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Caribe
Costa Rica, 2005, 91 min.
This debut feature depicts environmental strife in the paradise-like Caribbean tropical coast of Costa Rica through the story of an altruistic ecologist who compromises his ideals.... more
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Citizen Dog
Thailand, 2005, 101 min.
Funny and original, this boasts the same eye-poppingly garish color scheme as the director's Tears of the Black Tiger. With musical numbers, talking teddy bears, zombie motorcycle riders and severed fingers, it's a surreal, absurdist fantasy/fable about a country boy's adventures in Bangkok. ... more
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The City of the Sun
Slovak Republic, 2005, 96 min.
Working stiffs the world over will understand and commiserate with this portrayal of four friends and their get-rich-quick schemes in the Czech city of Ostrava. Like The Full Monty, it's a warmly honest story about down-on-their-luck buddies simply trying to get by. Best Film, Pilsen Film Fes... more
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Cold Showers
France, 2005, 103 min.
Working class teen Mickael's two big passions are judo and his curvy girlfriend Vanessa with whom he enjoys an athletic sex life. But when the couple meet judo team newcomer Clément a ménage a trois develops. An erotic and complex love story between three adolescents from different social background... more
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Cowboy Del Amor
USA, 2005, 88 min.
This exquisite documentary follows self-proclaimed "cowboy cupid" Ivan Thompson as he plays matchmaker to American bachelors looking for Mexican brides. Academy Award nominated director Michèle Ohayon (Colors Straight Up) deftly turns what could have been a kitschy portrayal into a complex, m... more
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Days of Santiago
Peru, 2003, 84 min.
Think Taxi Driver in Peru. A 23-year-old war veteran returns to Lima after spending six years fighting terrorists, the Peruvian drug mafia, and a nationalist war against Ecuador. Unable to smoothly transition back home, his life starts to spin out of control…... more
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The Death of Mister Lazarescu
Romania, 2005, 155 min.
The tragicomic late-night odyssey of 63-year-old Mr Lazarescu: on the verge of death, he is driven from one hospital to another without any result... This brilliant marvel of black humor was the revelation at Cannes, where it took top prize in the Un Certain Regard section. ... more
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The Devil and Daniel Johnston
USA, 2005, 110 min.
Winner of the Best Director of a Documentary award at Sundance, this remarkable film looks at the life of indie music icon Daniel Johnston, an exquisite talent who continues to struggle with mental illness. Compelling, sad and uplifting at the same time, this is a serious look at one of America's mu... more
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Don’t Tell
Italy, 2005, 121 min.
Sabina is a young woman who discovers some dark secrets from her childhood buried deep inside her mind. Her pregnancy opens a door on this hidden past that she cannot close again. Best Actress, Venice Film Festival.... more
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A Driver for Vera
Russia, 2005, 115 min.
Spectacular, crowd-pleasing Russian comedy-drama, from the Oscar®-nominated maker of The Thief. In 1962, on the Black Sea coast of Crimea, a secret power struggle between the army and KGB forms the backdrop to a torrid love triangle... more
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Elsa & Fred
Spain, 2005, 107 min.
Two mainstays of Spanish language cinema, China Zorrilla and Manuel Alexandre, play aging widowers who rekindle their passions for love with a visit to the Trevi Fountain in Rome, a landmark from Fellini's La Dolce Vita, in this touching romantic comedy.... more
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Expiration Date
USA, 2006, 95 min.
This beguiling comedy revolves around the impending fate of Charles Silvercloud III, a stoic young man whose father and grandfather were both killed in bizarre accidents on their 25th birthdays. As Charlie's own ill-fated birthday approaches, he prepares to meet his maker. But things take an unexpec... more
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Familia
Canada, 2005, 103 min.
Familial bonds, particularly those between mothers and daughters, form the core of this impressive and emotionally satisfying first feature. When gambling addict Michele moves in with her childhood friend Janine, their teenaged daughter’s burgeoning friendship produces both humorous and heartbreakin... more
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Favela Rising
USA, 2005, 79 min.
This lively musical documentary charts the transformational effects of AfroReggae music in one favela shantytown in Rio de Janeiro, offering a portrait of the power of music to remake a troubled community into a place of celebration and hope.... more
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Five Days in September
Canada, 2005, 73 min.
Winner - Audience Awards, Best Documentary
An intimate and exciting look at the inner workings of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as it launches a new season with charismatic maestro Peter Oundjiian. Director Barbara Willis Sweete captures soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, Emanuel Ax, and t... more
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Frozen Land
Finland, 2005, 131 min.
A bold and often bleakly humorous depiction of modern life and human frailty in contemporary Finland, Frozen Land was inspired by a Tolstoy short story. As a forged bank note links a chain of events, the film combines psychological acuity with a sharp eye for social problems.... more
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The Fever
Italy, 2005, 123 min.
In this box office hit, Mario, a young building surveyor, decides to follow his dream to open a nightclub with a group of friends. He endures numerous problems and misjudgements that an unexpected love finally makes right. It's a passionate declaration of love for Italy and enthusiasm for life.... more
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George Michael - A Different Story
United Kingdom, 2005, 101 min.
The extremely private George Michael candidly shares his life and career in this riveting documentary. Michael leads us through his professional and private highs and lows, from pop fame with Wham! to solo superstardom. Featuring performance footage and interviews including Elton John, Mariah Carey,... more
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Grain in Ear
China, 2005, 110 min.
Cui Ji is an ethnic Korean living in China and a single mother struggling to bring up her young son. The story of her cruel betrayal by society and by men marries a cold social realism with a perfectly mastered aesthetic. Best Film, Pusan Film Festival.... more
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The Grönholm Method
Spain, 2005, 116 min.
A group of corporate types are assembled to compete for one position using something called the Grönholm Method, a system meant to separate the weak from the strong. But the weak may be wilier than they appear... This tale of executive überdogs from the director of Kamchatka possesses a tru... more
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Heaven & Hell On Earth (Parzania)
India, 2005, 130 min.
Based on a true story, the gripping Heaven & Hell on Earth follows a Parsi father's search for his ten-year-old son lost in the crossfire of Hindu-Muslim riots. Meanwhile, the family's American friend Alan tries to uncover the truth behind the senseless violence he witnessed in the land of Ga... more
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Idiot Love
Spain, 2005, 94 min.
Catalan director Ventura Pons returns with an erotically transgressive, occasionally tender and frequently very funny tale of sexual obsession that focuses on a sad-sack 30-something teacher who falls hard for an upwardly mobile woman. Refreshing and quirky in equal measures. ... more
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In Bed
Chile, 2005, 86 min.
A sexy two-hander set in a motel room in Santiago de Chile. The director displays an intelligence and understanding of the fragility of sexual relationships that belies his youth. Daniela and Bruno meet at a party, end up in bed, and slowly reveal themselves to one another over the course of one nig... more
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In His Hands
France, 2005, 121 min.
A doomed romance with a possible serial killer drives the suspense in this thriller. The accomplished filmmaker and her able cast provide rewards in the delicacy with which they sketch the way a woman in a marriage neither happy nor unhappy drifts into an affair, and persists despite clear indicatio... more
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In My Father’s Den
New Zealand, 2005, 127 min.
After 17 years of traveling as a war photographer, Paul returns home to lead a quiet, solitary life. He finds a welcome intrusion from a curious teenage girl named Celia, but when she mysteriously disappears suspicions arise. Paul faces not only violent threats, but also his own wavering doubts abou... more
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Iron Island
Iran, 2005, 91 min.
A sharp-edged allegory about Iran, this briskly-paced and blackly comic film follows a group of men, women and children, impoverished and abandoned by society, who inhabit a sinking oil tanker in the Persian Gulf under the watchful eye of Captain Nemat, who rules the decaying ship with an iron fist.... more
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Kamataki
Canada, 2005, 111 min.
Claude Gagnon's deceptively simple story about a young, depressed Canadian who is sent to visit his uncle in Japan, is sublimely riveting, complex and erotic. The uncle is a master potter, and the depiction of the Kamataki process of marathon firing is exhilarating! Best Director, Montreal Film Fest... more
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Kissed by Winter
Norway, 2005, 85 min.
Starting like a whodunit, this assured first feature deals with loss, regret and possible redemption. Victoria, a Swedish doctor working in a snowy Norwegian village, discovers that the death of a young man dredges up painful memories that she would prefer to forget.... more
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Lady Vengeance
South Korea, 2005, 113 min.
Flamboyant Korean director Park Chan-wook's latest (part three in the "vengeance trilogy" that includes Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and Old Boy) follows a woman who, wrongly imprisoned for murder for 13 years, seeks redress in the most violently spectacular of ways. A stunningly cinemat... more
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The Land Has Eyes
Fiji, 2005, 88 min.
The first indigenous film from Fiji, this visually lush story features a young girl who taps into the island myth of the Warrior Woman in order to redeem her family name. Brimming with ethnographic detail, it's a vibrant and uplifting tale.... more
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La Petite Jérusalem
France, 2005, 97 min.
A young Orthodox Jewish woman puts her faith in the Torah and the classic works of European philosophy until neither suffices in the face of sexual desire. This keenly acted film juggles big issues, frank contextual nudity, the matter-of-fact specter of anti-Semitism in contemporary France, and more... more
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The Last Moon
Chile, 2005, 106 min.
Miguel Littin, a descendant of Palestinian Christian immigrants to Chile, tells the dynamic story of two friends, the Jew Jacob and the Christian Palestinian Soliman, caught up in the beginnings of the Middle East conflict after the First World War.... more
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The Life That I Want
Italy, 2005, 126 min.
True emotion as well as jealousy and manipulation mark the love story of two actors on the set of a historical drama. The script becomes so close to their reality that it hurts them deeply, yet, at the same time, they have difficulty differentiating between their real and "reel" lives.... more
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Love + Hate
United Kingdom, 2005, 84 min.
Winner - New Voices/New Visions Award
A modern Romeo and Juliet love story set across racial divides in a northern British town, Love + Hate finds Naseema and Adam wrestling with their undeniable mutual attraction. The young couple embark on a passionate journey of self-discovery. B... more
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Lovelorn
Turkey, 2005, 139 min.
Winner - Meltem Cumbul, FIPRESCI Award, Best Actress
Idealist schoolteacher Nazim retires and returns home to Istanbul, after a 15-year term in a poor, forgotten Kurdish-Alevite village in eastern Turkey. Politely ignored by his children who secretly despise him since he chose ideal... more
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Low Profile
Germany, 2005, 95 min.
A teenage boy veers down a dangerous path when he claims responsibility for accidents he did not cause. With a great ear for dialogue and a color palette evoking the drabness of middle class life, director Christoph Hochhausler has crafted a disturbing yet compelling film that incited great controve... more
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Mad Hot Ballroom
USA, 2005, 111 min.
Follow New York City's 5th graders as they learn to rumba, tango, foxtrot and swing dance. Emphasizing that special age between childhood and adolescence, and the cultural diversity of NYC, this documentary grips us with tension, triumph and heartbreak as the kids compete in a citywide competition.... more
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Magic Mirror
Portugal, 2005, 138 min.
Portuguese master Manoel de Oliveira assembles a cast of his favorite players in Magic Mirror, based on Agustina Bessa-Luis's novel “The Soul of the Rich”. The story finds a wealthy woman desperate for a visit from the Virgin Mary. Eager to help, her employee Luciano hires a girl to fake the ... more
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Malas Temporadas
Spain, 2005, 116 min.
Malas Temporadas places us in the heart of contemporary Madrid and the existential dilemmas of its three characters searching for their place in the world. Beautifully crafted as a choral piece, the film deftly explores the emotional barriers and walls its anguished characters must overcome.... more
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Mario’s War
Italy, 2005, 98 min.
A middle class couple take a foster child without imagining how this choice will impact their life. The wife finds a meaning in life that transcends her expectations, the husband cannot relate with the child in any way and the child himself is stranded in a world where he cannot fit in. ... more
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Marock
France, 2005, 101 min.
Seventeen-year-old Rita is smitten with the flashy Youri who she meets at a club in Morocco. But Youri is Jewish and Rita's brother, with his more devout approach to Islam, is watching her every move. This debut feature captures teenage passions set against the Casblanca playground of the rich where... more
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The Married Woman
India, 2005, 130 min.
Calcutta of the 1960s, with its vintage cars and sophisticated cafes, gives a nostalgic elegance to this romantic and tender love story. Although they grew up together Lolita and Shankhar only discover their intense love for one another when another suitor for Lolita's hand arrives. ... more
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The Master
Poland, 2005, 110 min.
Lyrically moving back and forth between fantasy and reality, Piotr Trzaskalski's road movie follows a Russian knife-thrower with supernatural powers known as "The Master" as he travels the Polish countryside putting on a one-man show and collecting affectionately rendered passengers. An entertaining... more
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Melting Siberia
Israel, 2005, 76 min.
A poignant documentary in the mold of last year's audience favorite Watermarks, this explores familial wounds that may fade but never die. Director Ido Haar instigates a search for his mother's father, a Red Army hero who abandoned his grandmother when she was pregnant, never to be heard from... more
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Mother of Mine
Finland, 2005, 112 min.
Winner - Audience Awards, Best Narrative Feature
A momentous event in Finnish history is recounted in this heart-wrenching film. During World War II, ten-year-old Eero is one of eighty thousand children sent to Sweden for their protection. Alienated from his foster family and unfamiliar wi... more
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Mrs. Harris
USA, 2005, 96 min.
The tragic true-life story of Jean Harris, the brittle girls school headmistress, who murdered her lover, Scarsdale Diet guru Dr. Herbert Tarnower in the 1980s, receives a multi-toned treatment by playwright Phyllis Nagy in her first feature. The film brims with memorable star cameos.... more
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Murderball
USA, 2005, 86 min.
Quad rugby, aka "murderball," is played by quadriplegics in customized wheelchairs that resemble something out of Mad Max. It's a full-contact sport, played with manic intensity by super-competitive jocks. Murderball looks on-court and off at the indomitable spirit of true athletes. ... more
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My Best Enemy
Chile, 2005, 108 min.
Set in 1978, this humanistic film about the futility of war, follows a Chilean border patrol unit that gets lost on their march to the Argentinian border. After days of wandering the pampas, they become disillusioned… until they meet an Argentine patrol also lost in the pampas and war turns into fr... more
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My Bollywood Bride
USA, 2006, 90 min.
Alex fell in love with the girl next door. Trouble is, 'next door' is India and 'the girl' is Bollywood's biggest film star.
"My Bollywood Bride" tells the story of Alex, a Venice Beach copy writer that dreams of being a novelist who meets and romances Indian beauty, Reena, while she is on a vacat... more
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My Nikifor
Poland, 2005, 101 min.
A prizewinner at home and abroad, this beautifully executed take on the naïve artist known as Nikifor (1895 - 1968), boasts a number of unusual choices, including the casting of an octogenarian stage actress as Nikifor. The last years of Nikifor's life are seen through the eyes of Marian Wlosinski, ... more
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