Official Selection

Choose Date: Wednesday April 1 | Thursday April 2 | Friday April 3 | Saturday April 4 | Sunday April 5

FRIDAY, APRIL 3

CLARITY THEATER | 100 N. Crescent Drive | Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Block 1 (6:00PM)

AMERIKA IDOL
Documentary (34mins.) Canada

Director:  Barry Avrich
Writer:  Barry Avrich
Producer:  Melissa Coghlan
Cast:  Sylvester Stallone
Synopsis: In a tiny town, 33 miles north of Belgrade in war torn Serbi, a group of villagers decide that they alone must change their destiny. After 4,000 years of floods, famine and war, the people of Zitiste unite in the selection of a new symbol they hope will reverse their fortune. Unanimously, they select Rocky Balboa as the one icon that will lead them to prosperity.

This is a true story of the journey and quest to build a Rocky Blaboa statue in the middle of a tiny town and the villagers who sucessfully force the eyes of the world on its meager existence and change things forever.

DELTA RISING
Documentary (79mins.) USA

Director/Writer: Michael Afendakis, Laura Bernieri Producers: Michael Afendakis, Laura Bernieri, Buffy Afendakis, Christy Cashman, Matthew Goff Cast: Morgan Freeman, “Big” Jack Johnson, Barry Bays, Chris Cotton, Dick Waterman, Frankie Lee, Honeyboy Edwards, Howard Stovall, James Mathus, James Montgomery, James “Super Chikan” Johnson, Pinetop Perkins, Roger Stolle, Ruby Wilson, Scott Bornar, Stan Street, Willie Nelson Synopsis:Delta Rising is a fascinating film that documents the history of the blues, and more specifically, the birthplace of the blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi. The film not only delves deeply into the historical signposts of who, where and what came first, but more interestingly why in Clarksdale. The simple answer is this: the poor residents of the region in the 1920s and 1930s could generally earn more money playing the blues than picking cotton. If they couldn't, playing the blues in the club was more enjoyable than picking cotton in the sun all day long. With its abundance of blues clubs and blues museums, Clarksdale makes a legitimate claim for being the birthplace of the blues, a claim that is supported by the testimony of several blues heavyweights.

Block 2 (8:15PM)

WAY UP NORTH
Drama (24 mins.) USA

Director/Writer: Levi Taylor
Producer: Levi Taylor, Michael Bergstrom
Cast: Angela Vice, Anthony Olivia, Levi Taylor

Synopsis: Shot and produced entirely in South Central Alaska, 'Way Up North' stabs at the heart of classic gritty mechanisms in a style as unique as Alaska itself. This modern western is as hard as the unforgiving world of the north and as eccentric as the characters who decide to dwell there. And who decides to live there? Those born there, those seeking opportunity, and those who appreciate the adventure the seclusion provides.

GANGSTER EXCHANGE
Drama (93 mins.) Canada

Director/Writer: Dean Barjramovic
Producer: David Krae and Dean Bajramovic
Cast: Christopher Russel, Nobuya Shimamoto, Sarain Boylan, Steve Park, Walter Alza

Synopsis:  Karate meets Kalashnikovs in Gangster Exchange, a bloody hilarious action comedy. Hiro is a Tokyo Yakuza with a simple mission:  smuggle a toilet made of heroin to a New York Bosnian mafia. If he screws it up his boss will stick his sword where the rising sun don’t shine.

When a mob war erupts, the cyber-punk Hiro and Marco, a muscle-mountain enforcer, steal the toilet. Snipers and bad acid trips stand in their way as they search for a chemist to convert the toilet into heroin. The problem is Marco has a nasty habit of getting shot and Hiro is just looking for a girl to swallow his sashimi. Wounded and running for their lives, they might just make it out of this alive.

Block 3 (10:15PM) ANIMATIONS

A CHRISTMAS CARL
Animation (4 mins.) Canada

Director: Michael Patrick O’Hara
Writer: John Guertin
Producer: Jonas Diamond, JudyGladstone, Michael Patrick O’Hara , Shona Kennedy
Cast: Brad Adamson, Madeline O'Hara
Animation/Design: Rich Duhaney

Synopsis: A hobo Santa shows up on a conservative fathers doorstep one Christmas Eve and sings his way into their hearts and home.

THE SNOW PRINCESS
Drama (7 mins.) USA

Director/Writer Producer: Audrey Holland
Cast: Cuyle Carvin
Synopsis: 'The Snow Princess' is Tim Burton's 'Vincent' meets Dr. Seuss.
Snow Princess Gwyneira has spent an eternity dreaming of the World of Spring, but one has to be careful what you wish for! When Gwyneira tumbles down her mountain top into this exotic world she will find adventure and a new friend, but at what cost?

DANIEL FINDS HIS WALKING STICK
Drama (7 mins.) USA

Director/Writer/Producer: Gary Hebert
Cast: Gary Hebert, Melanie Cruz, Rita Lee

Synopsis: Daniel Finds His Walking Stick is a collage of memories from a man suffering from Alzheimer’s. It is a funny and sad portrait of the plight of an aging lonely man in a changing world.

A LETTER TO COLLEEN
Drama (8 mins.) USA

Director/Writer: Andy London
Producer: Carolyn London, Andy London
Cast: Andy London

Synopsis: Andy London has been haunted by the events of his 18th birthday for years. In this short animated film set in the early 90’s he writes a letter to Colleen in an attempt to put his demons to rest.

BOTNIK
Drama (11 mins.) USA

Director/Writer: Jacqueline Smessaert Brennan
Producer: Edward Newmann, Monica Kendall, Sean Henry, Wayne Brejcha

Synopsis: A frustrated artist who longs to win the heart of a sexy beatnik chick goes to robotic extremes to create the ultimate art show.

FAUST
Drama (26 mins.) USA

Director: Hoku Uchiyama
Writer:  Steven Ritz-Barr
Producer: Lynda Lester, Steven Ritz-Barr
Cast: Steven Ritz-Barr

Synopsis: Set in the middle ages, the infamous Dr. FAUST, dances with the devil's servant, Mephisto. This intense film, inspired by the German masterpiece by Goethe, comes alive through the medium of Puppets. All Faust wanted was more power, more glory, and more ability to seduce a young Gretchen. What he gets is a lot more.

BHFF AFTER PARTY (9:00 PM) [ Click here to get tickets ]

Life On Wilshire 6311 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048

Choose Date: Wednesday April 1 | Thursday April 2 | Friday April 3 | Saturday April 4 | Sunday April 5