The Backlot Film Festival Program:

Click on these dates to discover more about the program

Wednesday, April 2, 2008
12 noon	Arthur Freed Tribute Film DUBARRY WAS A LADY (1943) Running Time: 101 minutes Directed by Roy Del Ruth The musical comedy travels back in time from the 1940s to the court of Louis XV, as a nightclub employee tries to woo a nightclub star into marriage, but injures his head after winning the lottery. The film stars Red Skelton, Lucille Ball and Gene Kelly, with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Featured songs include Cole Porter’s “Friendship.”
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2.00 p.m.	CHEKHOV AND MARIA World Premiere (2007) USA Running time: 85 min. Produced by John Stark. Directed by Eric Till. Written by Jovanka Bach Ill with tuberculosis, Russian playwright Anton Chekhov is desperately struggling to complete “The Cherry Orchard.” At his home in Yalta, his sister Maria cares for him and also helps him to finish his play. When Maria finds out that he has secretly married Olga Knipper, an actress with the Moscow Art Theatre, she feels betrayed and schemes to prevent him from returning to Moscow. When Anton discovers how manipulative Maria has been, they have a major confrontation. Eventually the two reconcile, he completes his masterpiece and leaves for Moscow. Starring Ron Battitta and Gillian Brashear
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4.00 p.m.	ROSES OF APRIL World Premiere (2007) USA Running Time: 80 minutes Produced, written and directed by Claudia Damasceno The film is a lively and depressing sense of intense bonds within a Native American family that are destroyed, directly and indirectly, by an authoritarian government. Framed in beautiful photography and sweetly represented by a young girl who wants to be an astronaut, the story blossoms into a deliberate ambiguity between the US Government administrations, leaving the audience to contemplate which of the last two presidents was best for Americans and surprises them with the main character’s attitude towards the end. Starring Carolina Hoyos, John DiVito, Norman Hall, Anita Poirier, Karla Legaspy, Alfonso Tozqui, Duna DiVito, Melanie Ramos, Shannyn Hall, Charli Clark, Ken Franklin, Craig Leizbonez and Dave Mason
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7.00 p.m.	YESTERDAY WAS A LIE West Coast Premiere A Q&A will follow the screening with writer/director James Kerwin, producer and star Chase Masterson, cinematographer Jason Cochard and cast members John Newton, Mik Scriba, Nathan Mobley, Warren Davis and Sarah Nean Bruce. (2008) USA Running Time: 89 min. Produced by Chase Masterson. Written and Directed by James Kerwin
	Hoyle, a girl with a sharp mind and a weakness for bourbon, finds herself on the trail of a reclusive genius. But her work takes a series of unforeseen twists as events around her grow increasingly fragmented, disconnected and surreal. With a sexy lounge singer and a loyal partner as her only allies, she is plunged into a dark world of intrigue and earth-
	shattering cosmological secrets. Haunted by an ever-present shadow whom she is destined to face, she discovers that the most powerful force in the Universe – the power to bend reality, the power to know the truth – lies within the depths of the human heart. Starring Kipleigh Brown, Chase Masterson, John Newton, Mik Scriba, Nathan Mobley, Warren Davis, Megan Henning, Jennifer Slimko, Robert Siegel and Peter Mayhew
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9.00 p.m.	INALIENABLE World Premiere The film will be introduced by Walter Koenig. (2007) USA Running Time: 105 minutes Directed by Robert Dyke. Written by Walter Koenig Still guilt-ridden over the accident that took his family’s lives, Eric Norris discovers that his body is host to a parasite from another world. Except, it is more than a parasite. It carries his DNA. Is this his new son or, as the government believes, a threat to mankind? Starring Richard Hatch, Courtney Peldon, Walter Koenig, Erick Avari, Marina Sirtis, Jay Acovone, Andrew Koenig, Judy Levitt, Alan Ruch and Richard Herd.
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Thursday, April 3, 2008
12 noon	Carl Reiner Tribute THE COMIC (1969) Running Time: 94 minutes Directed by Carl Reiner Silent screen comic, Billy Bright recalls his rise to fame and fortune, and his road to ruin, from beyond the grave. The egotistical movie star destroyed himself, and others, with his egotistical ways, womanizing and drunkenness, ending up an embittered old man. The rarely seen film is famous for recreating classic comedy skits from the silent era. The film stars Dick Van Dyke, Michele Lee, Mickey Rooney, Cornel Wilde, Nina Wayne, Pert Kelton, Steve Allen, Carl Reiner and Jeannine Riley.
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2.00 p.m.	CASTAWAYS OF ATA United States Premiere (2007) AUSTRALIA Running time: 45 minutes Produced and Directed by Steve Bowman Australian filmmaker, Steve Bowman, revisits what has become a classic Tongan folk story. Six teenagers, finding school life difficult, decide to run away from home. They borrow a twenty-five foot boat, but on their first night out to sea they are hit by a gigantic storm. Drifting for eight days they make landfall on the deserted island of ATA. Shipwrecked for fifteen months, they are given up for dead until an Australian fishing vessel rescues them. Forty years later they reunite in Tonga, to re-tell their incredible tale of survival and how it changed their lives for the better.
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3.00 p.m.	STUDENT SHORT FILM PROGRAM A SLICE OF TROUBLE USA Running Time: 15 minutes A film by Denis Bosnjakovic In this whimsical film, a local pizza delivery driver unwittingly gets himself into a jam, thanks to his slacker pal’s chicanery. The evening’s last customer needs a hot pizza A.S.A.P., but first there’s an unexpected diversion that leaves the hero in a big jam. This film contains some adult content. SCHOOL: West Orange High School DANDELION USA Running Time: 5:30 minutes An animated film by Jackie Liao A grandfathers’ wisdom, about the evolutionary cycle of dandelion reverberates in the heart of his granddaughter, who struggles to accept his passing. EXPRESS LANE USA Running Time: 5:20 minutes Directed by Drewin B. Young A musician, whose day job is driving a beer delivery truck, is secretly in love with a grocery store clerk. Recognizing him at a performance, her attempt to get backstage is thwarted by an obnoxious security guard. Catching a glimpse of her after the show, he decides to take roses to the store, only find that the store has closed. RIB USA Running Time: 7:08 minutes A film by Drewin Young The chauvinistic male ego rears its ugly head, only to be slammed back to reality by a seemingly helpless female, with a little help from fate. THE ROMANOVS’ LAST PHOTOGRAPH USA Running Time: 15 min. A film by Catherine King This character study of the Romanov sisters in their final hours before their execution shows the girls sharing their hopes, fears and aspirations as they live their lives in the constant dread of being caught on the wrong side of the Russian Revolution. SCHOOL: Notre Dame Academy THE WINER USA Running Time: 2:24 minutes A film by Madison Conroy This silent short explores who’s in control…the drunk or the drink? Only the wine can tell! SCHOOL: Culver City High School
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4.00 p.m.	LA CUCINA A Q&A will follow the screening with directors Allison Hebbied and Zed B. Starkovich, writer A.W. Gryphon, Executive Producer Starlotte Dawn Smith, Producers Zachary Kahn and Jackie Olson, DP Alan Caudillo, Production Designer Meghan C. Rodgers and cast members Leisha Hailey and Rachel Hunter. (2007) USA Running Time: 95 min. Directed by Allison R. Hebble and Zed Starkovich. Written by A.W. Gryphon One warm summer evening, four important meals are being made in the heart of the house, the kitchen. The first is by thirty-year-old Lily, for her most important older man, a Spanish photojournalist. The second by a very pregnant and hormonal Shelly, whose husband Chris is seconds away from ordering a pizza, and the third by Jude, who is awaiting her lover Celia to return from work. Celia, shooting on a movie set, is watching two chefs preparing a culinary extravaganza, while flirting with a young actress curious about lesbian relationships. As the evening unfolds, the characters explore their relationships, joy, fears, along with lasagna, bruschetta, insalata caprese and cannoli. Starring Christina Hendrix, Joaquim de Almeida, Rachel Hunter, Clare Carey, Leisha Haley, Oz Perkins, Kala Savage and Michael Cornacchia
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7 p.m.		LADY MAGDALENE'S Los Angeles Premiere Q&A to follow the screening with Nichelle Nichols and J. Neil Schuman (2007) USA Running time: 108 min. Produced, written and directed by J. Neil Schulman In this suspense comedy, Jack Goldwater, an IRS agent on loan to the Federal Air Marshal Service, is relieved of field duty after insulting a powerful U.S. Senator.
	He finds himself exiled to a desk job in Nevada as the Federal Receiver, managing a legal brothel in tax default. With the help of the brothel Madam, Lady Magdelene, he uncovers an Al Qaeda plot to unload a nuclear bomb-sized crate at Hoover Dam." > Starring Nichelle Nichols, Ethan Keogh, Susan Smythe, Claudia Lynn, Alexander Wraith, Mark Gilvary, J. Neil Schulman, Mara Marini, Hope McBain, Michele Redmond and Keyaria Rodriguez Special Appearance at the Culver City Senior Center
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9.00 p.m.	Arthur Freed Tribute Film CABIN IN THE SKY (1943) Running Time: 100 minutes Directed by Vincente Minnelli One of Hollywood’s first all-black films, the musical follows the story of Little Joe who is torn between the love of his wife and his attraction to a good-time girl. Unable to pay off his gambling debts, he becomes the focus of a struggle between the Lord and Satan. The film marks the directorial debut of Vincente Minnelli and stars Ethel Waters, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Introduction by Nichelle Nichols. Discovered by Duke Ellington at the age of 16, she sang and toured with Duke Ellington and his orchestra. The actress is noted for playing ‘Uhura’ in the original “Star Trek” series.
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Friday, April 4, 2008
12 noon		MUSE OF FIRE Followed by Q&A (2007) USA Running time: 73 min. Produced and directed Lawrence Bridges The remarkable award-winning documentary tells the stories of nearly one hundred troops and their families. Selected from more than 12,000 pages of stories, poems and letters, submitted to The National Endowment for the Arts for a writing program that sent distinguished authors to military
	installations across the country and overseas, the memoirs became a book entitled, Operation Homecoming: Iraq, Afghanistan and the Home Front in the Words of U.S. Troops and Their Families, edited by Andrew Carroll. The film includes readings by Kevin Costner, Edward Parker Gyokeres and writer Jack Lewis. PROCEEDS FROM THE SCREENING WILL GO TO THE LOS ANGELES AREA VETERANS ARTISTS ALLIANCE.
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2.00 p.m.	SPECIAL PRESENTATION DEBRIEFING Q&A with Keith Jeffreys to follow the screening. (2008) USA Running time: 10 minutes Artistic Director Keith Jeffreys A project produced by the Los Angeles Area Veterans Artists Alliance to promote a photographic exhibit to be mounted in Chicago.
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3.00 p.m.		OJ IS GUILTY - BUT NOT OF MURDER (The Overlooked Suspect) Los Angeles Premiere Q&A with filmmakers to follow the screening. (2007) USA Running time: 84 minutes Executive Produced by William C. Dear. Produced by John McCready O.J is guilty…but not of murder. A campaign for awareness and justice as private investigator and noted author William C. Dear
	reveals evidence, both written and oral, never released to the public. The thrust of the film is to reopen the case and put on trial the most likely murder suspect. Download our Press Release
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6.00 p.m.	Carl Reiner Tribute Screening SKETCHES FROM THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOWS Two episodes of the perennial classic television series, created by Carl Reiner, who also appears in a recurring role as talk show host, Alan Brady. The shows follow the lives of head comedy writer Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke), his home life in New Rochelle with his wife Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) and his fellow writers and close friends Sally Rogers (Rose Marie) and Buddy Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam). COAST TO COAST BIGMOUTH (1964) On a national television show, Laura tells the whole world that Alan Brady is bald. IT MAY LOOK LIKE A WALNUT (1965) Rob dreams that the earth is invaded by the planet Twilo and anyone coming in contact with walnuts will loose their imagination and their thumbs.
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7.00 p.m.	Carl Reiner Tribute DEAD MEN DON’T WEAR PLAID (1969) USA Running Time: 94 minutes Directed by Carl Reiner This homage to the film noir movies of the 1940s & 50s is shot in black and white and allows the hero to interact with all kinds of dangerous low-lifes from classics films of the period. Juliet Forrest is convinced that her father, a prominent cheese scientist working on a secret recipe, has been murdered. She enlists private eye Rigby Reardon to find out the truth. He discovers a slip of paper with a list of people who are “The Friends and Enemies of Carlotta,” a thus begins the detectives journey. Starring Steve Martin and Rachel Ward
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9.00 p.m.	Carl Reiner Tribute ALL OF ME (1984) Running Time: 93 minutes Directed by Carl Reiner With the help of a Tibetan swami, a dying and crippled millionaire’s last wish is to have her soul transported into the body of her gardener’s beautiful daughter. But the transference goes terribly wrong and she ends up in the body of her idealistic and disliked lawyer. Now inhabiting the same body, the two disrupt each other lives as they struggle to correct the mistake and find the missing swami. The film stars Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Victoria Tenant, Madolyn Smith, Richard Libertini, Dana Elcar, Jason Bernard and Selma Diamond.
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Saturday, April 5, 2008
10 a.m.	IN SEARCH OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT (2006) USA Running time: 111 minutes Produced and Directed by David T. Hardy The true story of the American right to arms is told by some of the greatest names in American constitutional law – professors from Yale, UCLA, Fordham, George Washington University, George Mason University and other institutions, as well as
	lifelong scholars of the Second Amendment that include Steve Halbrook, Dave Kopel and Don Kates. The documentary explains how the Amendment has evolved from the 1700’s and how it impacts our lives in the 21st Century.
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12 noon	Arthur Freed Tribute Film TOM AND JERRY’S- TRUCE HURTS/Cartoon (1948) Running time: 8 minutes Directed by Joseph Barbera and William Hanna Tom and Jerry try to sign a peace treaty with Butch, but when a steak falls of a truck the whole deal is over. Song by Arthur Freed, “Sing Before Breakfast.” GIGI (50th Anniversary Celebration) (1958) Running Time:116 minutes Directed by Vincente Minnelli This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the famed Lerner and Loewe musical based on French author Collette’s story about a bored, wealthy bachelor and a young girl being groomed as a courtesan. The multiple Academy Award Winner: Best Picture, Director, Writing, Cinematography, Costumes and Scoring and Song “Gigi”, also includes the hits “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” and “I Remember It Well.” The film stars Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan and Hermione Gingold.
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3.00 p.m.		TRAIN MASTER World Premiere Q&A with Phil Bransom - Producer/Director, Sarah Dale - Associate Producer, Jonathan Hall - cast, Mercedes Rose - cast, Elijah Nelson - cast, Ia Gilbert - cast, Daniel Nelson - cast, to follow the screening. (2008) USA Running time: 102 min. Written and directed by Phil Bransom Sixty two year old Jeremiah Wilson is truly the Train Master of the Willamette Western Railroad.

	He lives, breathes and eats railroads. When Brett Banner, the thirty two year old heir to New York Eastern, talks his dad into purchasing the Willamette line, Jeremiah soon finds himself fired, two years before retirement. When Brett’s nine-year old son, Justin, realizes Jeremiah’s grandson, Thomas, can drive a locomotive, he kidnaps Justin’s favorite toy and holds it for ransom. Justin and Thomas and three other children soon board an old engine in for repairs, accidentally turning it into a runaway train, causing a series of chain reaction events. Starring Jonathan Hall, Michael Biesanz, Mercedes Rose, Elijah Nelson, Ia Gilbert, Daniel Nelson, Noah Smith, Bryce Walters, Bruce Cheese, Robert Zorn, Galen Flinn, Don Bellairs, Nathan Will, John Rowe and Penny Shaw
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6.00 p.m.	VIP RECEPTION FOR CARL REINER
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7.00 p.m.	FESTIVAL AWARDS CEREMONY Honorees: Carl Reiner – THOMAS INCE Award for excellence in filmmaking County Supervisor, Zev Yaroslavsky – FOUNDER’S Award for support of the motion picture industry ARTHUR FREED AWARD – Best Student Film BEST INDEPENDENT FICTION FEATURE BEST DOCUMENTARY BEST SHORT FILM
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Short Films The Shorts Programs will run in the Iksan/Yanji City Rooms.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
2-4 p.m.	LECTURE/TBA
6-10 p.m.	STUDENT FILMS SHORTS PROGRAM A SLICE OF TROUBLE, DANDELION, EXPRESS LANE RIB, THE ROMANOVS’ LAST PHOTOGRAPH, THE WINER SHORTS PROGRAM #1 TAG, OENOPHELIA, A REAL DOOZY, PENCIL FIGHTING, A DAY IN THE LIFE SHORTS PROGRAM #3 MEDICINAL, WAITING FOR RAIN, WHY SHAKESPEARE
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Thursday, April 3, 2008
2 p.m.		LAWRENCE BRIDGES' 12 (ACT OR DIE) (2003) USA Running time: 210 min. Written and Directed by Lawrence Bridges A half-sister and brother, illegitimate offsprings of Zeus, are stranded on a Channel Island ranch. Facing eviction by the US Government, they must find a play fated by Zeus and perform it flawlessly for the Gods’ amusement. If they do not act well, they will die.
	Starring Alison Elliot, Tony Griffin, Alan Lulu, Brenda Varda, Eugene Rubenzer, Black Robertson, Golde Starger, David Franko and Eddie Zona.
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6-10 p.m.	SHORTS PROGRAM #2 ROBBIE’S WITHDRAWAL, SEE JANE DANCE, SUNDOWNER, MANEJAR SHORTS PROGRAM #4 DEATH’S A BITCH, THE JESTER (WORLD PREMIERE) LOCKED OUT, NIGHT HAWK, SEEING THE ENEMY SHORTS PROGRAM #5 THE EYE OF DAN (WORLD PREMIERE), BETTER NEVER THAN LATE, DEAR MOM, TRADE
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Friday, April 4, 2008
2-4 p.m.	LECTURE Author and film historian Marc Wanamaker discusses his new book entitled Old Hollywood.
6-10 p.m.	SHORTS PROGRAM #1 TAG, OENOPHELIA, A REAL DOOZY, PENCIL FIGHTING, A DAY IN THE LIFE SHORTS PROGRAM #2 ROBBIE’S WITHDRAWAL, SEE JANE DANCE, SUNDOWNER, MANEJAR SHORTS PROGRAM #3 MEDICINAL, WAITING FOR RAIN, WHY SHAKESPEARE SHORTS PROGRAM #4 DEATH’S A BITCH, THE JESTER (WORLD PREMIERE) LOCKED OUT, NIGHT HAWK, SEEING THE ENEMY SHORTS PROGRAM #5 THE EYE OF DAN (WORLD PREMIERE), BETTER NEVER THAN LATE, DEAR MOM, TRADE
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