Ben
X (Belgium) - Ben is different. His life is a universe all to
itself, where he avidly plays his favorite on-line computer game in an attempt
to train for and block out the reality of his daily experiences. Ben has
Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism that prevents normal communication
and makes him the ideal target for all the school bullies. As the
bullies' relentless attacks push him over the edge and out of control, his
on-line dream girl, Scarlite, appears to him and helps him devise a perfect
plan to confront the bullies and make them pay for their torment. Flemish. 93 mins.
Under
the Bombs (France/Lebanon) - During a cease-fire in
the Lebanon-Israel conflict of 2006, a Christian taxi driver brings an
untraditional Shiite woman from Beirut to the heart of the conflict in the
country's south. While they scour the rubble of local towns for her son,
who was sent to live with her traditional family while she was staying with her
husband in Dubai, they discover that despite their very different backgrounds
they have much in common. And during their trip through the desolate
countryside, the two travelers develop a deep bond as a response to the death
striking all around them. Arabic/French/UK. 98 mins.
Wilby
Wonderful (Canada) - It is Thursday morning on Wilby Island, a small
East Coast community just minutes by ferry from the mainland. While the
islanders prepare for the yearly festival, a scandal rocks the quiet town.
Relationships that once seemed solid and strong begin to crumble. Thursday
evening turns into Thursday night, and the islanders begin to find out how
interconnected their community really is. They soon discover what is at the
center of the scandal that threatens to blow the lid off life on Wilby Island
as they know it and change them forever. English. 99 mins.
Lake
Tahoe (Mexico) - In an attempt to escape from a home where sorrow
reigns, Juan, a sixteen year old boy, crashes his family's car into a telegraph
pole on the outskirts of town. As Juan scours the streets searching for
someone to help him fix the car, he meets Don Heber, an old paranoid mechanic
whose only companion is Sica, his almost human boxer dog. Don Heber promises to
fix the car as soon as Juan can find the part he needs for his crashed vehicle.
Searching for that piece, Juan arrives at an auto parts store attended by
Lucía, a young mother who is convinced that her real place in life is as a lead
singer in a punk band. While she knows about punk music, Lucía doesn't have a
clue about mechanics and so they must wait for "The One who Knows",
David, a teenage mechanic obsessed with martial arts and Kung Fu
philosophy. The absurd and bewildering worlds of these characters drag
Juan into a one day journey in which he will come to accept an event as natural
and inexplicable as death. Spanish/English. 89 mins.
The Drummer (Hong
Kong/Taiwan)
- Sid (played by Jackie Chan’s son Jaycee), the rebellious son of a controlling
and savage crime boss in Hong Kong, has to flee to Taiwan upon enraging his father’s
adversary. Hiding out in the mountains, Sid discovers a group of Zen drummers
whose mesmerizing art piques his interest, and he requests to join them.
Immersed in the world of Zen drumming, Sid morphs into a firm and focused young
man. His independence from the crime life and his father is profoundly
challenged, however, when a twist of fate awaits him back home in Hong Kong and
forces him to choose between loyalty to his family and his newfound faith in
himself. Mandarin/Cantonese. 118 mins.
Somers Town (United Kingdom) - Two teenagers, both
newcomers to London, forge an unlikely friendship over the course of a hot
summer. Tomo (Thomas Turgoose) is a runaway from Nottingham; Marek (Piotr
Jagiello), a Polish immigrant, lives in the district of Somers Town. When Marek
agrees to let homeless Tomo move into his room, unbeknownst to his father, the
pair forms a strong bond, as they work odd jobs for an eccentric neighbor and
compete for the attention of Maria, a beautiful young French waitress whom they
are both infatuated with. But it's only a matter of time before Marek's dad
discovers what's going on... English/Polish/French. 71 mins.
The Window
(Argentina/Spain)
- It is a significant day for 80-year-old Antonio. After an absence of many
years, his estranged son is coming to visit. Everything must be perfect. There
will be a toast with very special champagne, an embrace, and warm words that
may finally bridge the gap between them. But before, Antonio must wait.
Bedridden, he looks out his window at the Patagonian landscape and sees light
and life, the past and the present, while sensing the future. He decides to
secretly leave the house, unseen by his faithful caretakers, to take what might
be a last walk in his fields, breathing the air, treading the earth, inhaling
the scent of the land that had been his life. What could otherwise seem like
insignificant memories or moments in one’s life takes a special, beautiful
meaning and weight in this poetic, humanistic film. Spanish. 85 mins.
Eldorado (Belgium) - Yvan and Elie are
two loners who wander aimlessly through their lives. Yvan is a quick-tempered
40-year-old vintage car dealer, while Elie is a young burglar and ex-junkie.
One day Yvan catches Elie trying to rob him. Instead of beating him up, he
becomes strangely attached to him and agrees to drive him home to his parents
in his old Chevrolet. Yvan and Elie are both nostalgic about lost
relationships, which is what leads them to undertake a bizarre journey through
a region that is as spectacular as it is crazy. Both are trying to find the pieces
of a puzzle that they want to put back together, but it might be too late. French. 80 mins.
