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Vitagraph Films has picked up Oscar and Golden Globe nominee “The Baader-Meinhof Complex” for theatrical distribution in the United States. Directed by Uli Edel and based on the book by Stefan Aust, “The Baader-Meinhof Complex” tells the true story of militant revolutionary group The Red Army Faction (RAF), which terrorized Germany with bombings and assassinations in the 1960s and ’70s. Starring Martina Gedeck (“The Lives of Others”), Moritz Bleibtreu (“Run Lola Run”), and Bruno Ganz (“Downfall”), “The Baader-Meinhof Complex” became a huge box-office success and stirred much controversy in Germany, where the RAF remains a politically volatile subject. Vitagraph plans…

The 25th Anniversary Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), presented by Visual Communications (VC), runs April 30 to May 7, 2009, celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month with a slate of 35 feature films and 146 shorts and videos from both Asian Pacific American and Asian international directors from 26 countries. Venues include the Directors Guild of America (DGA), Laemmle’s Sunset 5 Theatres, Downtown Independent Theatre, The National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, and the Aratani/Japan America Theatre.Sundance hit film CHILDREN OF INVENTION from director Tze Chun will open the festival on Thursday, April 30, 2009 at the DGA…

“La vie moderne” is a tragicomic piece. Depardon tenderly captures hilarious moments that set the audience laughing throughout the film yet this homage is also tinged with a pang of loss. But his film is poetry, a celebration. Lone scapes. Red eyes of a tired old man staring at space, silent as the clock ticks, perfectly still, a fly on his blue shirt, on his shoulder. Frozen in time.“You have to be passionate to do this work” says the shepherd, in his late eighties. In another shot, we see him in the tall grasses of the field, swayed by the…

Recently, Bijan Tehrani, Editor In Chief of Cinema Without Borders, was a guest on the The Screenwriters Radio Show hosted by Monica McKinney.Bijan talked about his work as a writer, director, art instructor, and magazine editor. He also told The Screenwriters Radio Show audience about his personal life and reasons for leaving Iran, his country of origin. A hot, new Southern California entertainment industry “Radio on TV” show is bridging the creative gap globally! The Screenwriters Radio Show features exciting and informative interviews with professionals from a variety of entertainment industry disciplines (actors, directors, producers, writers, etc). Each Show is…

New on DVD is The Life of Lucky Cucumber, a film produced by Preston Lacy, directed by Sam Maccarone, and written by both, who also star in the film. Don’t be fooled by the movie’s no-so-coincidental St. Patrick’s Day release, however. You will find little relation to the Irish holiday in this film. Instead, you will be detoured to dusty, rural J-Town, Missouri; the hometown of filmmakers Forrest Fonda (Lacy) and Phillip Fellini (Maccarone). The two receive a $1200 state grant to make an industrial for the town’s Chamber of Commerce, but rather use the money to document the life…

Muslim-American filmmaker Justin Mashouf will be screening his feature-length documentary, “Warring Factions,” on May 2nd as a part of the 3rd Annual Noor International Film Festival—the largest Iranian film festival in America. After screening the 70-minute documentary, Mashouf will speak about his experiences in Iran, his detention by Homeland Security and the confiscation of his video footage on suspicion of terrorism.”Warring Factions” is 24-year-old Mashouf’s first feature-length documentary. Filming began in April 2007, capturing his experiences as a multi-ethnic Iranian-American exploring his Muslim identity in a post-9/11 world. In the wake of rising international tensions, he is cornered into answering…

WHITE ON RICE will premiere at this year’s Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on Sunday, May 3rd at 6:30PM at the DGA 1 Theatre.Director Dave Boyle (“Big Dreams Little Tokyo”) returns with his feature film WHITE ON RICE, the comedic story of Jimmy (Hiroshi Watanabe – “Letters from Iwo Jima”), a misguided 40 year old divorcee trying to navigate his way through a new life in America and out of his sister Aiko’s (Japanese Academy Award winner Nae) basement. Disgraced by his disgruntled brother-in-law Tak (Mio Takada – “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”), the immature yet adorable Jimmy spends…

Iranian Kurd filmmaker Bahaman Ghobadi has released an open letter regarding Saberi’s arrest, conviction, and imprisonment. “To Roxana Saberi, Iranian with an American passport”If I kept quiet until now, it was for her sake. If today I speak, it is for her sake. She is my friend, my fiancée, and my companion. An intelligent and talented young woman, whom I have always admired.It was the 31st of January. The day of my birthday. That morning, she called to say she would pick me up so we would go out together. She never came. I called on her mobile, but it…

“Niloofar” a film by Sabin El Gamyel, will participate in Los Angeles Third Annual Noor Film Festival. Nilufar screening is schaduled for Saturday, May 2nd at 8:45 pm Fine Arts Theater.Shot entirely in Iran in 2007, Niloofar poetically focuses on a young Iraqi girl just entering puberty. This new phase in her life marks her entry into the circle of women, which brings with it new cultural obligations that leave little room for her own personal quest.Meet director Sabine El Gemayel for a Q&A; when The Noor Film Festival screens her first feature film on Saturday, May 2nd at 8:45…

10th Polish Film Festival Los Angeles will be opened on April 22 at Egyptian Theatre and will continue until May 3, 2009. Here is a list of Polish Film Festival LA events:April 22 – Gala Opening at the Egyptian Theatre. Performance by Wendy Waldman, Mietek Szczesniak and H. B. Barnum Life Choir with Scott Babsoch, Phil Parapino, Kenny Edwards. Presentation of Amicus Poloniae (Friend of Poland) Awrad to to Jane Kaczmarek & Tom LaBonge (Awarded by Ambassador of Poland to USA.)Presentation of Pola Negri Award to Scott Wilson for his collaboration with Krzysztof Zanussi in “The Year of the Quiet…