Film Festivals 2003
2003 brought many filmic gems from around the world. Some highlights were Rolf De Heer's stunning 'The Tracker'; New Zealand's entry, a delicious, black holiday comedy 'Christmas'; from Brazil, the astonishing debut of Fernando Meirelles, 'City of God' and from Russia, the longest tracking shot in film history, 'Russian Ark'. From the US came the unique and captivating bio-pic 'American Splendor' and tongue-in-cheek horror 'Cabin Fever' as well as documentaries 'The Kid Stays in the Picture' featuring the infamous Robert Evans, and Noam Chomsky's 'Power and Terror'.
Lilya 4-Ever (2002)
7.9/10
Director: Lukas Moodysson
Starring: Oksana Akinshina, Artiom Bogucharskij, Elina Benenson
Lukas Moodysson's third feature, following 'Show Me Love' and 'Together', is a touching and tender insight into the life of Lilya, a chirpy girl of si... Read more
Lovely and Amazing (2001)
Director: Nicole Holofcener
Starring: Catherine Keener, Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, Jake Gyllenhaal, James LeGros,...
Nicole Holofcener's follow-up feature to her critically acclaimed debut "Walking and Talking", "Lovely and Amazing" is an intimate family portrait of... Read more
Marie-Jo and Her Two Loves (2002)
Director: Robert Guediguian
Starring: Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gerard Meylan
On the old smugglers' trail, during a picnic, Marie-Jo presses the blade of a knife to her wrist. She is very much in love with Daniel, her husband, a... Read more
Once Upon a Time in the Midlands (2002)
6.2/10
Director: Shane Meadows
Starring: Robert Carlyle, Rhys Ifans, Kathy Burke, Shirley Henderson, Ricky Tomlinson, Fin...
Using the operatic style associated with Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, this offbeat comedy stars Robert Carlyle as a small-time hood who watches ex... Read more
Only the Strong Survive (2002)
6.8/10
Director: Chris Hegedus, D A Pennebaker
Starring: Jerry Butler, The Chi-Lites, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Ann Peebles, Wilson Pickett...
Revealing documentary from co-director D.A. Pennebaker ("Dont Look Back") offers a vibrant, captivating look at the legendary Memphis, Tennessee, musi... Read more
Open Hearts (2002)
7.6/10
Director: Susanne Bier
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Paprika Steen
A young engaged couple in Copenhagen, Cecille (Sonja Richter) and Joachim (Nikolaj Lie Kaas), finds their relationship changed forever when Joachim is... Read more
Personal Velocity (2002)
6.6/10
Director: Rebecca Miller
Starring: Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey, Fairuza Balk
Three very different women. One daring leap of faith. Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey and Fairuza Balk star in this compelling drama about three women who... Read more
Raising Victor Vargas (2002)
7.1/10
Director: Peter Sollett
Starring: Victor Rasuk, Judy Marte, Melonie Diaz, Altagracia Guzman
Victor doesn't have much, but that's not stopping him from trying to go out with Judy, the prettiest girl on the block. All he's got is hope and a one... Read more
Respiro (2002)
7/10
Director: Emanuele Crialese
Starring: Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato, Francesco Casisa, Veronica D'Agostino
Welcome to Lampedusa, a Mediterranean island paradise as mysterious as it is beautiful, a tropical heaven where ocean waves pound deep mysterious cave... Read more
Russian Ark (2002)
7.4/10
Director: Alexander Sokurov
Starring: Sergei Dreiden, Maria Kuznetsova, Leonid Mozgovoy
Director Alexander Sokurov's ("Mother and Son") audacious cinematic tour-de-force follows an unseen narrator who magically finds himself transported t... Read more