Newport Beach Film Festival 2009

They are seekers, madmen, and angels hell-bent on riding across America on a bicycle in less than ten days. Eager to push their bodies to the limit, they set out on a daunting 3000-mile odyssey. But what begins as the adventure of a lifetime is transformed in an instant when tragedy strikes the race. These voyagers discover what is truly at stake as they pedal on, praying for the deliverance only the finish line can bring. By journey's end, some are saved, others are lost, but all learn that the fuel that takes a soul toward its own true destiny is desire.

Saara, a gynecologist on the verge of her 40th birthday, is married to Leo, an architect and a lecturer at the University of Technology. Saara suspects her husband of having an affair. Tuuli is a 25-year-old student in architecture, who instructs a taekwondo class and is dating Leo. Saara finds out about Tuuli and starts to follow and investigate her. She attends her taekwondo class under a false identity and gradually wins Tuuli’s trust. Tuuli, not being aware of Saara’s real identity, opens up about her relationship with Leo and discloses she might be pregnant with his child. A journey towards the inevitable disclosure of lies begins. Not wanting to watch over her shoulder for the rest of her life, it is finally Tuuli, who has to choose a false identity in order to get close to Saara.

An experimental short dealing with themes of contrast, modernization, and the relationship between the natural and the unnatural.

Clark and Summer are happily married. As they drive across California on their way to Arizona to tell Summer's parents the good news about the pregnancy, they have a blow out. The nearest place on the map is the uninviting sounding town of Blood River, a good ten miles away. When they arrive, a mysterious stranger appears. The couple realizes its Joseph, a drifter they had met earlier in the trip. The stranded group becomes desperate and in an attempt for freedom, Joseph and Clark set off back to the car to fix it. Summer stays behind and explores Blood River, uncovering its horrific secret and the real identity of Joseph. A twisted, manipulative trip into a world of extremes where people are rarely who they seem, where everyone has a secret and where few, if any, will survive.

Based on the groundbreaking book by Maude Barlow, this film depicts the inevitable future conflicts over the world’s water supply. Wars today are fought over oil, but the wars of tomorrow are destined to be about the control and distribution of water: human kind’s life source. As corporate conglomerates and corrupt governments vie for control of this precious resource, citizens are forced to protest, revolt, and fight for their right to survive. NOTE:The screening at the Muth Center is a free screening.

Two writers must face a dilemma that is common to anyone who has ever had an artistic friend: what happens when you have to give feedback, and the news isn't good? Sam, an aspiring screenwriter, and David, a successful magazine editor, have been pals for years. When David doesn't appreciate Sam's latest attempt, it opens a fissure in their friendship, one that spreads through the rest of their lives. Ultimately, both men must reevaluate their motivations to write, their need for praise and validation, and what it means to see yourself as you actually are.

Desmond was a world champion Boggle player. After losing to his ultimate rival, Nigel Backstrom from the UK, Desmond gives up Boggle forever. With the encouragement of Desmond's best friend Charlie, and some help from the mysterious 'Magician', Desmond might be able to regain his title as Boggle World Champion.

At the Advanced Center for Mammoplasty, a doctor is carrying out the most complicated experimental procedure ever attempted: a remote breast enhancer. Things go horribly awry when a sudden surge of electricity ignites a molecular bonding of the implant with the woman’s breast causing her boob to come to life! This film cleverly combines horror and comedy to present this eccentric tale of a boob ready to face demanding obstacles for a chance at freedom.

“El Tenso” wants to divorce his wife, “La Tana.” The problem: their relationship has become impossible due to her invariably ill-tempered nature; anything from the weather to the neighbors causes her temper to rise. Carlos, a friend of Tenso, suggests that instead of divorcing her, deceive her into leaving him. How? In comes “The Raven Flores,” an old, irresistible seducer who will lure Tana to him and away from Tenso. Will Tenso finally find the solution to his problems or just aid in creating more?

The story of the Sherman Brothers, the astoundingly prolific Academy Award winning songwriting team whose successful professional collaboration in family entertainment masked the brothers' escalating personal differences throughout their six- decade partnership.

A man and his son live on top of a mountain. The only access to the outer world is a single bridge. When the bridge collapses, the two characters are left completely isolated from the rest of humanity. The father wants to protect his son from the sad realities of the world. But one night, the child sees the flashing lights of a remote city and is instantly drawn to their irresistible sparkle.

This film follows Dan Sheffer, a middle class Florida loan officer who travels to Houston's Astrodome to aid thousands of survivors of Hurricane Katrina who were transferred there immediately after New Orleans' levees failed and a disastrous flood engulfed the city, forcing residents to flee for their lives. His goal: transport 10 evacuees to Plantation, Florida and help them get back on their feet by providing aid, shelter, and temporary jobs, in short, 'a bridge life.' Through the prism of one tragedy and six success stories, 'A Bridge Life' tells the tale of Dan's Good Samaritan mission and how his band of survivors made a new life for themselves in the months after the catastrophe.

Orphans who bonded in childhood were mentored into highly skilled con men. By the time they are adults they have established a fail-safe formula: Stephen is the “head” creating elaborate plots, and Bloom is the “heart” charged with playing the front man. Bloom is ready to quit but Stephen implores him to do one more job – one so sweet that it cannot be refused – agreeing to dissolve the partnership upon its completion. Their mark is an innocent, lonely New Jersey heiress named Penelope. The Mission: to get her to invest in a scheme involving smugglers, antiquarian books and cave chambers under Prague castle. She takes the bait, on one condition: that she accompany the brothers on the adventure.

Life has been cruel to Sally Grimshaw and she has had enough. It’s time to end it all. In a last ditch effort to save herself she calls a suicide hotline and is persuaded to come in and see one of their mental health counselors – Mr. Vincent.But Mr. Vincent has no intention of talking her out of killing herself. In fact he runs a service that matches suicidal clients with potential hits. I mean, if you’re going to kill yourself you might as well take out some human scum at the same time. At first she refuses, but life is never going to be kind to Sally and she finally agrees – she’s in. Sally is faced with the moment of truth when she has to perform the hit. And it is always in such moments that we discover a truth about ourselves. And in such a moment, Sally discovers a reason to live.

The Great North Mounted Police – a shining beacon of justice and heroism in the vast expanse of godless wilderness that was Canada. But living up to that square-jawed ideal can be damn near impossible, especially if your trusted steed has run off and you’re nursing a nasty beaver bite. Deep within the hinterland, a misanthropic Mountie wanders aimlessly in search of a little peace of mind... and his missing horse. Along the way he literally falls for a belle jeune fille tied to the railroad tracks, must face his sworn enemy, the insidious varmint Trapper Ray and tries to answer the age old question, “What the **** am I doin’ here!?!”.

This comical satire blends animation and live action to tell the story of Harrison, a man fired from his job and faced with a more horrifying future: telling his wife. Uncertain of how she will react, Harrison attempts to create different quirky stories that might help him break the news to his wife. This charming film explores the creativity of denial and the ranges of emotion when dealing with joblessness, family, and the truth.

Three teams of criminals share the same Brooklyn block, but each exists in a separate genre of film. The Amateurs: trapped in a 1970’s anti-hero movie. The Sputniks: live in black and white. The Moolies: can’t escape their rap video life. But they all share a hatred of Connie, a racist local pawn shop owner and mafia widow. So when Connie has a heart attack, each team decides it’s time to find out what’s inside her legendary safe. Too bad they all plan their big score for the same night.

Marco is a lonely handicapped Spanish smuggler, driving through Brazil to sell his cheap goods. When two bandits assault him and steal his load he is miraculously saved by Carmo, a beautiful local girl who would rather die than spend another day in the hellhole where she lives. Carmo and Marco will start a lawless, reckless journey, and an intense romance through a breathtaking South American border landscape.