THE “STARS”
WILL BE
OUT AT
SPECIAL EVENTS
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Announces Official 2012 Line-up for the 27th Annual Event Â
includes:
THE SAPPHIRES, QUARTET, A LATE QUARTET
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, DEADFALL, THE SESSIONS
 Star-studded premieres, returning filmmakers, parties and concerts
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(Fort Lauderdale, FL) – September 14, 2012 — The 27th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) announced its official line-up for the 27th Annual event, October 19 – November 11, 2012. Of the 200 films the festival presents, 78 are premieres including 14 World Premieres, 2 North American, 6 U.S. Premieres, 3 East Coast, 31 Southeast and 22 Florida.
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“This year FLiFF has one of the most exciting film line-ups in our history. There are a number of films with all-star casts, a feature film directorial debut by one of our most revered actor. The documentaries are enlightening and engaging; some controversial, others political and some about Florida. We also have 8 returning filmmakers and an expanding outreach program throughout Florida and on Grand Bahama Island,†commented Gregory von Hausch, President & CEO of FLIFF.
Giancarlo Esposito
For the second year, FLIFF takes films and talent on location to Grand Bahama Island for a 4-day excursion from October 25th – October 28th at the Pelican Bay Hotel while films continue simultaneously in Fort Lauderdale at three area theaters – Cinema Paradiso (downtown), Sunrise Civic Center Theater in West Broward and Muvico Pompano in North Broward. Celebrated television, film and stage actor, Giancarlo Esposito, whose acting career spans over several decades has been named as this year’s Career Achievement Award recipient at FLIFF on Location: Grand Bahama Island.Â
This year, FLIFF honors two of the brightest upcoming talents in Hollywood with the Star on The Horizon Award:Â 12 year-old actress and native of Fort Lauderdale,
Bailee Madison who has had starring roles in
Bridge to Terabithia,
Bailee Madison in Cowgirls N’ Angels
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Adam Sandler’s Just Go With It and is coming up in Parental Guidance to be released this Christmas. Garret Dillahunt, remembered for his roles in No Country for Old Men, Winter’s Bone and The Last House on The Left. Madison will receive her award at a screening of COWGIRLS N’ ANGELS in which she stars as a feisty and rebellious young girl with fantasies of finding her father and is recruited to a team of young female rodeo riders. Dillahunt will receive his award at the Southeast Premiere of ANY DAY NOW, in which he stars opposite Alan Cumming in a true story of a gay couple who takes in a mentally handicapped teenager and must fight a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own.
FLIFF kicks-off October 19 with the Opening Night VIP Celebration, hosted by Warren Henry Auto Group together with Entre Nous, Arthur E. Benjamin and the Trinity Diversified Film Fund at Gulfstream Park. The highly anticipated event features red carpet arrivals by celebrity guests attending films opening weekend followed by an exclusive film montage preview of films and talent featured at this year’ festival. The film-themed evening includes signature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and an elaborate display of high-end vehicles.
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The Official Opening Night Film, presented October 20, is the Southeast Premiere of The Sapphires (from Australia) which received its debut during the Cannes Film Festival to a rapturous standing ovation. The crowd-pleaser takes place in 1968 and features some of the greatest Motown hits of the time as four young, talented Australian Aboriginal girls, The Sapphires, entertain U.S. Troops in Vietnam, dodge bullets, learn about love, friendship and war.
Also screening opening day is: The Southeast Premiere of
Quartet,two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman’s feature film directorial debut starring Maggie Smith, Tom Courtney, Michael Gambon and Sheridan Smith. Based on the stage play of the same name, the film centers on four celebrated opera singers whose annual retirement home fundraiser begins to
“Deadfall’s” Director Stefan Ruzowitzky
unravel when a former Grande Dame moves in. The Southeast premiere of Deadfall directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, whose film The Counterfitters won the Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 2007, is a riveting thriller starring Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Sissy Spacek, Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, Charlie Hunnam, Kate Mara. The Southeast Premiere of How Do You Write a Joe Schermann Song, a brilliant and sexymusical centered around an Off-Broadway show, will be attended by director Gary King & star Christina Rose.  And, writer Domonic Paris, will attend the U.S. Premiere of his animated 3-D underwater adventure movie Sammy’s Adventures 2: Escape from Paradise, a favorite at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and the sequel to the popular A Turtles Tale: Sammy’s Adventures.  Lucy Mulloy, whose dynamic debut feature, Una Noche set in Havana, walked off with three big awards at the Tribeca Film Fest. Mulloy brings it to FLIFF for its Southeast Premiere. The film about three teens who escape from Cuba to Miami hit national news when the two Cuban actors, Javier Nunez Florian and Anailin de la Rua de la Torren, en route to Tribeca disappeared in Miami and resurfaced announcing they had defected to the United States. From Cameroon comes NINAH’S DOWRY, celebrating its World Premiere with director Victor Viyouh in attendance. The US Premiere of SEX, LIES & SURGERY is a hysterical French farce and director/star Artus de Penguern will bring the film himself from Paris.
October also offers the Florida Premiere ofÂ
Here, an adventure-romance involving two travelers directed by Braden King and starring Peter Coyote, Ben Foster and Lubna Azab The Florida Premiere of
Shadow Dancer a provocative thriller about one woman’s incredible fight to protect her son, starring Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough (
W.E.) and directed by Academy Award winner James Marsh
(Project Nim, Man on the Wire). And, Southeast Premieres including:Â
A Late Quartet, directed by Yaron Silberman
, examines the professional and personal relationships of a world-class
Salma Hayek in “As Luck Would Have It”
string quartet, played with precision by Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanir.  All In (La Suerte En Tus Manos), a romantic comedy from Argentina, is directed by Daniel Burman (Every Stewardess Goes To Heaven) and starring Valeria Bertuccelli, Norma Alejandro and Jorge Drexler, Luis Brandon.
As Luck Would Have It, a bitingly funny and often perverse satire on reality television and the personal effect of today’s economy directed by Alex de la Inglesia, stars Spanish comedian Jose Mota and Oscar nominee Salma Hayek. Smashed, directed by James Ponsold, stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul in a story of a young married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of music, laughter and drinking. A Better Life (Une Vie Meilleure) poses the question can love and passion survive all in this moving and incredible emotional roller coaster of a film directed by Cedric Kahn and starring Guillaume Canet, Leila Bekhti. The Other Son (Le Fils de l’autre), directed by Lorraine Lévy is a moving and provocative tale of two young men – one Israeli, the other Palestinian, who discover they were accidentally switched at birth.
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FLIFF’s kicks-off November with the Centerpiece Film, the Southeast Premiere of Stuck, Stuart Acher’s delightfully kinky comedy about the morning after a one night stand starring Joel David Moore (Avatar, Dodgeball) and Madeline Zima (who doubles as Executive Producer). Using flashbacks in the creative fashion to tell the story, Acher magnificently puts the puzzle together leading to discovery and lots of laughs. The film will be followed by The Centerpiece Party in the Maxwell Room at the Downtowner Saloon.
The Closing Night Film, November 10, is the Florida Premiere of Silver Linings Playbook starring Bradley Cooper, Robert Deniro, Jennifer Lawrence and Jacki Weaver. Written and directed by David O. Russell, the seriocomic love story is about a man who loses everything and is determined to rebuild his life and reconcile with his wife. Things get complicated when he meets a mysterious girl who offers to help him, but only if he’ll do something very important in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives. The film will be followed by The Wrap Party at Villa de Palma.
November also includes: The Southeast Premiere of
The Sessions,based on the poignantly optimistic autobiographical writings of California-based journalist and poet Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes), written and directed by Ben Lewin, tells the
John Hawkes and Helen Hunt in “The Sessions”
story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined – at age 38 – to lose his virginity. With the help of a sex therapist (Helen Hunt) and the guidance of his priest (William H. Macy), he sets out to make his dream a reality. The Southeast Premiere of Junction, writer/director Tony Glazer’s high octane thriller that follows four strung-out meth-addicts who discover a dark secret about a homeowner during a burglary.  The Florida Premiere of Tales of the Night, renowned animation auteur Michel Ocelot’s first foray into 3D animation, weaves together six exotic fables each unfolding in a unique locale. The Florida Premiere of Tio Papi, a heartwarming story about a bachelor who reluctantly becomes Tio Papi to his sister’s six children, is directed by Fro Rojas and stars Joey Dedio (Musical Chairs), Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Kelly McGillis.
The day prior to the Presidential election, FLIFF features two political films.  Party Crashers, directed by Travis Burroughs, is an engaging look at the grass-roots movement and the rise of The Tea Party. Grassroots, is Stephen Gyllenhaal’s bittersweet, uplifting comedy based the true story of the 2001 Seattle City Council election and candidate Grant Cogswell an unemployed music critic who likes to dress up as a polar bear. After voting on November 6, attend the Election Night Festivities at Cinema Paradiso free with your “I VOTED” sticker and catch the Florida Premiere of Mr. Cao Goes To Washington, followed by the election coverage on the big screen both inside the theater and outside on in the courtyard. Drink and food specials will be available all evening. Mr. Cao Goes To Washington is director S. Leo Chiang’s intimate look at Representative Joseph Cao’s term as the first elected Vietnamese-American Congressman representing the 2nd district of New Orleans.
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This year, eight (8) filmmakers are returning to FLIFF with their new films. Darcyana Moreno Izel (Avidente /2011), returns with the World Premiere of Dark Amazon, a supernatural thriller shot deep in the Amazon jungle of Brazil. Writer/director and actor, Artus de Penguern (Gregoire Moulin vs ‘Lhumanite/2001) brings the U.S. premiere of his new film Sex, Lies and Surgery, a spoof on American medical dramas like ER and Grey’s Anatomy. Laura Colella (Stay Until Tommorrow/2004) attends her Southeast Premiere of Breakfast with Curtis, an off-beat story featuring a cadre of quirky characters who live in the same charming but funky abode. Rob Margolies (Lifelines/2008) returns with the Southeast Premiere of She Wants Me, a hilarious and original feel-great comedy starring Josh Gad, Kristen Ruhlin and Hilary Duff. Daniel Schechter (writer, The Big Bad Swim/2006) returns with the Southeast Premiere of his funny and at times bittersweet buddy pic Supporting Characters and Ishai Setton who directed Schechter’s The Big Bad Swim, returns with the Southeast Premiere of his own film, The Kitchen, an ensemble comedy set entirely inside a kitchen starring Dreama Walker and Matt Bush.  In 2002, student filmmaker Victor Viyuoh entered FLIFF’s Kodak International Student Film Competition and won the short narrative section with his film Mboutoukou. Fast forward twelve years and Victor, now a professional filmmaker, returns with the World Premiere of Ninah’s Dowery, about a wife of 7 years whose escape from an abusive husband sets off an incredible series of events with a whirlwind of suspense, thrills, and adventure set across the Cameroon landscape. Go Ganges! by Josh Thomas and J.J. Kelley, the comic pair of Dudes on Media and the makers of the Emmy nominated documentary Paddle to Seattle, capture the danger, joy and significance of the Ganges as they travel the mighty river by any means possible.
On Sunday, November 11, FLIFF celebrates Veterans Day with four premieres of films honoring military heroes, families whom have lost a loved one to war and remembering historical events that changed the face of wars.  If I Should Fall, with special guest Military Advisor, Rick Ryan, this modern All’s Quiet on the Western Front, defines the tragedy of war through a families loss of an only son. True Story of WWII Hero, with special guests co-directors Jozef Lenders, Connie Barron, and subject of the film, Harry Beeman who, in the film, tells the vivid stories of one of the unsung heroes in his own words. Beeman saved many lives as a Navy swimmer and a Gunners Mate First Class. At 90 years of age, Harry recalls every event and battle with great detail from brief encounters with two future presidents to his opinion of famous Japanese Admirals. Dive The USS Atlanta follows a team of scuba divers to the Solomon Islands where the ship was sunk during one the most chaotic and close-range naval battles in U.S. history took place. The story is told through interviews with the divers, veterans who had served on the ship and through the most extensive footage of the wreck shot to date. Shady Lady is the epic docu-drama that portrays the story of the B-24 Liberator aircraft that set off from Darwin on Friday, August 13, 1943 on what was the world’s longest ever bombing mission of WWII. After 16 hours and 35 minutes the fuel ran out forcing the crew to crash land on a remote salt pan in NW Australia. With help from the Aboriginal Community, Shady Lady amazingly flew again. Active military personnel and veterans will receive free admission. This Veteran’s Day Tribute sponsored by Wayne & Marti Huizenga.
A competition festival, FLiFF will recognize films for awards in categories including: The Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress/Actor, The Independent Spirit Award, the Audience Favorite, among others. The Awards Presentation will be held November 10 at the World famous Copacabanna Supper Club in downtown Fort Lauderdale, a retro-glamorous restaurant with authentic Latin cuisine and music.
There will be seven (7) Meet The Filmmakers events hosted by Florida Atlantic University and presented by Florida State University’s School of Motion Pictures which also sponsors the High School Film Competition featuring films from 12 student finalists’ from around the globe. Â The College Film Competition will feature films from 4 finalists.
In addition to nightly gatherings and parties at trendy area venues, there will be a brunch cruise aboard Sundream Charters’ yacht, The Caprice.
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FLIFF celebrates Halloween on October 31 with the BOO-tacular for families including hayrides, a scream and costume contest, a not so scary movie and of course lots of treats. Late night is reserved for horror fans and and feature Dark Amazon and a Halloween Short Film Program with themed drink specials all night.
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This year, live performances by dancers, local and national bands and musicians are paired with films: Yoskiko Carlton on the Koto (Japanese Harp) at the screening of Dog Years, about an emotionally withdrawn Japanese-American, forced to battle with the ghosts from his past when he returns to Tokyo. Violinist/guitarist, Ed Horowitz, who played with fellow musician David Bromberg in the 70’s will perform at the Florida Premiere of David Bromberg: Unsung Treasure. Acclaimed tenor from Florida Grand Opera, Rolando Polo, takes us on a journey of Cuban music with the South Florida Premiere Una Noche. In addition, Jazz musician, Randy Bensen will perform in a stand-alone concert the evening of October 26.  World class Argentinean Tango performers, Gabriel Toppino and Mariana Hamel will perform at the Southeast Premiere of All In and  Irish Dancers from Aranmore Academy will perform at the Florida Premiere of Shadow Dancer.
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Tickets:Â Most Films are $10 general admission, $8 seniors & students and $6 for FLIFF members.
Film Events and Parties are priced separately.
The festival FAST Pass offers free admission or considerable discount for all films and events and free entrance daily to the Whole Foods Festival Cafe, with complimentary gourmet foods and a full bar in the VIP section of the canopied courtyard. Cost of the FLIFF Fast Pass is $395 for FLIFF Members and $450 for Non-Members. FLIFF Membership offer a variety of levels and provides discounted pricing and some free films during the film festival and year-round at Cinema Paradiso. Membership prices start at $75 general / $35 for students.
Theaters:
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About Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF)
FLIFF is the top rated film festivals in Florida and has been honored with four major grants from The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences. FLIFF operates its own year-round art house named Cinema Paradiso as it is housed in an original structure built as a church in 1926. Renovated and completed remodeled into a state-of-the-art facility with stadium seating in plush blue velvet chairs from Paris, a huge canopied Courtyard and a full bar. Cinema Paradiso presents foreign films, America Indies, children’s films and a French, Spanish and Italian mini fests throughout the year. A monthly Cinema A La Mode program pairs a cooking/tasting demonstration with a film. Retro Reels brings back classic films. Splatter-Rama pays homage to B Films in the horror genre. During the first week of December, The CAN Film Festival for Charity provides three days of holiday films with the only admission being two cans of food or one new toy per person, all donate to charity. FLIFF’s Outreach Program is second to none as the festival blankets not only South Florida but, also take films to Daytona, St. Augustine, Tallahassee and Grand Bahama Island. FLIFF is recognized by The Broward County Commission as one of five Major Cultural Institutions of Broward County.
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About FLIFF On-Location
FLIFF On-Location brings the Fest to Grand Bahama Island (Oct 25 – 29) where a special deal includes the overnight cruise aboard the Bahamas Celebration, your own cabin, and accommodations at Pelican Bay Resort for 4/5 nights, all films and parties and air back to Fort Lauderdale. On board The Celebration you will mix and mingle with the filmmakers. When you arrive the next morning a limo takes you to Pelican Bay, which is situated just a pleasant stroll along the waterfront to The Marketplace. The Opening Night Film, SAMMY 2: Escape from Paradise (an animated family film about a brave sea turtle) takes place outdoors at beautiful Taino Beach on a jumbo 30′ screen. In addition to the films, the parties are great and plentiful. One of the highlights with the filmmakers is the drive your own jeep tour of the island, led by a tour guide with CB radio in each jeep. Following the Sunday Awards ceremony and reception, BahamasAir flies you back to Fort Lauderdale (a 30 min flight). There is also an option to take the Fast Ferry, Baleria direct from Fort Lauderdale to GBI.
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The Fest also celebrates in historic St. Augustine January 17-20, 2013. The magnificent Casa Monica is the host hotel and you’ll be there for the spectacular Light Up St. Augustine nightly through Feb 1st. Stay at The Casa Monica or The Saragossa B&B for three nights and receive a complimentary badge good for all films and the three signature parties. The Opening Night party takes place in the early 19th century Antebellum mansion, The Markland House on Thursday, January 17. The event is inside and out on the great lawn. The Florida Party is Saturday night in the incredible Alcazar Hotel built by Henry Flagler in 1887. The Alcazar (listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings also houses the famed Lightner Museum.) The Closing Night Dinner is back at The Markland and is prepared on the lawn by Carrabbas Italian Grill. So join us for The Guinness World Record for Longest Film Festival in the world as we take ‘a vacation from ordinary film’. For details write
info@fliff.com
Directed by Laurent Tirard (Molière), The Return of the Hero pairs Oscar® winner Jean Dujardin, (The Artist) as dashing swindler Captain Neuville and Mélanie Laurent (Inglorious Bastards) as his sharp-tongued nemesis, Elizabeth. Set in the year 1809, Neuville is to marry the naive Pauline when war breaks out, forcing him to depart for the battlefield. After not hearing from the captain for months, Pauline becomes ill with worry. Her sister Elizabeth devises a plan to write fake letters on behalf of Neuville, thinking he would never come back. But it all goes south when Neuville reappears.
This year, in light of the recent devastation in the Florida Panhandle by Hurricane Michael, the festival will donate 50% of each full price, $12 ticket sold for the film, to United Way of Northwest Florida. The donation will be applied to relief efforts in that area, which bore the brunt of the Category 4 storm.
We are pleased to announce that the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival ( FLIFF) On-Location is coming to Grand Bahama Island October 27-30, 2011 at Canal House, Pelican Bay Hotel. 
(Fort Lauderdale, FL) — October 31, 2010 — George Hickenlooper’s latest film Casino Jack, about former Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and starring Kevin Spacey, is the official Closing Night Film of the 25th Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLiFF). Hickenlooper was scheduled to arrive Saturday, November 6 for two book signing events and to attend the two screenings of his film on Sunday, November 7 at 5:15pm and 7:00pm. This was to be Hickenlooper’s fourth visit to the film festival.
Born in 1963 in St Louis, George Hickenlooper’s interest in film began in childhood and stemmed from his great-uncle’s involvement in the film Fantasia. Hickenlooper’s interest also bloomed from his father being a playwright and his mother starting a guerrilla theater troop, which would protest the Vietnam War. Through them he learned techniques of story telling. His first short Super 8mm films were animated and made with this grammar school friend Kirk Wise who, years later, would go on to direct Beauty and the Beast for Disney. Hickenlooper spent one summer studying film at the USC, and then went on to Yale for a B.A. in History and Film Studies. He then interned for producer Roger Corman and in 1991 wrote Reel Conversations, a collection of interviews with film directors and critics. His pro directing debut was Art, Acting, and the Suicide Chair: Dennis Hopper. His breakthrough was Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse, the acclaimed documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now, premiering at the Cannes.
Starring: Emily Mitchell, Christopher Lucas, Cheri Page Fogleman, Martin Ludwinski and Fen Tien Lui
