From Slumdog To Salmon Fishing To Hunger Games: Oscar-Winning Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy Holds A Hot Hand

When CBS Films paid a reported $5 million for distribution rights to Salmon Fishing In The Yemen after its successful world premiere last September at the Toronto Film Festival, the initial thought according to insiders was to try and release it in time for the 2011 awards season. The move that wouldhave madesense considering the Oscar pedigree of its director — three-time nominee Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat, My Life As A Dog) –and its Oscar winning screenwriter Simon Beaufoy, whose own three nominations for The Full Monty, Slumdog Millionaire (for which he and the filmwon) and 127 Hours were also Best Picture nominees. The Academy-friendly nature of Salmon Fishing could have put CBS Films in the race for the first time, or at the very least a contender for Golden Globes in the Comedy or Musical categories. But looking at the crowded landscape, the distributor decided instead to tweak the film a bit (it runs four minutes less than the 111-minute version reviewed out of Toronto)and hold it forthis month, startingwitha limited engagement tomorrow. That makes it instead an early candidate for the 2012 contest if it does well enough to be remembered — a difficult feat for March releases. The film, in which Ewan McGregor plays an uptight fisheries expert enlisted by Emily Blunt to make a Middle Eastern Sheik’s (Egyptian star Amr Waked) dream come trueof creating a lake for salmon fishing in the middle of the desert, is part political satire, part romance and not an easy adaptation for Beaufoy who Iinterviewedafter a screening this week during his quick visit to L.A.But he is used to tackling unusual projects and turning them into surprising crowd pleasers. “It was quite a challenging adaptation. I had to do a lot of structural work,” he says of the book which then 59 year old first-time novelist Paul Torday wrote in a style consisting of Emails, letters and memos rather than traditional prose. “I fell in love with the tone of the book. It has a very unusual mixture of satire, which normally has a hard edge, and romance.Usually those two things are like fire and water. They kind of put each other out. But it reminded me of Local Hero (Bill Forstyth’s 1983 film starring Burt Lancaster which has become something of a cult classic gem), one of my favorite films ever. It had this strange, slightly whimsical eccentricity about it and the book reminded me of that. If I could re-create some of that oddness I would be successful.” No stranger to doing successful adaptations Beaufoy says his mantra is keeping the people,tone, spirit and heart of a book the same but putting everything else up for grabs. Hedescribes the process of turning book-into-film sometimes as “bruising”. He met Torday before they started and got his blessing but did not engage with him after that point. “I think you are doing a disservice to a novel just by transposing it wholesale on to the screen because it doesn’t work. They are completely different beasts. It was the same for Slumdog Millionaire . It was a very free adaptation of the book, Q&A. . It’s kind of likebrother and sister , different but the same,” he says. Beaufoy also was happy to be able to present a portrait of the Middle East we never see in films today, not the one where they are trying to blow each other up. “We geta verymono-dimensional view of the Middle East at the moment and I thought this was the opposite side. We see a side of tolerance and respect and just trying to be respectful of other countries and human beings, ” he says. Humanity struggling against the odds is atheme, accidental or otherwise, that seems to run through much of his work from Full Monty to Slumdog to 127 Hours to Salmon Fishing. He says it is not something he deliberately seeks out but somehow is just drawn to subconsciously. “I have a huge admiration for the ability of people to go ‘I don’t care if it can’t happen. I don’t care if you say it’s impossible. I am gonna do it anyway’. I think it’s an amazing part of human nature. It feeds into faith and belief in human beings to not only do the improbable but almost the impossible. The human spirit is lifted and you go, ‘ I feel better today’ and I love that… I try to make the films as authentic as possible, they don’t fit into a genre or attract the biggest movie stars. However odd they are stories about real people somehow or at least the events and emotions in them that I hope are something people recognize,” he says. As someone whose scripts are not easy to characterize , is he worried that the rather unusual title will be a turnoff to potential Americanmoviegoers, even if it was the title of a popular British novel? “Everyone hated the title The Full Monty until they saw the film did really well and then loved the title. And similarly with Slumdog Millionaire everyone was focus-grouping it , trying to find a different title and seeing if anyone understood it. It didn’t really matter. I hope this title will be all right. I just felt it fit with the eccentricity of the film,” he says although the whole idea of the theme of fishing was a little oft-putting at first. “Before I started I thought fishing was kind of a stupid sport. It never really attracted me… They have all this gear and they stand there and do nothing. But I thought I better go fly fishing because that’s what the book is sort of about and I need to understand where this strange meditative sense comes from in the Sheik and his fishing. I was absolutely hopeless at it but I could completely see how it becomes incredibly addictive and incredibly calming. I understood that this is a metaphor for peace and calm and harmony and tolerance and sort of being at one with nature,”he says. Beaufoy says the experience of the movie now even has him taking his kids fly fishing with him, that is when he has a break between projects which is rare since his Slumdog Oscar win. Currently he is working on a stage adaptation of this first film, The Full Monty (not to be confused with the Broadway musical version) and says it will premiere next year in Sheffield, England where the film was set. He also has turned in the first draft of Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games even though the first film isn’t released until later this month. Although he didn’t write that one, he has obviouslyseen it and praises it as very smart, telling me”it has a Lord Of The Flies sensibility to it” . In this case he couldn’t stick to his idea that the screenplay could be a totally different “beast” since there is such a rabid fan base with definite expectations but he is pleased with the way it is turning out.

'GMA' narrows 'Today' lead in ayem race

Buoyed by post-Oscar coverage and a "Dancing With the Stars" reveal, "Good Morning America" shrunk the margin between itself and first place "Today" to the lowest level in five years. For the week of Feb. 27, "GMA" averaged 5.36 million viewers while NBC's ayem goliath "Today" drew 5.52 million. That represented the smallest margin between the two programs since 2007. In the 25-54 demo, which is most important to the newsies, "GMA" drew 1.8 million while "Today" drew 2.1 million -- the lowest between the two in four years. "Today" has beaten both ABC and CBS' ayem programs for the last 16 years, but the lead has been decreasing of late. The ratings data was released on the same day a report surfaced that Matt Lauer, whose Peacock deal ends toward the end of the year, was reportedly set to sign a multiyear pact that would pay him $25 million a year. NBC denied the report and said there has been no current ongoing negotiations. Lauer has been a steadying force on "Today," which is a four-hour weekday staple for NBC. Lauer became a permanent anchor in 1994 and, along with co-anchor Katie Couric, helped establish "Today" as a ratings powerhouse and the most profitable show on the network. Katz Television Group VP Bill Carroll said NBC needs to offer Lauer the right package -- a combination of money and possible new program opportunities -- to convince him to stay and make sure there is continuity at "Today," especially since the program has recently undergone personnel changes. "Folks can get tired of that particular (early morning) grind, but assuming he has the enthusiasm and wants to stay, they have to find a way to make that happen," Carroll said. Ryan Seacrest, who joined the NBCUniversal family following the Comcast merger, was floated as a possible "Today" anchor if Lauer leaves his post. Lauer could depart "Today" for a syndicated talkshow program -- following in the footsteps of Couric, whose new skein "Katie" begins this September -- but ayem success doesn't necessarily translate to daytime. "Unless you're talking about a network-originated program, such as 'The View' or 'The Talk,' syndication is a whole other game," Carroll said. "You have to get the best time periods and best stations in every market and then hope you're not going against established perennial programs." Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Tribeca Film Festival Reveals Non-Competition Selections

More titles slated for the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival were revealed Thursday. The 11th-annual event unveiled films screening in its Spotlight and genre-centered Cinemania section as well as Special Screenings and its Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival lineup. Spotlight includes 34 films, 22 narratives and 12 documentaries, with 19 films having their world premieres. Seven narratives make up the international group of Tribeca’s Cinemania titles. Earlier this week, the festival released its competition slate. The 2012 festival is April 18-29 in NY. Here are the latest titles: SPOTLIGHT 2 Days in NY, directed and written by Julie Delpy. (France) NY Premiere, Narrative. This deliriously witty follow-up to 2 Days in Paris finds Marion (writer/director Julie Delpy) living a comfortable life in NY with her latest hipster boyfriend, Mingus (Chris Rock, brilliantly playing it straight), and their two young kids from prior relationships. A riotous comedy of cultural errors ensues when Marions totally unhinged, gleefully unfiltered family arrives from Paris to meet Mingus for the first time. In English, French with subtitles. A Magnolia Pictures release. Any Day Now, directed by Travis Fine, written by Travis Fine and George Arthur Bloom. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. In the late 1970s, when a mentally handicapped teenager is abandoned, a gay couple takes him in and becomes the family hes never had. But once the unconventional living arrangement is discovered by authorities, the men must fight a biased legal system to adopt the child they have come to love as their own. Alan Cumming and Garret Dillahunt star in TFF alum Travis Fines (The Space Between) touching and occasionally incendiary drama. As Luck Would Have It (La Chispa de la Vida), directed by Alex de la Iglesia, written by Randy Feldman. (Spain) North American Premiere, Narrative. The economy has kept Roberto (Jos Mota) out of work for a long time. When a freak accident puts him at the center of a media frenzy, the enterprising ad exec hires a snaky agent to help him cash in on his life-or-death situation. Its up to Robertos adoring wife (the vivacious Salma Hayek) to convince him hes worth more alive than dead. Cult director Alex de la Iglesia takes a fresh new step, combining a darkly comic satire with an emotional drama of a familys love. In Spanish with subtitles. BAM150, directed by Michael Sldek (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. Go behind the scenes like never before at BAM, the nation’s oldest performing arts center. Featuring footage of recent BAM performances, interviews with groundbreaking artists like Laurie Anderson and Robert Wilson, and the fascinating history of the creative home to such greats as Pina Bausch, Peter Brook, and Merce Cunningham, TFF alum Michael Sldek’s (Con Artist) doc shows that BAM’s 150 years were not always easy, but are a testament to the power and stamina of the institution that launched Brooklyn as a cultural mecca. A Better Life (Une Vie Meilleure), directed by Cdric Kahn, written by Cdric Kahn and Catherine Paill. (France, Canada) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Passionately in love from the moment they meet, idealistic chef Yann and single mother Nadia share big dreams for their future. Life gets complicated when they impulsively buy a secluded restaurant in the woods and take on risky loans, testing the strength of their relationship. Fiercely gritty in its romanticism, this is a story of the lengths one will go for the chance at a better life. In French, English with subtitles. Bookers Place: A Mississippi Story, directed by Raymond De Felitta. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. While filming a documentary on racism in Mississippi in 1965, Frank De Felitta forever changed the life of an African-American waiter and his family. More than 40 years later, Franks son Raymond (director of City Island) returns to the site of his fathers film to examine the repercussions of their fateful encounter. This intensely personal film about the struggle to understand ones parents is also a heartbreaking portrait of the legacy of intolerance. Broke, directed by Billy Corben. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. More money, more problems. Sucked into bad investments, stalked by freeloaders, saddled with medical issues, and naturally prone to showing off, most pro athletes end up broke within a few years of retirement. Drawing surprisingly vulnerable confessions from retired stars like Marvin Miller, Jamal Mashburn, Bernie Kosar, and Andre Rison, this fascinating documentary digs into the psychology of men whose competitive nature carries them to victory on the field and ruin off it. Cheerful Weather for the Wedding, directed by Donald Rice, written by Donald Rice and Mary Henely Magill. (UK) World Premiere, Narrative. On the morning of her wedding, Dolly (Felicity Jones) is hiding out and dreaming of the idyllic summer before, helped along by a jug of rum. Her scatterbrained mother (Elizabeth McGovern) has perfected all the arrangements, but even she cant prepare everyone for the arrival of Dollys unpredictable best friend, Joseph (Luke Treadaway). Lighthearted humor and a steamy romance add the perfect touch to a dysfunctional wedding whose key players seem anything but cheerful. Chicken With Plums (Poulet Aux Prunes), directed and written by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. (France, Germany, Belgium) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Nasser Ali Khan (Mathieu Amalric) is the most celebrated violin player in 1950s Tehran, but his heart is broken. His true love is long lost, his marriage is passionless, and now his most precious instrument has met its demise. Convinced life without music is intolerable, he resigns to bed and loses himself in reveries from his youth. The Oscar-nominated directors of Persepolis make magic again with a stylish fairy tale full of humor, whimsy, and melancholy. In French with subtitles. A Sony Pictures Classics release. Deadfall, directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, written by Zach Dean. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. In the wintry countryside near Canada, a smooth-talking heist man and his femme fatale sister are on the run with a bag full of cash. With a deadly blizzard swirling around them, they split up to make a desperate dash for the border, but a twist of fate puts them on a collision course with a troubled ex-con and his family. Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Sissy Spacek, and Kris Kristofferson highlight the ace cast in this icy thriller. A Magnolia Pictures release. Dont Stop Believin: Everymans Journey, directed by Ramona Diaz. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. It sounds like a dream: A charismatic Filipino singer from the slums of Manila posts videos of his cover band to YouTube, and soon hes fronting an iconic rock band. Sounds crazy, but its the real-life rock-and-roll fairy tale that Arnel Pineda is living as the new lead singer of Journey. The pressures on Pineda as this rockin doc follows Journeys dizzying world tourcan a man who has already overcome so many obstacles deal with the demands of his newfound fame? In English, Tagalog with subtitles. Elles, directed by Malgoska Szumowska, written by Tine Byrckel and Malgoska Szumowska. (France, Poland, Germany) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Juliette Binoche, exquisite and involved as always, stars in this sophisticated, sexually charged drama as Anne, a journalist getting in too deep with the research for her article on college students working as prostitutes. As the surprising stories of her two candid subjects stir up Annes image of femininity, she wonders if life with her workaholic husband and two spacey sons is all that different from her subjects lives. A Kino Lorber release. vocateur: The Morton Downey Jr. Movie, directed by Seth Kramer, Daniel A. Miller, and Jeremy Newberger, written by Daniel A. Miller. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. Long before the days of Jersey Shore or Glenn Beck, there was one man who gleefully gave those on the fringes of the society a national mouthpiece. Witness Morton Downey Jr.s meteoric rise and fall as the original shock television emcee, and check your sense of decorum at the door. Here we learn about the man behind the mouth, and how the pursuit of fame and fortune over the airwaves can ultimately destroy your soul. Free Samples, directed by Jay Gammill, written by Jim Beggarly. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Jillian is having a bad day. Shes got a raging hangover, shes starting to think dropping out of Stanford Law to become an artist wasnt the best career move, and things are weird with her faraway fianc. Can spending the day parked in an ice cream truck doling out samplesand a good dose of sassto oddball Angelenos shake her out of her quarter-life crisis? Jess Weixler, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jason Ritter star in this quirky comedy. The Giant Mechanical Man, directed and written by Lee Kirk. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Thirtysomethings Janice (Jenna Fischer) and Tim (Chris Messina) havent quite learned how to navigate adulthood. Tim is a street performer whose unique talents as a living statue dont exactly pay the bills. Janice is out of work and under pressure by her sister (Malin Akerman) to date an egotistical self-help guru (Topher Grace). In this charming comedic romance, these two strangers help each other to realize that it only takes one person to make you feel important. A Tribeca Film release. Headshot (Fon Tok Kuen Fah), directed and written by Pen-ek Ratanaruang. (Thailand, France) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. A return to the crime genre for celebrated Thai auteur Pen-ek Ratanaruang (6ixtynin9, Last Life in the Universe), Headshot is a noir-laced thriller centered on Tul, a hit man who is shot in the head and wakes up to find that he sees everything upside down. Working backwards (and often upside down) to tell a brooding and convoluted tale of underworld double dealings, this is an unexpected and artful take on the action thriller from a genre master. In Thai with subtitles. A Kino Lorber release. Hysteria, directed by Tanya Wexler, written by Jonah Lisa Dyer and Stephen Dyer. (USA, UK, Luxembourg, France) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Set in 19th-century London at the peak of Victorian prudishness, this racy romantic comedy tells the surprising story of the birth of the electro-mechanical vibrator. A progressive young doctor (Hugh Dancy, Adam) has his hands full relieving the citys affluent society women of their melancholy, until an accidental discovery electrifies their lives foreverand sends sparks flying between him and a feminist rabble-rouser (Maggie Gyllenhaal). A Sony Pictures Classics release. Keep the Lights On, directed by Ira Sachs, written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias. (USA) NY Premiere, Narrative. For Erik and Paul, what begins as a meaningless late-night hookup evolves into a serious, committed relationship. Acclaimed director Ira Sachs offers an honest, unflinching portrait of a relationship that is by equal measure loving and destructive. Uncompromising in its depiction of drug addiction and the sacrifices we make for the ones we love, Sachs film is a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful look at the way love changes over time. Knuckleball!, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, written by Christine Schomer, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. This classic sports story recounts the trials and triumphs of two of the best known knuckleball pitchers currently playing in the MLB: Tim Wakefield, a Red Sox veteran struggling to clinch his 200th career win, and R.A. Dickey, an up-and-comer with the Mets looking to make a name for himself. This energetic documentary from the directors of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work deconstructs the controversial and erratic knuckleball style. Let Fury Have the Hour, directed and written by Antonino DAmbrosio. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. A generation of artists used their creativity as a response to the reactionary politics that came to define our culture in the 1980s. This dynamic and exhilarating documentary brings together more than 50 big-name musicians, writers, artists, and thinkers to trace a momentous social history from the cynical heyday of Reagan and Thatcher to todayand impart a message of hope. Featuring Chuck D, John Sayles, Eve Ensler, Tom Morello, Lewis Black, and many others. Lola Versus, directed by Daryl Wein, written by Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Greta Gerwig stars as Lola, a NYer who gets dumped by her fianc mere weeks before their wedding. With the help of her close friends Henry (Hamish Linklater) and Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones), Lola embarks on a series of unexpected encounters in an attempt to find her place in the world as a single woman approaching 30. Daryl Wein (Breaking Upwards) infuses this story of the post-breakup spiral with humor and authenticity. A Fox Searchlight Pictures release. Mansome, directed by Morgan Spurlock, written by Jeremy Chilnick and Morgan Spurlock. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. In the age of manscaping, metrosexuals, and grooming products galorewhat does it mean to be a man? Oscar nominee Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) and executive producers Ben Silverman, Will Arnett, and Jason Bateman present a delightfully entertaining doc featuring candid interviews from Arnett, Bateman, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis, and everyday people weighing in on everything from the obsession with facial hair to body dysmorphic disorder. One Nation Under Dog, directed by Jenny Carchman, Ellen Goosenberg Kent and Amanda Micheli. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. This heartfelt documentary explores peoples conflicted relationships with dogs and inspires us to rethink how we treat them. From a man who spends a fortune to defend his dogs in court, to a woman who cant turn away a stray, to pet loss support groups to rescuers who take on difficult-to-place dogs and save them from death row, this is a film about love, loss, betrayal, and hope. The Playroom, directed by Julia Dyer, written by Gretchen Dyer. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. In 1970s suburbia, Maggie and her younger siblings spend the night telling each other stories in the attic. Downstairs, as their parents entertain guests over the course of a gin-soaked evening, truths are unearthed and betrayals come to light. With standout performances from John Hawkes, Molly Parker, and a cast of talented young actors, Julia Dyers second feature is an honest and challenging look at the reality behind the faade of a seemingly perfect American family. Poliss (Polisse), directed by Mawenn, written by Mawenn and Emmanuelle Bercot. (France) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Confronting abusive parents, child molesters, traumatized kids, and oversexed teens is all part of the daily grind for the motley band of cops in the Juvenile Protection Unit, but so is chatting about their relationships at lunch and laughing uncontrollably. Grounded in documentary research and naturalistic performances, this unforgettable film from TFF alum Mawenn (All About Actresses) explores the solidarity that helps hardened vice cops face the worst of society every day. In French, Italian, Romanian, Arabic with subtitles. An IFC Films release. The Russian Winter, directed by Petter Ringbom. (Russia) World Premiere, Documentary. Brooklyn-born John Fort was a Grammy-nominated musician in The Fugees at 21 and a federal prison inmate at 26. When his prison sentence was remarkably commuted in 2008, Fort was given a second chance to share his talents with the world. Chronicling his concert tour across Russia, this inspirational documentary takes us on Forts personal journeyone thats as much about having his voice heard as having his music heard. In English, Russian with subtitles. Searching for Sugar Man, directed and written by Malik Bendjelloul. (Sweden, UK) NY Premiere, Documentary. Rodriguez was the greatest 70s rock icon who never was. Despite critical praise, his albums bombed in the U.S., and he faded into obscurity among rumors of a gruesome death. But when a bootleg copy of his antiestablishment rock made its way to apartheid South Africa, he was an instant hit. Years later, two intrepid fans investigate whatever happened to the mysterious rocker, setting off a wild chain of events that has to be seen to be believed. A Sony Pictures Classics release. Side by Side, directed and written by Chris Kenneally. (USA) North American Premiere, Documentary. Over the past two decades, digital technology has created a groundbreaking evolution in cinema, challenging film as the standard format for motion pictures. Through interviews with masters like Danny Boyle, James Cameron, David Fincher, George Lucas, David Lynch, Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Steven Soderbergh, Lars Von Trier, and many more, producer Keanu Reeves takes us on a tour of the past and future of the moviemaking process in this in-depth documentary. A Tribeca Film release. Struck By Lightning, directed by Brian Dannelly, written by Chris Colfer. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Even being killed by a bolt of lightning wont keep Carson Phillips quiet. A hyper-ambitious and outspoken high school senior in a small-minded town, Carson (Glees Chris Colfer) narrates his own funeral and the last few weeks of his life through a series of sarcastic flashbacks in this upbeat and energetic comedy from Saved! director Brian Dannelly. With Allison Janney, Dermot Mulroney, and Drives Christina Hendricks. Take This Waltz, directed and written by Sarah Polley. (Canada) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Margot (Michelle Williams) and Lou (Seth Rogen) are happily married. Their life is thrown out of order when Margot falls for another man and is forced to choose between the comfort of the familiar and the excitement of the unknown. Writer-director Sarah Polleys follow-up to her acclaimed film Away From Here is a quirky, uncommonly heartfelt look at the evolving nature of love and the difficulty of sustaining a relationship over time. A Magnolia Pictures release. Trishna, directed and written by Michael Winterbottom. (UK) U.S. Premiere, Narrative. Again proving his endless versatility in his fifth film at Tribeca, prolific director Michael Winterbottom (The Road to Guantanamo, last years The Trip) adapts Thomas Hardys classic Victorian melodrama Tess of the dUrbervilles to all the beauty and blight of contemporary India, where the budding love between a peasant woman and the son of a wealthy Englishman is strained by old prejudices and class divides. The radiant Freida Pinto stars. In English, Hindi with subtitles. An IFC Films release. Whole Lotta Sole, directed by Terry George, written by Terry George and Thomas Gallagher. (UK) World Premiere, Narrative. In a rowdy little corner of Belfast, hapless young father Jimbo tries to protect his family from the gangster hes in debt to by robbing the local fish market which turns out to be a front for the same gangster! On the run, Jimbo holes up in a local antique shop run by a long-lost man from his past. A colorful cast of character actors and a strong turn from Brendan Fraser light up this madcap Irish crime comedy from Terry George (Hotel Rwanda). Xingu, directed by Cao Hamburger, written by Helena Soarez, Cao Hamburger, and Anna Muylaert. (Brazil) North American Premiere, Narrative. Brazil, 1943. Three brothers on an expedition into the feral center of the country encounter a village of Xingu Indians. Allured by the rich indigenous culture, the brothers take a bold stand against corrupt national forces and make protecting the Xingu their lives work. With wild, breathtaking visuals and atmospheric music, TFF alum Cao Hamburger conveys a distinct vision of Brazil while finding a universally resonant message in his protagonists revolutionary vision. In Portuguese with subtitles. Your Sisters Sister, directed and written by Lynn Shelton. (USA) NY Premiere, Narrative. Jack (Mark Duplass) hasnt recovered from his brothers death. His best friendand late brothers exIris (Emily Blunt) sends him to her familys isolated cabin for some quiet reflection, but complications, rivalries, and surprising revelations arise when both Iris and her heartbroken sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) end up at the cabin as well. Lynn Sheltons long awaited follow-up to Humpday heralds a graceful maturation of the reliably against-the-grain filmmaker. An IFC Films release. CINEMANIA Eddie The Sleepwalking Cannibal, directed and written by Boris Rodriguez. (Canada, Denmark) North American Premiere, Narrative. Onetime art star Lars Olafssen is all washed up. Unable to paint without inspiration, he accepts a teaching stint at a small-time art school in podunk Koda Lake, Canada, and along with it the guardianship of the offbeat towns neighborhood weirdo, Eddie. As their unlikely friendship evolves, Lars uncovers a dark and violent secret about Eddies nocturnal impulses, and finds himself torn between his duty to his friend and his duty to his art. Graceland, directed and written by Ron Morales. (Philippines, USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Family man Marlon Villar is the longtime chauffeur of prominent politician Manuel Chango. While he and his daughter accompany his boss preteen daughter home, Marlon is ambushed and the wrong girl is kidnapped. Suddenly the unassuming driver is propelled into a horrifying downward spiral and, as events in his life unravel, Marlon, Chango, and their families become entangled in a game of deceit and betrayal that will leave no one innocent. In Tagalog with subtitles. Jackpot (Arme Riddere), directed by Magnus Martens, written by Jo Nesb. (Norway) International Premiere, Narrative. Terrified, bloodied, and gripping a shotgun, Oscar Svendsen wakes up in what used to be a respectable strip joint, surrounded by eight corpses and with a gun pointed at him by a detective with the National Criminal Investigation Service. Naturally, Oscar is taken into custody, and during his interrogation a bloody and darkly comic story of betrayal, murder, and lottery winnings emergesbut is this the whole story? In Norwegian with subtitles. Rat King, directed and written by Petri Kotwica. (Finland) International Premiere, Narrative. Eighteen-year-old Juri spends his days absorbed in his computer gaming world, to the exclusion of school, friends, and ultimately his exasperated girlfriend. When his internet ally Niki turns up at his door fearing for his life because of a mysterious new online game, Juri eagerly follows him down the rabbit hole. In this taut, violent thriller, the lines between reality and the game blur as Juri and Niki are drawn into its increasingly morbid world. In Finnish with subtitles. Replicas, directed by Jeremy Regimbal, written by Josh Close. (Canada) World Premiere, Narrative. Following the tragic death of their young daughter, the Hughes family decide to escape to their upscale vacation home in the woods. But their attempt to get some quality time together is violently interrupted when a neighboring family with a hidden agenda drops by for dinner. First-time director Jeremy Regimbal builds tension to a calculated and ultimately brutal crescendo in this home invasion thriller. Starring Selma Blair, Joshua Close, James DArcy, and Rachel Miner. Revenge for Jolly!, directed by Chadd Harbold, written by Brian Petsos. (USA) World Premiere, Narrative. Harry (Brian Petsos) will stop at nothing to avenge the death of his beloved dog, Jolly. He and his demented cousin Cecil (Oscar Isaac) follow a series of clues in a frenzied attempt to track down the dogs murderer, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Elijah Wood, Kristen Wiig, Adam Brody, Ryan Phillippe, Gillian Jacobs, Bobby Moynihan, Kevin Corrigan, David Rasche, Amy Siemetz, and Garret Dillahunt all stand between Harry and revenge for Jolly. Sleepless Night (Nuit Blanche), directed by Frederic Jardin, written by Frederic Jardin and Nicolas Saada. (France, Belgium, Luxembourg) NY Premiere, Narrative. Vincent is a dedicated police officer, or so it seems. After he steals a massive bag of cocaine, his young son winds up being held for ransom by the mob boss it belongs to. When Vincent travels to the outskirts of Paris to trade the drugs for his son, he gets caught in an intense cat-and-mouse game that quickly spirals out of control. This night might not only be the longest of his lifeit could be the last. A Tribeca Film release. SPECIAL SCREENINGS Joe Papp in Five Acts, directed by Tracie Holder and Karen Thorsen. (USA) World Premiere. In Joe Papps eyes, art is for everyone, not just a privileged few. This is the story of this indomitable, street-wise champion of the arts who brought more theater to more people than any other producer in history. Co-produced with American Masters and featuring Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Kevin Kline, James Earl Jones, and more, this documentary lets Papps great accomplishments and tumultuous personal history be revealed by the artists he helped createand sometimes tried to destroy. Queen: Days Of Our Lives, directed by Matt OCasey. (UK) Documentary. Relive the triumphant legacy of Queen in this comprehensive documentary of the bands career from the late 1960s to today. Packed full of rare archival footage of the band hashing out their signature overdub sound in the recording studio, mind-blowing live performances, and Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacons candid reflections on their career and the last days of Freddie Mercury, Queen: Days Of Our Lives is any fans dream. The Zen of Bennett, conceived, created, and produced by Danny Bennett, produced by Jennifer Lebeau, directed by Unjoo Moon. (USA) World Premiere. At 85, not only does Tony Bennett still have the smoothest pipes in the music business, hes got the kind of philosophy that has made him one of the most beloved and respected performers of the last six decades. Made with as much class and refinement as Tony himself, this is an insiders look at the icon as he records his latest duets collection with stars like Lady Gaga, Aretha Franklin, andbittersweetlyAmy Winehouse. 2012 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival GALA: Benji, directed by Coodie and Chike. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. In 1984, 17-year-old Ben Wilson was a symbol of everything promising about Chicago: a sweet-natured youngster from the citys fabled South Side, and Americas top high school basketball prospect. His senseless murder on the day before his senior season devastated the city of Chicago and sent ripples of anguish nationwide. A stirring portrait of a phenom admired both on the court and off, Benji tells the story of a legend who mightve been. The following Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival titles have been announced in their respective sections as part of the 2012 TFF film program: Broke, directed by Billy Corben. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. Knuckleball!, directed by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg, written by Christine Schomer, Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. On The Mat, directed and written by Fredric Golding. (USA) World Premiere, Documentary. Town of Runners, directed by Jerry Rothwell. (UK) World Premiere, Documentary.

CBS Not Ongoing To Proceed with Quean Pilot

Nick Carter Backstreet's back okay! They aren't always coming back, but Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter will probably be guest-starring inside an approaching episode of 90210, according to Entertainment Weekly. Pilot Season: Have the scoop! Carter may have themselves inside the May 8 episode, through which he appears with a bachelorette party thrown by Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord). She invites the boy band star because the bride has received a crush on him since the band's golden days. The singer formerly guest-starred on 8 Simple Rules, American Dreams and starred inside the E! reality show House of Carters.