrum and Special Screenings sections and will include international dramatic and documentary films. Also new this year, Sundance will present a closing night film on Friday, January 27, 2006, the final Premiere section title of the event. Launched last year, this year's International Competition will include a full program of 16 titles in both dramatic and documentary categories.

A total of 84 features will have a world premiere at the event. All but 3 feature films this year will be having a World, North American, or U.S. premiere at Sundance '06. The fest will again be anchored in Park City, UT, with additional screenings in Salt Lake City, and other Utah cities.

In other news, a new award has been added to the annual awards night, recognizing excellence in Documentary Film Editing. It will go to a film in the Independent Feature Film Competition: Documentary section.

Premieres

"A Little Trip to Heaven," (directed and written by Baltasar Kormakur (Iceland/U.S.A.) A husband and wife tangle with an investigator over her dead brother's million-dollar insurance policy. [U.S. Premiere] CAST: Forest Whitaker, Julia Stiles, Jeremy Renner, Peter Coyote

"Alpha Dog," directed and written by Nick Cassavetes (U.S.A) A drama inspired by true events and the life of Jesse James Hollywood, a suburban drug dealer who became one of the youngest men ever to be placed on the FBI's Most Wanted List. [World Premiere.] CAST: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Ben Foster, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone

"Art School Confidential," directed by Terry Zwigoff and written by Daniel Clowes (U.S.A.) Believing that art school will bring him success and the girl of his dreams, an untalented young man becomes embroiled in a murder that makes him a celebrity. [World Premiere] CAST: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, Matt Keesler, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Anjelica Huston

"Cargo," directed by Clive Gordon and written by Paul Laverty (Spain/UK) After becoming mixed up in some trouble while traveling through Africa, a young backpacker stows away on a Europe-bound cargo ship filled with mysteries. [World Premiere] CAST: Peter Mullan, Daniel Bruhl, Luis Tosar

"The Darwin Awards," directed and written by Finn Taylor (U.S.A.) A forensic detective and an insurance claims officer investigate a potential winner of a Darwin Award which honors "those who accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways." [World Premiere] CAST: Joseph Fiennes, Winona Ryder, David Arquette, Tim Blake Nelson, Juliette Lewis, Julianna Margulies, Chris Penn, Nora Dunn, Lukas Haas, Ty Burrell

"Don't Come Knocking," (directed by Wim Wenders and written by Sam Shephard (Germany/U.S.A) A washed-up and disillusioned Western movie star returns home, where he reluctantly encounters elements of his past and an entire life that he had missed. [North American Premiere] CAST: Sam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, Gabriel Mann, Sarah Polley, Fairuza Balk, Eva Marie Saint

"Friends With Money" directed and written by Nicole Holofcener (U.S.A.) A drama about three married women, their husbands, and their lone single friend. [World Premiere] CAST: Jennifer Aniston, Scott Caan, Joan Cusack, Catherine Keener, Frances McDormand

"Kinky Boot," directed by Julian Jarrold and written by Geoff Dean and Tim Firth (U.K.) In an effort to save his father's small town shoe factory, a man finds an unlikely ally in Lola, a brassy cabaret singer. [North American Premiere] CAST: Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sarah-Jones Potts, Jemima Rooper, Nick Frost, Linda Bassett

"Little Miss Sunshine," directed by Johnathan Dayton and Valerie Faris and written by Michael Arndt (U.S.A.) A family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a cross- country trip in their VW bus. [World Premiere] CAST: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin, Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano

"Lucky Number Slevin," directed by Paul McGuigan and written by Jason Smilovic (U.S.A.) A case of mistaken identity lands a man in the middle of a murder being plotted by one of New York City's biggest crime bosses. [World Premiere] CAST: Bruce Willis, Josh Hartnett, Sir Ben Kingsley, Morgan Freeman, Lucy Liu

"Neil Young Heart of Gold," directed by Jonathan Demme (U.S.A.) An emotionally rich musical portrait of icon Neil Young, shot over a two- night performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. [World Premiere]

"The Illusionist," directed and written by Neil Burger (U.S.A.) In turn-of-the-century Vienna, a magician uses his abilities to secure the love of a woman far above his social standing. [World Premiere] CAST: Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti, Rufus Sewell

"The Night Listener," directed by Patrick Stettner and written by Armistead Maupin and Terry Anderson (U.S.A.) In the midst of his crumbling relationship, a radio show host begins speaking to his biggest fan, a young boy, via the telephone. But when questions about the boy's identity arise, the host's life is thrown into chaos. [World Premiere] CAST: Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Bobby Cannavale, Joe Morton, Rory Culkin, Sandra Oh

"The Science of Sleep," directed and written by Michel Gondry (France) A man held captive by the people in his dreams tries to wake himself up and take control of his own imaginings. [World Premiere] CAST: Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alain Chabat, Miou-Miou, Emma de Caunes, Aurelia Petit, Sacha Bourdo, Pierre Vaneck

"The Secret Life Of Words," directed and written by Isabel Coixet (Spain) A nurse forgoes her first holiday in years, opting to travel to a remote oil rig, where she cares for a man suffering from severe burns. [North American Premiere]

"Thank You For Smoking," directed and written by Jason Reitman (U.S.A.) Satirical comedy follows the machinations of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, who manages "spin on behalf of cigarettes while trying to remain a role model for his twelve-year-old son. [U.S. Premiere] CAST: Maria Bello, Aaron Eckhart, Sam Elliot, Katie Holmes, William H. Macy

"This Film Is Not Yet Rated," (directed by Kirby Dick) (U.S.A.) A breakthrough investigation into Hollywood's best-kept secret: the MPAA film ratings system and its profound impact on American culture. [World Premiere]

Independent Feature Film Competition: Documentary

Tim and Marietha Woods in a scene from "A Lion In The House."
Photo provided by the filmmakers.

"A Lion In The House," directed by Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert Five diverse families -- each with a child fighting cancer -- navigate the ups and downs of treatment over six years, while maintaining hope in this complex portrait of human resilience. [World Premiere]

"American Blackout," directed by Ian Inaba A stylish hard hitting documentary that recounts the fascinating career of Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) and the suppression of the black vote historically and during the recent Presidential elections in Florida and Ohio. [World Premiere]

"An Unreasonable Man," directed by Henriette Mantel and Stephen Skrovan Using rarely seen archival footage and over forty recently conducted on-camera interviews, this documentary traces the career of Ralph Nader from quixotic consumer advocate to upstart presidential candidate to public pariah. [World Premiere]

"Crossing Arizona," directed by Joseph Mathew A balanced, far-reaching look at a range of human stories unfolding in the midst of Arizona's illegal immigration crisis. [World Premiere]

"God Grew Tired Of Us," directed by Christopher Quinn Four boys from Sudan embark on a journey to America after years of wandering Sub-Saharan Africa in search of safety. [World Premiere]

"The Ground Truth: After The Killing Ends," directed by Patricia Foulkrod Reveals how the military trains our soldiers for war, the reality of combat in Iraw and the effects of this war on our soldiers coming home. [World Premiere]

"Iraq In Fragments," directed by James Longley Contemporary Iraq is illuminated in three chapters that follow the diverse stories of Iraqis against a backdrop of war, occupation and ethnic tension. [World Premiere]

"Small Town Gay Bar," directed by Malcolm Ingram A voyage to the deep South to tell a tale of the struggle for community and expression in the face of ignorance, hypocrisy and oppression. [World Premiere]

"So Much So Fast," directed by Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan A black-humored cliffhanger of romance, guerrilla science and the redefinition of time. When Stephen Heywood finds out he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), his brother Jamie becomes obsesses with finding a cure and the woman who's falling in love with Stephen has a decision to make. [World Premiere]

"Thin," directed by Lauren Greenfield With unprecented access and an unflinching eye, "Thin" documents 4 women struggling with anorexia and bulimia at a residential facility for the treatment of eating disorders in South Florida. [World Premiere]

"'Tis Autumn -- The Search for Jackie Paris," directed by Raymond De Felitta Explores the legendary jazz vocalist Jackie Paris' meteoric rise, enigmatic career and mysterious life while probing the question of how much we need to know of an artist's personal story to appreciate their art. [World Premiere]

"The Trials of Darryl Hunt," directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg The wrongful conviction of a black man for a white woman's rape and murder offers a provocative, haunting examination of a fear-based racially-biased community and criminal justice system. [World Premiere]

"TV Junkie," directed by Michael Cain From the time he was born Rick knew he had a special purpose. If he could only record it he might be able to figure out what it is. 46 years, 5000 hours of video and over 3000 photos later he may have figured it out. [World Premiere]

"Wide Awake," directed by Alan Berliner A first-person account of filmmaker Alan Berliner's struggle with sleeplessness, as both a blessing and a curse. Portrait of an artist as an insomniac. [World Premiere]

"Wordplay," directed by Patrick Creadon An in-depth look at 'The New York Times' crossword puzzle and its editor Will Shortz, and the wonderfully unique and loyal fan base he has built and nurtured during his 12-year tenure at the paper. [World Premiere]

"The World According to Sesame Street," directed by Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins Costigan A behind-the-scenes look at the unexpected dynamics of adapting the most-watched children's television show for audiences in some of the world's political hotspots and incorporating locally relevant themes. [World Premiere]

Independent Feature Film Competition: Dramatic

"A Lion In The House," directed by Steven Bognar & Julia Reichert
Five diverse families -- each with a child fighting cancer -- navigate the ups and downs of treatment over six years, while maintaining hope in this complex portrait of human resilience. [World Premiere]

"American Blackout," directed by Ian Inaba
A stylish hard hitting documentary that recounts the fascinating career of Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) and the suppression of the black vote historically and during the recent Presidential elections in Florida and Ohio. [World Premiere]

"An Unreasonable Man," directed by Henriette Mantel and  Stephen Skrovan
Using rarely seen archival footage and over forty recently conducted on-camera interviews, this documentary traces the career of Ralph Nader from quixotic consumer advocate to upstart presidential candidate to public pariah. [World Premiere]

"Crossing Arizona," directed by Joseph Mathew
A balanced, far-reaching look at a range of human stories unfolding in the midst of Arizona's illegal immigration crisis. [World Premiere]

"God Grew Tired Of Us," directed by Christopher Quinn
Four boys from Sudan embark on a journey to America after years of wandering Sub-Saharan Africa in search of safety. [World Premiere]

"The Ground Truth: After The Killing Ends," directed by Patricia Foulkrod

Reveals how the military trains our soldiers for war, the reality of combat in Iraw and the effects of this war on our soldiers coming home. [World Premiere]

"Iraq In Fragments," directed by James Longley

Contemporary Iraq is illuminated in three chapters that follow the diverse stories of Iraqis against a backdrop of war, occupation and ethnic tension. [World Premiere]

"Small Town Gay Bar," directed by Malcolm Ingram
A voyage to the deep South to tell a tale of the struggle for community and expression in the face of ignorance, hypocrisy and oppression. [World Premiere]

"So Much So Fast," directed by Steven Ascher and Jeanne Jordan
A black-humored cliffhanger of romance, guerrilla science and the redefinition of time. When Stephen Heywood finds out he has ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), his brother Jamie becomes obsesses with finding a cure and the woman who's falling in love with Stephen has a decision to make. [World Premiere]

"Thin," directed by Lauren Greenfield
With unprecented access and an unflinching eye, "Thin" documents 4 women struggling with anorexia and bulimia at a residential facility for the treatment of eating disorders in South Florida. [World Premiere]

"'Tis Autumn -- The Search for Jackie Paris," directed by Raymond De Felitta

Explores the legendary jazz vocalist Jackie Paris' meteoric rise, enigmatic career and mysterious life while probing the question of how much we need to know of an artist's personal story to appreciate their art. [World Premiere]

"The Trials of Darryl Hunt," directed by Ricki Stern and  Annie Sundberg
The wrongful conviction of a black man for a white woman's rape and murder offers a provocative, haunting examination of a fear-based racially-biased community and criminal justice system. [World Premiere]

"TV Junkie," directed by Michael Cain

From the time he was born Rick knew he had a special purpose. If he could only record it he might be able to figure out what it is. 46 years, 5000 hours of video and over 3000 photos later he may have figured it out. [World Premiere]

"Wide Awake," directed by Alan Berliner

A first-person account of filmmaker Alan Berliner's struggle with sleeplessness, as both a blessing and a curse. Portrait of an artist as an insomniac. [World Premiere]

"Wordplay," directed by Patrick Creadon An in-depth look at 'The New York Times' crossword puzzle and its editor Will Shortz, and the wonderfully unique and loyal fan base he has built and nurtured during his 12-year tenure at the paper. [World Premiere]

"The World According to Sesame Street," directed by Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins Costigan

A behind-the-scenes look at the unexpected dynamics of adapting the most-watched children's television show for audiences in some of the world's political hotspots and incorporating locally relevant themes. [World Premiere]


Independent Feature Film Competition: Dramatic

"A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," directed and written by Dito Montiel
A writer recounts his teenage experiences in tough 1980s Astoria, New York -- where all his friends ended up dead, as junkies, or in prison -- exploring how he managed to emerge unscathed. [World Premiere]
CAST: Robert Downey, Jr., Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri, Diane Wiest, Shia La Boeuf, Channing Tatum, Eric Roberts

"Come Early Morning," directed and written by Joey Lauren Adams

The story of a southern woman trying to escape her addictions and self-destructive behavior to find true love. [World Premiere]
CAST: Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Donovan, Tim Blake Nelson, Diane Ladd, Stacey Keach

"Flannel Pajamas," directed and written by Jeff Lipsky
A magical evening in a local diner sparks an intense courtship and an emotionally mercurial marriage that challenges two New Yorkers to the core. [World Premiere]
CAST: Julianne Nicholson, Justin Kirk, Rebecca Schull, Tom Bower, Jamie Harrold, Michele Federer, Jamie Harris, Chelsea Altman, George Riddle, Lauren Bittner, Stephanie March, Kirby Mitchell, Stephanie Roth Haberle

"Forgiven," directed and written by Paul Fitzgerald On the eve of his campaign launch for a seat in the U.S. Senate, a small town District Attorney receives word that the governor has exonerated a death row inmate whom he'd prosecuted five years earlier. [World Premiere]
CAST: Paul Fitzgerald, Susan Floyd, Russell Hornsby, Kate Jennings Grant


Shareeka Epps and Ryan Gosling in the Sundance competition entry,
"Half Nelson". Photo by Adam Bell

"Half Nelson," directed by Ryan Fleck; written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
An inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after she discovers his secret. [World Premiere]
CAST: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie, Tina Holmes, Jay O. Sanders, Denis O'Hare, Deborah Rush

"Hawk Is Dying," directed by Julian Goldberger; written by  Harry Crews (novel) and Julian Goldberger
A Gainesville, Florida auto upolsterer attempts to subvert his mundane life by training a wild, red-tailed hawk. [World Premiere]
CAST: Michael Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Michelle Williams

"In Between Days," directed by So Yung Kim; written by So Yong Kim and Bradley Rust
When a recent Korean immigrant falls in love with her best and only friend, their misunderstood affection for each other creates a delicate relationship that is challenged by the demands of living in a new country. [World Premiere]
CAST: Jiseoa Kim, Taegu Andy Kang, Bok-ja Kin, Gina Kim, Mike Park

"Puccini For Beginners," directed and written by Maria Maggenti
On the rebound from her latest lesbian relationship, a New York writer finds herself in two surprising complicated love affairs in this only-in-New-York screwball comedy. [World Premiere]
CAST: Justin Kirk, Gretchen Mol, Elizabeth Reaser

"Quinceanera," directed and written by Richard GlatzerWash Westmoreland Disaffected Latino teenagers come of age in a gentrifying community in the Echo Park district of Los Angeles. [World Premiere]

"Right At Your Door," directed and written by Chris Gorak
Multiple dirty bombs are detonated and spread deadly toxic ash and mass panic throughout Los Angeles. With limited information, time and supplies, and in the midst of city-wide chaos, a married couple struggles to survive. [World Premiere]
CAST: Mary McCormack, Rory Cochrane

"Sherrybaby," directed and written by Laurie Collyer
After serving a three-year prison sentence, a young woman quickly discovers that coming back to the world she left behind is far more difficult than she had planned.
CAST: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Brad Henke, Bridget Barkan, Ryan Simpkins, Giancarlo Esposito, Danny Trejo, Sam Bottoms, Rio Hackford

"Somebodies," directed and written by Hadjii
Surrounded by eccentric relatives, prankster classmates, and more-or-less rehabilitated ex-cons, a Black college student stumbles along the path to responsible adulthood.
CAST: Hadjii, Kaira Whitehead, Pat Brown, Tyler Craig, Carlos Davis, Nard Houston, Nick Lewis, Iron E Singleton

"Stay," directed and written by Bob Goldthwait
A youthful, impulsive sexual encounter opens the door to a dark comedy about the complexities of honesty. [World Premiere]
CAST: Melinda Paige Hamilton, Bryce Johnson, Geoff Pierson, Bonita Friedericy, Jack Plotnick, Brian Posehn

"Steel City," directed and written by Brian Jun
In a small Midwest town, two irresponsible brothers must come to terms with the lives they live after their father is incarcerated for killing a woman. [World Premiere]

"Stephanie Daley," directed and written by Hilary Brougher
A forensic psychologist, seven months pregnant, is hired to learn the truth behind a teenager's denial of accusations that she concealed her pregnancy and committed infanticide.
CAST: Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn, Timothy Hutton, Denis O'Hare, Melissa Leo, Jim Gaffigan, Kel O'Neill, Neal Huff

"Wristcutters -- A Love Story," directed by Goran Dukic; written by Goran Dukic and Etgar Kerrett
An Offbeat Comedy, A Love Story, A Road Movie - But Everybody's Dead! [World Premiere]
CAST: Patrick Fugit, Shannon Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Tom Waits, John Hawkes, Will Arnett, Leslie Bibb, Mikal P. Lazarev, Mark Boone Jr., Jake Busey, Abraham Benrubi, Mary Pat Gleason, Julie Carmen, Clayne Crawford, Azura Skye


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