With films like “Three Monkeys,” a Cannes prize-winner, and Heath Ledger's real last film, directed by a former Monty Python, the St. Louis International Film Festival continues this week, with prize-winning films from other festivals, more local debuts of high-profile Hollywood films and some special programs that are just film fun.
It is all capped by the free closing night party at the Moonrise Hotel in the Delmar Loop, where festival award winners are announced, Sunday, November 22.
Here are some of this week's highlights. Dates, times, venues and synopses can be found at the festival website www.cinemastlouis.org/fest.html, along with the full schedule of screenings and events, Cinema St. Louis is the presenting organization of the SLIFF.
Big-budget films making their local debut include Terry Gilliam's “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus,” a fantasy with Heath Ledger's last role, which also stars Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law.
“Young Victoria” portrays the early years of Queen Victoria, starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend. “Me and Orson Welles” is director Richard Linklater's imaginative story about the young Orson Welles, starring Ben Chaplin, Claire Danes and Zac Efron. All three are shown on Sunday night near the same time, but “The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” and “Young Victoria” are both slated to return by year's end, while a return is less clear for “Me and Orson Welles.”
There are award-winning films from other festivals and films generating buzz on the festival circuit. One award-winner is “Storm,” which took 3 awards at the Berlin Film Festival and is part of the Bosnian Sidebar curated by University of Missouri-St. Louis professor Rita Csapo-Sweet. Other international prize-winners are “Gigante” a Uruguayan comedy which won 3 awards at Berlin, “Mutum,” a touching Brazilian prize-winner at multiple festivals last year, “Ciao Bella,” a romantic hit in its native Sweden (yes, that is right), “For My Father,” a hit at the Israeli Film Academy Awards, and “Three Monkeys,” a winner at Cannes from Turkey.
Prize-winning English-language films include “Desdemona: A Love Story,” the Best Feature winner at the Boston film fest, “Drool,” a winner at Miami and Los Angeles gay film fests, “London River,” a British drama and a winner at Berlin, “2:22,” a Canadian crime drama and award-winner at Malibu, and “Jolene,” a winner at Seattle based on an E.L. Doctorow story and starring Dermot Mulroney, Chazz Palminteri, Rupert Friend and
Denise Richards.
Films with fest circuit buzz include “The Only Good Indian,” starring Wes Studi in a Native American response to the classic Western “The Searchers,” “Dernier Maquis,” a French film about Algerians immigrants, “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench” a modern-jazz musical, and “One Day You'll Understand,” a French film from Israeli director Amos Gitai about events following the conviction of Nazi Klaus Barbie.
Local interest films include “Saving Grace B. Jones,” a Missouri-shot film directed by Connie Stevens and starring Tatum O'Neal.
Fans of classic Hollywood might want to check out “The Brothers Warner,” a documentary about the brothers behind the name of the Golden Age studio. There will be screenings of the Warner Brothers' classic “Adventures of Robin Hood” and classic Hollywood shorts.
Fun stuff includes “Cinematic Titanic,” on-stage movie riffing from the cast who brought you Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Top it all off with awards and a party atop the Moonrise Hotel, and you have a film festival.
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