On screen, you're more likely to find films from Germany, France and Italy than from America. Only six of the festival's 21 feature films are American-made, a drop from last year's eight.
"The quality of the American independent films is just not there," said Alan Inkles, the festival's director. "Instead, I'm getting my hands on all these great foreign films."
At this rate, the festival might consider putting "International" in its title. Here are some highlights - American films included - from the 10-day schedule.
The Storm (Friday, 7 p.m.)
During
the mass
exodus
following
a
devastating
flood in
the
Netherlands
in 1953,
one
woman
has her
reasons
for
heading
back
into the
disaster
zone.
The
film's
star,
Sylvia
Hoeks,
is
scheduled
to
appear
in
person.
Watch
the
trailer
Bride Flight (Friday, 9:15 p.m.)
This
companion
piece to
"The
Storm"
is
inspired
by the
true
stories
of Dutch
brides
who
immigrated
en masse
to New
Zealand,
where
their
already
relocated
fiances
were
trying
to
establish
new
lives.
Watch
the
trailer
Five Star Day (Friday, 7 p.m.)
One
of the
festival's
few
American
films
follows
a
skeptical
young
man (Cam
Gigandet,
"Twilight")
who
tries to
disprove
his
astrological
forecast
by
finding
three
others
with his
same
birth
date.
Also
with Max
Hartman,
scheduled
to
appear
at the
festival,
and Jena
Malone.
Watch
the
trailer
The Pardon (Friday, 9:30 p.m.)
Based on the true story of Toni Jo Henry, a Louisiana woman sentenced to the electric chair in Louisiana in the 1940s. Jaime King, who survived "My Bloody Valentine 3D," plays the lead role.
The Extra Man (Saturday, 9:30 p.m.)
A
young
dreamer
(Paul Dano,
"There
Will Be
Blood")
moves to
New York
City and
ends up
sharing
a flat
with
Henry
Harrison
(Kevin Kline),
a quirky
escort
for
wealthy
widows.
Also
with
Katie
Holmes.
Opens in
theaters
July 30.
Watch
the
trailer
Jews and Baseball (July 25, 5 p.m.)
Subtitled
"An
American
Love
Story,"
this
documentary
relates
the
history
of
Jewish-American
major-leaguers
using
interviews
with
famous
names
like
Sandy
Koufax
and Al
Rosen.
Dustin
Hoffman
narrates.
Watch
the
trailer
Howl (July 29, 9:40 p.m.)
James Franco plays beat poet Allen Ginsberg in a biopic that focuses on his famous obscenity trial. Also with Mary Louise-Parker, Jon Hamm, Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn and Bob Balaban.
The Concert (July 31, 6 p.m.)
This
last-minute
addition
to the
fest is
a
Russian-French-
Romanian
comedy
about a
disgraced
conductor
(Alexei
Guskov)
who
assembles
a group
of
misfit
musicians
to
impersonate
the
Bolshoi
orchestra.
Mélanie
Laurent
("Inglourious
Basterds")
stars as
a violin
virtuoso.
Watch
the
trailer
Mao's Last Dancer (July 31, 8:30 p.m.)
The
true-life
story of
Li
Cunxin,
a ballet
dancer
who rose
from
poverty
to
international
stardom.
He is
played
by Chi
Cao,
himself
a
Chinese
national
now with
the
Birmingham
Royal
Ballet
in
England.
Bruce
Beresford
("Driving
Miss
Daisy,"
"Breaker
Morant")
directs.
Watch
the
trailer
WHAT Stony Brook Film Festival
WHEN | WHERE Tomorrow through July 31 at the Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook University, 100 Nicholls Rd., Stony Brook
TICKETS Single tickets: $9, $7 for seniors; passes: $75
INFO 631-632-2787; stonybrookfilmfestival.com