Sundance Film Festival: Premieres

17 January 2008

The Sundance Film Festival also hosts a string of premieres which offers a selection of the latest work from established directors.

Be Kind Rewind

Jerry, a junkyard worker, attempts to sabotage a power plant that he believes is melting his brain.But when his plan goes wrong the magnetic field he creates accidentally erases all of the video tapes in a local video store where his best friend Mike works.Fearing that the mishap will cost Mike his job the two friends team up to keep the store's only loyal customer, an old lady with a weak grasp on reality, from realising what has happened by re-creating and refilming every movie that she decides to rent.From Back to the Future to Robocop to Rush Hour Jerry and Mike become the biggest stars in their neighbourhood by starring in the biggest films ever made.Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow.

The Escapist

Frank Perry is in prison for life, a fact that he has been very willing to except until now.

He has received a letter telling him that his daughter is critically ill following an overdose.

He is desperate to see his daughter before it's too late and puts together a plan to get out of jail. He rounds up an unlikely group of companions to make his plan a reality.

But a fatal encounter puts the escape in jeopardy and Frank must lead this group on a truly hair-raising escape.

Starring: Brian Cox, Joseph Feinnes, Liam Cunningham and Seu Jorge.

In Bruges

Mr. McDonagh makes his feature directorial debut on the film, from his own original screenplay. His plays (which include "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" and "The Pillowman") have brought him two Olivier Awards and four Tony Award nominations.

He wrote and directed "Six Shooter," starring Brendan Gleeson, which earned him the 2006 Academy Award for Best Live-Action Short Film.

"In Bruges" was filmed on location; Bruges (pronounced "broozh"), the most well-preserved medieval city in the whole of Belgium, is a welcoming destination for travellers from all over the world.

But for hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson), it could be their final destination; a difficult job has resulted in the pair being ordered right before Christmas by their London boss Harry (two-time Academy Award nominee Ralph Fiennes) to go and cool their heels in the storybook Flemish city for a couple of weeks.

Very much out of place amidst the gothic architecture, canals, and cobbled streets, the two hit men fill their days living the lives of tourists.

Ray, still haunted by the bloodshed in London, hates the place, while Ken, even as he keeps a fatherly eye on Ray's often profanely funny exploits, finds his mind and soul being expanded by the beauty and serenity of the city.

But the longer they stay waiting for Harry's call, the more surreal their experience becomes, as they find themselves in weird encounters with locals, tourists, violent medieval art, a dwarf American actor (Jordan Prentice) shooting a European art film, Dutch prostitutes, and a potential romance for Ray in the form of Chloë (Clémence Poésy), who may have some dark secrets of her own.

And when the call from Harry does finally come, Ken and Ray's vacation becomes a life-and-death struggle of darkly comic proportions and surprisingly emotional consequences.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Finnes and Eric Godon.

A Raisin In The Sun

A Raisin in the Sun is directed by Kenny Leon and is a big screen adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry's award winning play.

Set in 1950 the Younger family live in Chicago's south side and are struggling to make ends meet.

But their live are changed completely when an insurance cheque arrives giving them money they never dreamed they would have.

But each member of the family has a different idea on how the to spend their new found wealth.

The difference in opinion leads to the testing of family ties as they face problems as individuals as well as problems within the family as they want to improve their lives and live the American dream.

Starring: Sean Coombs, Phylicia Rashad, Auda McDonald, Sean Patrick Thomas.

What Just Happened?

With an all star cast that includes Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis and Sean Penn What Just Happened? is based on the memoirs of Art Linson, a Hollywood producer.

Linson (De Niro) is going through two weeks of hell as he tries to get his picture made whilst trying to survive humiliations of Hollywood and going through a second divorce.

Barry Levinson's movie shows that every profession has its fair share of outlandish behaviour, but in the film industry the behind the scenes stories are quite often more interesting than the productions themselves.

Starring: Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, John Turturro.

Other films being premiered include:

- The Year of getting to Know Us

- The Yellow Handkerchief

- U2 3D

- The Visitor

- Smart People

- Incendiary

The Guitar

- Henry poole Is Here

- Diminished Capacity

- CSNY Deja Vu