In 2011, the American Independents program offers four German premieres, three directorial debuts, and Hollywood stars galore: the most impressive acting is delivered by John Turturro and his wife Katherine Borowitz in SOMEWHERE TONIGHT. They "meet" through a telephone-sex hotline, both actually only looking for human closeness. In BAD POSTURE, BELLFLOWER, and THE OFF HOURS, young people are looking for the meaning of life – at least of their own: in the hot Albuquerque summer, the two friends in BAD POSTURE find it hard to get rid of their lethargy, and if they manage to, it’s only to raise money for the most necessary expenses. In BELLFLOWER, two young men in their 1972 Buick Skylark "Medusa" yearn for the apocalypse and will experience something a lot worse. In THE OFF HOURS, a young waitress in a highway diner finally manages to get a grip on her life. In the comedies THE CRAB and HESHER, we meet two anti-heroes, where the man with hands like crab scissors is only looking for love. Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a disgusting loser, is the only one who can give new courage to face life to a family in mourning. Among the cast is Natalie Portman as an adored supermarket sales girl. Of course, a feel-good movie is part of the American Independents section as well. In AU PAIR, KANSAS, a young Norwegian au-pair arrives at a widow’s house. The widow is played (and really well at that) by former porn star Traci Lords. A clash between the cultures ensues – brilliant comedy and happy end included.
All films in this section
AU PAIR, KANSAS
by JT O’Neal USA 2011 Digital Betacam 95 Min. OV
BAD POSTURE
by Malcolm Murray USA 2011 HDCam 93 Min. OV
BELLFLOWER
by Evan Glodell USA 2011 35 mm 106 Min. OV
HESHER
by Spencer Susser USA 2010 DCP 106 Min. OV
SOMEWHERE TONIGHT
by Michael Di Jiacomo USA/Netherlands 2011 Digital Betacam 85 Min. OV
THE CRAB
by Rona Mark USA 2010 HDCam 102 Min. OV
THE OFF HOURS
by Megan Griffiths USA 2011 HDCam 93 Min. OV
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