Sundance Film Festival releases competing film selections for 2010

(AFP PHOTO / FRED DUFOUR)

The Sundance Film Festival 2010 announced its selection of competing film screenings Tuesday. The lineup of independent films includes American and foreign documentaries and fiction features. The 2010 version of the annual fest is scheduled for January 21-31 in Park City, Utah.

This high-profile film industry event expects to attract high-profile actors to promote their narrative films, including Michelle Williams, Natalie Portman, Edie Falco, Mary-Louise Parker, Orlando Bloom, and Twilight's Kristen Stewart.

Of the total of 3,724 film submissions (1,920 from the US and 1,804 foreign submissions), 113 feature films were selected. Films from Europe, South America, Asia, the Middle East, and collaborations of countries are represented in both the categories of fiction and documentary.

The announcement of the non-competing films to be screened is forthcoming.

The Sundance Film Festival Program includes:

US Dramatic Competition (highlights of 16 feature films)

Blue Valentine - Director: Derek Cianfrance)The evolution of an American marriage. Cast: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

The Dry Land - (Director: Ryan Piers William) A US soldier struggles on returning home from war. Cast: America Ferrera, Wilmer Valderrama, Ethan Suplee, Melissa Leo.

Hesher - (Director: Spencer Susser) A mysterious trickster in the lives of a family dealing with loss. Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson.

Howl - (Directors: Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman) A nonfiction drama about the young Allen Ginsberg, his key poem HOWL, and landmark obscenity trial. Cast: James Franco, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm, Mary-Louise Parker, Jeff Daniels.

Sympathy for Delicious - (Director: Mark Ruffalo) A paralyzed DJ seeks out the world of faith healing. Cast: Orlando Bloom, Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis, Laura Linney.

Welcome to the Rileys (Director: Jake Scott) - A damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward woman. Cast: James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo.

World Cinema Documentary Competition

A Film Unfinished, Germany/Israel (Director: Yael Hersonski) - Film reels uncovered in Nazi archives reveal the mechanisms used to stage Warsaw Ghetto life.

Enemies of the People, Cambodia/UK (Directors: Rob Lemkin, Thet Sambath) - A journalist whose family was killed by the Khmer Rouge befriends the perpetrators.

Fix ME, France/Palestinian Territories/Switzerland (Director: Raed Andoni) - Palestinian filmmaker Andoni seeks help for his chronic headache in Ramallah.

His & Hers, Ireland (Director: Ken Wardrop) - Seventy Irish women offer insights into relationships between women and men.

Kick in Iran, Germany (Director: Fatima Geza Abdollahyan) - First female professional Taekwondo fighter from Iran to qualify for the Olympic Games struggles for recognition.

Last Train Home, Canada (Director: Lixin Fan) - The ordeal of a migrant worker family on a journey with 200 million other peasants, to reunite with family.

The Red Chapel, Denmark (Director: Mads Brügger) - An unscrupulous journalist, self-proclaimed spastic, and comedian travel to North Korea under a guise.

Russian Lessons, Georgia/Germany/Norway (Directors: Olga Konskaya and Andrei Nekrasov) - An investigation into the ‘08 Georgia war, revealing ethnic cleansing.

Secrets of the Tribe, Brazil (Director: José Padilha) - Can anthropologists among the indigenous uncover knowledge about mankind amidst scandals and infighting?

Sins of My Father, Argentina/Colombia (Director: Nicolas Entel) - The life and times of notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar are recounted through the eyes of his son, who fled Colombia to move beyond his father's legacy.

Space Tourists, Switzerland (Director: Christian Frei) - A humorous view of how billionaires leave planet earth to travel to outer space for fun.

Waste Land, UK (Director: Lucy Walker) - Lives are transformed when artist Vik Muniz collaborates with garbage pickers in the world's largest landfill in Rio de Janeiro.

World Cinema Narrative Competition

All that I Love, Poland (Director/screenwriter: Jacek Borcuch)

Animal Kingdom, Australia (Director/screenwriter: David Michôd)

Boy, New Zealand (Director/screenwriter: Taika Waititi)

Contracorriente (Undertow), Colombia/France/Germany/Peru (Director/screenwriter: Javier Fuentes-Leon)

Four Lions, UK (Director: Chris Morris, screenwriters: Chris Morris, Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain)

Grown Up Movie Star, Canada (Director/screenwriter: Adriana Maggs)

The Man Next Door (El Hombre de al Lado), Argentina (Directors/writers: Mariano Cohn and Gastón Duprat)

Me Too (Yo, También), Spain (Directors/writers: Álvaro Pastor, Antonio Naharro)

Nuummioq, Greenland (Directors: Otto Rosing, Torben Bech; Screenwriter: Torben Bech)

Peepli Live, India (Director/screenwriter: Anusha Rizvi)

Son of Babylon, Iraq (Director/screenwriter: Mohamed Al Daradji)

Southern District (Zona Sur), Bolivia (Director/screenwriter: Juan Carlos Valdivia)

The Temptation of St. Tony, Estonia (Director/screenwriter: Veiko Õunpuu)

Vegetarian (Chaesikjueuija), South Korea (Director/screenwriter: Lim Woo-seong)

US Documentary Competition

Bhutto (Directors: Duane Baughman, Johnny O'Hara)

Casino Jack & the United States of Money (Director: Alex Gibney)

Family Affair (Director: Chico Colvard)

Freedom Riders (Director: Stanley Nelson)

Gas Land (Director: Josh Fox)

Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (Director: Tamra Davis)

Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Directors: Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg)

Lucky (Director: Jeffrey Blitz)

My Perestroika (Director: Robin Hessman)

The Oath (Director: Laura Poitras)

Restrepo (Directors: Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington) Afghanistan

A Small Act (Director: Jennifer Arnold)

Smash His Camera (Director: Leon Gast)

12th & Delaware (Directors: Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing)

I'm Pat _______ Tillman (Director: Amir Bar-Lev)

Waiting for Superman (Director: Davis Guggenheim)

http://festival.sundance.org

RC