Newport Beach Film Festival 2009

Lance Clayton discovers that what he covets most in life may not be what makes him happy, and being lonely is not necessarily the same as being alone. Lance is a high school poetry teacher who dreams of becoming a rich and famous writer. A single father, he tries desperately to connect with his teenage son, Kyle, an insolent, hormone-raging smartass who defies his dad at every turn. Lance exercises his own hormones with Claire, a painfully adorable art teacher who may have her eyes on a bigger prize. After a freak accident, Lance suddenly faces both the worst tragedy of his life, and the greatest opportunity. Determined to make lemonade from life’s lemons, Lance treads a path that could ultimately land him everything he’s ever dreamed of.

From Senegal to Colombia, Russia to Indonesia, and India to the United States, young student activists are using the democratic process to convince local and national leaders to pass laws that are critical to their lives. The film follows students tackling issues that include banning teenage gambling, fighting taxation of local artists, creating a community constitution in a war-torn town, and securing clean drinking water for an African village. This film is an inspirational story of young people working together to realize their dreams. It captures the dedication, determination, and empowerment the teenagers experience while working together to change their world.

Everyone is looking for that special someone, the one person to make a fairy tale story come true. Our heroine has found her tall and handsome prince in the form of a hot guy from Queens. But something is about to happen - something that will leave her a hollow, broken shell of a human being. This is not a story for the faint of heart, those with delicate sensibilities, romantics, the elderly, or people who like stories that might be considered 'sweet' or 'quirky.' No. This is a two-fisted tale of dating gone bad. Turn back, gentle viewer. Turn back.

Our unborn children control our romantic destiny. Every intuitive nudge pushing us toward a prospective mate comes from one of our potential children trying to enter the world. Toby is a Pre-Birth who has been waiting to be born for 5,000 years. No matter how skillfully he implants gut instincts to draw his prospective parents together, he fails. Priya (his X) and Neil (his Y) live on opposite sides of the world. Another Pre-B, Skittle, befriends lonely Toby and stumbles upon a solution to bring Toby’s parents from San Francisco to New Delhi. After centuries of disappointment, Toby’s goal is finally in reach. But the imminent prospect of birth uncovers an apprehension toward life on earth. Will he step into the unknown or will he play it safe and remain in limbo?

Short films screening in this program include: Growing Up Vegas, His Good Will, Jewsus, Science Fair (Or: Migratory Patterns & the Flight of the March Brown Mayfly), Small Change

Youssou Ndour bridges two worlds: that of an international pop star and highest selling African artist of all time, with that of a West African griot, a traditional musical storyteller. Also an advocate for human rights over the past 30 years, Ndour has collaborated with superstars like Bono, Neneh Cherry, and Peter Gabriel, while touring incessantly and performing for millions of passionate fans. At home in Senegal, the Grammy award-winning artist is an inspiration for generations; this is a music-infused cinematic journey about the power of one man's voice to inspire change.

Short films screening in this program include: Half Alive The Zombie Musical, Heat M.V., I Found Your Head the Other Day..., Johnny Goner, Ladies, Please, Oil Tribe, The Pool, Shrink Ray, SuperKitten and the Power Pets, Under the Full Moon, Untouchable, Wednesday THIS IS A FREE EVENT