Newport Beach Film Festival 2008

Jerod Grot's once-prosperous farm is now a twisted shadow of its former self. With his land overrun by crows and a scarecrow with a mind of its own, Jerod is forced to seek solace in the fading happy memories of his past. As days pass by in Jerod’s lonely life, Jerod happens upon a lost love letter from his deceased wife. However, the letter is not intended for him, but rather to his scarecrow. With his world turned upside down, Jerod is met with many more memories - dark and unpleasant ones which he pushed to the back of his mind and chose to ignore. As he confronts the scarecrow about the letter, secrets buried long before begin to resurface. The uneasy peace that once existed on this haunted land is shattered, forcing Jerod to face his past as it truly was.

Lucie Audibert, a young art history student, tries to uncover the identity of a woman represented in Jean-Antoine Watteau's paintings. Fascinated by the aura surrounding these paintings, she plunges into an investigation of the painter's life. Her meeting with Vincent, mute from birth, turns her study upside down and throws her into the heart of a mystery that began two centuries ago. Join us immediately following this screening for a celebration honoring tonight's film and France's contribution to the world of filmmaking. The post party is hosted by French 75 and Lignet Roset, TV5 Monde and will feature bar hosted by Absolut vodka and Karl Strauss beer.

Sidney Taylor heads up one of the most successful asset management funds on Wall street. He has always escaped the pain and disappointment of life by throwing himself one hundred percent into his work. When Sidney discovers his estranged best friend and former business partner has died of cancer, all the emotional walls he has built to protect him disappear. He is shaken to his core with regret so powerful he can barely stand it.

In 1934, Jay O'Rourke realizes his job as a ventriloquist is not what it used to be - no one is coming to the vaudeville troupe's performances and his once jokes-of-gold just aren't cutting it. To make matters worse, Chester, his ventriloquist dummy, doesn't seem to see it as a problem. When the theatre owner ends the theatre run after losing too much business to the movies, Jay and Chester must survive on their own. As the two try to sort through their problems, Jay decides to scam a farmer out of his money, much to Chester’s resistance. Jay continues to scam despite warnings from Chester about taking advantage of the less fortunate, but Jay ignores him. Realizing that he and Chester cannot coexist morally, the two encounter a falling out with one another, which causes Jay to ultimately abandon Chester on the side of a road.

Laura Hagen is the only beauty in Todd Gorman’s life. Unfortunately, Laura also happens to be his abusive father’s bewitching girlfriend. When Todd’s odd behavior drives Laura away, the lonely teenager embarks on a menacing quest to find something lovely for himself.

Stuck in a rut of haircuts, hot dogs, and horse books, a small time barber lives every day like a warmed-over version of the last. Hit with the unexpected death of his long time partner and last apparent friend, he faces losing the only thing in life he's got left - his barbershop. In order to keep it, he is forced to hire the last person on earth he would ever imagine working there, a spitfire young girl who suddenly finds herself unable to take no for an answer. This is the humorous, sweet story of two unlikely people offered a second chance in one unlikely place - The Village Barbershop.

In a truly original look at the Holocaust, “The Violin” features David, a shy 17-year-old music student who falls in love with a girl named Judith in 1944 Hungary. When the Nazis invade, the two are separated, only to be reunited by fate in a concentration camp. Though their reunion restores hope in David, he struggles to continue their relationship and to weigh it with the consequences which arise. At every turn David and Judith struggle with the question: What is more important, living your life, or surviving your circumstances? With genuine human interaction and a familiar love story, “The Violin” tells the story of the Holocaust in a rare way by portraying the Jewish characters as active, struggling individuals who despite their horrific circumstances still have to live with their very present emotions.

Falaise Johnson has lost her locker key. In the next two hours the rest of her life will be decided because of this. Will she end up as a prostitute on a Barking street corner, a single mother living in a council flat or a psychology student? Similar to “Groundhog Day” and “Run Lola Run”, “Walking Away” depicts Falaise on an odyssey through inner city London, and follows her through a series of encounters with her birth family, foster father, and a dubious boyfriend named Cleveland shape her attitude and her future.

“War Eagle, Arkansas” is a character-driven drama about a young man’s choice of whether to leave his family and friends for a career in baseball or to stay and redeem his struggling community. In the pivotal few weeks in the summer after Enoch Cass’s senior year he must decide where his loyalties and heart lie. His father has always pushed him to excel but the tough love has left Enoch searching for something beyond just his beautiful Ozark Mountain home. Now he has a big decision to make, and his girlfriend, his family and his friends are all going to try and help him.