For Immediate Release Contact: Carol O’Sullivan

May 23, 2008 412-681-5449

Pittsburgh Filmmakers Announces

June Programming

(Pittsburgh, PA) – The following are descriptions of Pittsburgh Filmmakers Film Exhibition program for June 2008. The films are screened at Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Avenue (Downtown), the Melwood Screening Room, 477 Melwood Avenue (in North Oakland) and the Regent Square Theater, 1035 S. Braddock Avenue (in Edgewood). For admission prices and current showtimes call 412-682-4111. All titles and dates are subject to change, due to film availability.

The Harris Theater – 809 Liberty Ave

Through June 5: Girls Rock!

This exhilarating film has audiences cheering all over America. While it focuses on a one-week summer experience – Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls in Portland, Oregon – it has grown into a full-fledged phenomenon. More than a retreat for preteens, it’s an incredible feminist project that reclaims the concept of girl power. Young women (aged 8 to 18) learn to love girlhood in all its awkwardness, as they play power chords with their amps cranked up to 11. They get to express their angst and their joy through the redemptive power of punk rock. (Shane King and Arne Johnson; USA; 2007; 90 min)

June 6 - 8: Rope

This Hitchcock classic, based on a famous murder case of the 20s, tells the chilling tale of two young intellectuals who want to prove their superiority by murdering a friend, stashing his body in a living room chest, then throwing a dinner party where they give clues to the guests. Quite experimental in its day, Rope is noteworthy for its use of “real” time. Within the confines of a single penthouse set, the film is shot in ten-minute takes with a continuously panning camera; all cuts are concealed without lapses in the narrative. Stars Jimmy Stewart and Farley Granger. (Alfred Hitchcock; USA; 1948; 80 min)

June 8 - 10: Doxita: a program of documentary shorts

This traveling festival of six short films represents a wide variety of documentary filmmaking – domestic, foreign, serious and funny. It’s designed to profile the great content and artistic vision that non-fiction short films provide, but that people don’t often get to see. (Total program: approx. 100 min)

Cross your Eyes, Keep them Wide – A look at San Francisco’s "Creativity Explored," a work space for artists with development disabilities. (Ben Wu; USA; 23 min)

El Cerco – An exploration of tuna fishing in the Mediterranean Sea, where the fight is a ritual of blood and death. (Ricardo Iscar/Nacho Martin; Spain; 16 min)

The Guarantee - Through animated drawings, a man tells how he considered plastic surgery for his ballet career. (Jesse Epstein; USA; 10 min)

Martin Thomas - The sometimes painful, yet ultimately joyous journey of one man's quest to stop his stammer. (Dylan Wyn Thomas; UK/Wales; 31 min.)

Shit and Chicks - A portrait of a traditional method of feeding chickens in Ghana, done with gentle restraint. (Kees van der Geest; The Netherlands; 10 min)

Vángelo Monzón - A visit with Vángelo Monzón who's been making bricks in Argentina since he was a boy. (Andréas Lennartsson; Argentina/Sweden; 8 min)

June 11: Special Event

Land of Confusion – Pittsburgh premiere!

In March 2004, Jeremy Zerechak – a Pittsburgher and Penn State film student – was activated with his National Guard unit and deployed to Iraq. During the next 12 months Zerechak shot 60 hours of footage tracking his platoon on their politically-charged mission: searching for WMDs. The infamous search would take them from the heart of Baghdad to rural Iraqi farms. The film captures never-seen-before footage of the secretive Iraq Survey Group searching the countryside, and offers an extraordinary perspective from soldiers on the ground in Iraq. Candid moments with US soldiers and Iraqi civilians combined with beautifully edited images, create a riveting portrait of this increasingly unpopular war. Already a hit on the indie film festival circuit, this is the Pittsburgh premiere of Land of Confusion. Zerechak will present his film in person, with a Q+A afterward. (Jeremy Zerechak; USA; 2008; 91 min) 8:00pm. Tickets at ticketweb.com

June 12: Biennial 2008 Cinema Program

A program of experimental short films included in this year’s Biennial at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts.

June 13 – 15: Divorce Italian Style – new print!

In this hilarious spoof of marriage and family life, a married baron falls in love with his cousin and vows to wed her, but with divorce illegal he must concoct a crime of passion to do away with his wife. Stars Marcello Mastroianni. “One of the greatest films about Sicily…Has some of the richest, most beautiful black and white photography ever put on film and, sensual atmosphere, where lust and passion become almost aromatic…As funny as it is, the emotions that Germi was dealing with were primal, savage, and most disturbingly of all, eternal.” – Martin Scorsese (Pietro Germi; Italy; 1962; 105 min)

June 16 – 19: The Witnesses

Set in Paris, 1984, a close-knit group of attractive friends are in various stages of their idyllic lives, which includes a good deal of sexual freedom. But it all comes crashing down when a young gay man joins their circle. An unplanned love affair and the onset of the AIDS epidemic – seen at the time as a shameful, modern-day plague – upsets the ordered tranquility of their destinies. André Téchiné`s lush new drama is ultimately uplifting. “The powerful storytelling projects the strongly affirmative message that it's a miracle to be alive and bear witness to those who did not survive…one of Techine's best” – Variety. A compelling film, it features a strong ensemble of actors, most notably Michel Blanc and Emmanuelle Beart. With subtltles. (André Téchiné; France; 2008; 112 min)

June 20 & 21: Testify

Biennial 2008 performance by Vanessa German

Testify (v.) to give evidence, be a witness, bear witness, state under oath, to swear. Multidisciplinary artist Vanessa German weaves together elements of indigenous and contemporary folk tale, hip hop, spoken word and film, to create a cohesive performance that is both ritual, with audience interaction, and theatrical performance, with a linear story arch. Testify is inspired by the first-hand interviews of victims and perpetrators of violent crime, criminal justice professionals, healing professionals, direct service providers and community members. It explores themes of oppression and trauma through the lens of creativity, spirit, and intention, with the process of storytelling as a healing bridge. Part of Biennial 2008. Admission: $5, or Bi-Pass. www.pittsburghbiennial.org

June 23 – 26: Shotgun Stories

“Unforgettable…

An elegiac and exquisitely lensed portrait of buried resentment.” – Premiere.com

One of the most critically-acclaimed films of the year, and indie hit at more than a dozen film festivals, this powerful drama has finally made it here. Reminiscent of a Greek tragedy but set against the back roads of Southeast Arkansas, it centers on a family feud that erupts between two sets of half brothers after the death of their father – a man who never bothered to name his first set of boys – then sobered up, became a Christian, and fathered four new sons, all of whom got proper names. Upon viewing this riveting film at the 2007 Chicago Film Festival, Roger Ebert called it the discovery of the year, and “a film that never steps wrong.” (Jeff Nichols; USA; 2007; 92 min)

Opens June 27: Mr. Lonely

“Nearly every frame is an image of arresting clarity and beauty.” – New York Times

This is the long-awaited comeback of Harmony Korine (Gummo, Julien Donkey-Boy) and it was worth the wait. It stars Diego Luna (y Tu Mamá También) as a Michael Jackson impersonator who hangs out with other impersonators. They all stay in character – Charlie Chaplin, James Dean, Abe Lincoln and more – 24 hours a day. This includes Marilyn Monroe (Oscar- nominated actress Samantha Morton) who bonds with “Michael” on her Scottish commune. Then there’s Werner Herzog – best known for his work behind the camera – who leads a troupe of nuns in Africa. Hmmm. To say this film is quirky is an understatement, but it is also a highly original, surreal and rewarding film experience. (Harmony Korine: 2008; USA; 112 min)

Regent Square Theater – 1035 South Braddock Ave.

Through June 5: Contempt – new print!

“Bardot + Godard = movie greatness.” – Time Out New York

One of Jean-Luc Godard's most acclaimed films, his subversive foray into commercial filmmaking is a star-studded epic. Michel Piccoli stars as a screenwriter torn between the demands of a proud European director (played by legendary director Fritz Lang), a crude and arrogant American producer (Jack Palance), and his disillusioned wife, Camille (Brigitte Bardot) as he attempts to doctor the script for a new film version of The Odyssey. "They don't make them like this anymore. Point of fact, they never did; Godard's Contempt is a once-a-century cultural constellation." - Village Voice. With sub-titles. (Jean-Luc Godard; France; 1963; 103 min)

Opens June 6: Standard Operating Procedure

“4 stars…this is not a political film… it is driven simply, powerfully, by the desire to understand those photographs.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Oscar-winner Errol Morris (Thin Blue Line, Fog of War) has always challenged his viewers to think about what's outside the frame. In his new documentary he challenges the charges of abuse by US soldiers at Abu Ghraib prison, and he also challenges the very medium of photography. What did we not see in those infamous photos? As always, Morris uses re-creations suggesting what might have happened. With dramatic angles and layers of music (by Danny Elfman) it turns into a striking visual, even corporeal experience. (Errol Morris; 2008; USA; 117 min)

June 20 – 26: Alexandra

“…speaks to the heart like a symphony” – Film Journal International

The great Russian auteur Alexander Sokurov (Russian Ark, Mother and Son) has created another powerful masterpiece with poetic intensity. The tale begins when 81-year-old Alexandra (played by Russian opera legend Galina Vishnevskaya) visits her grandson, a young army officer stationed at a desolate military outpost. She's escorted to the base in a tank. Weary and indomitable, she has no sense of her own incongruity – she is, of course, Mother Russia, and these are her children. This compelling anti-war film with exquisite cinematography also features an original score reminiscent of the great Russian composers. With subtitles. (Alexander Sokurov; Russia; 2008; 92 min)

Opens June 27: My Brother is an Only Child

A smash in its native Italy, this politically-charged family drama tells the story of two brothers who both want to change the world, but in completely different ways. The elder is a handsome, charismatic firebrand who joins the local Communist party. The younger, more rebellious brother joins a reactionary Fascist group. The rift between the brothers is further intensified when one falls in love with the other’s girlfriend. What starts as a tale of sibling rivalry becomes the story of the polarizing and paralyzing politics of the turbulent 60s and 70s. An intensely cinematic film, it’s set in the era of the ground-breaking classics of Bernardo Bertolucci and Marco Bellochio, coming very close to matching their beauty, intelligence, and youthful exuberance. Hailed at this year’s Cannes and Toronto film festivals, it reunites director Daniele Luchetti with the screenwriters of the acclaimed The Best of Youth. With subtitles. (Daniele Luchetti; 2007; Italy; 108 min)

Sunday Night Series: Yearbook 1968

June 1: The Thomas Crown Affair

Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway were the incredibly attractive “it” couple of the day. In this sophisticated caper/ romance, he is an adventuresome bank executive who believes he’s pulled off the perfect multi-million dollar heist. She is a sexy insurance investigator who’ll do anything to get her man. The verbal sparring is still a joy to watch -- and still hot. (Norman Jewison; USA; 102 min)

June 8: If….

This brilliant look at the struggle between individualism and authority in a boys’ boarding school was one of the most important films of the 60s – a near perfect tribute to the spirit of revolution. Stars a young Malcolm McDowell before he became famous for A Clockwork Orange. (Lindsay Anderson; UK; 111 min)

June 15: Targets

Peter Bogdanovich's debut feature is a thriller weaving two stories together – one about an aging horror film star (Boris Karloff, in his last role) who feels his type of movie monsters have become passé, and the other about a Vietnam veteran who goes on a shooting rampage that eventually ends up in a drive-in theater, where the aging film actor is making his final appearance. (Peter Bogdonavich; USA; 90 min)

June 22: Psych-Out

This hippie relic stars a pony-tailed Jack Nicholson and a bearded Bruce Dern. When a deaf runaway arrives in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district she falls in with a psychedelic band, Mumblin' Jim. They hide her from the fuzz in their crash pad, a Victorian house crowded with love beads and necking couples. Features the hit song, “Incense and Peppermints.” (Richard Rush; USA; 101 min)

June 29: Night of the Living Dead

The first of five Romero zombie films, this one has city folk running from the un-dead in a rural setting. Criticized in its day for being too graphic, by 1999 the Library of Congress registered it to the National Film Registry as "historically, culturally or aesthetically important." And, it’s the first Pittsburgh-made film to put us on the indie film map. (George Romero; USA; 96 min)

Melwood Screening Room – 477 Melwood Ave.

June 10: Special Event: Annual Film Kitchen Contest

This showcase of regional film and video art is presented on the second Tuesday of every month. This year’s competition is for the best experimental photo-roman videos. Reception at 7:00; films begin at 8:00. Cash prizes awarded that night. Three non-competing filmmakers will show their work as well. Co-sponsored by City Paper, WYEP-FM, Tandoor Indian Grill, and DH Creative. Admission: $6.

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