This year's 16 films were selected from 1026 submissions.
Amreeka and Taking Chance
Adam
(Year: 2009; Director: Max Mayer; Writer: Max Mayer; Stars: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison, Mark Linn-Baker),
Official Site,
Trailer
A man with Asperger's syndrome falls in love and has to face his girlfriend's disapproving family.
World Premiere
Amreeka
(Country: US, Canada, Kuwait; Year: 2009; Director: Cherien Dabis; Writer: Cherien Dabis; Stars: Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem, Hiam Abbass, Yussuf Abu-Warda, Alia Shawkat, Joseph Ziegler),
Official Site
When a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son move to rural Illinois at the outset of the Iraq war, they find their new lives full of challenges
World Premiere
Arlen Faber
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: John Hindman; Writer: John Hindman; Stars: Kat Dennings, Lauren Graham, Olivia Thirlby, Jeff Daniels, Tony Hale.)
A reclusive author of a groundbreaking spiritual book awakens to new truths when two strangers enter his life.
World Premiere
Big Fan
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Robert D Siegel; Writer: Robert D Siegel; Stars: Patton Oswalt, Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Matt Servitto)
Being the world's greatest New York Giants' fan proves tricky after an altercation with the team's star player.
World Premiere
Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: John Krasinski; Writer: John Krasinski, David Foster Wallace; Stars: Julianne Nicholson, John Krasinski, Timothy Hutton, Dominic Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Rashida Jones)
When her boyfriend leaves with little explanation, a doctoral candidate in anthropology tries to remedy her heartache by interviewing men about their behaviour.
World Premiere
Humpday and Adam
Cold Souls
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Sophie Barthes; Writer: Sophie Barthes; Stars: Paul Giamatti, David Strathairn, Dina Korzun, Emily Watson),
Official Site,
Trailer
A jaded actor discovers that in order to save his soul he must first open his mind. Plus read our
exclusive interview with Sophie Barthes.
World Premiere
Dare
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Adam Salky; Writer: David Brind; Stars: Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Ashley Springer, Ana Gasteyer, Alan Cumming, Sandra Bernhard, Rooney Mara)
World Premiere
Don't Let Me Drown
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Cruz Angeles; Writer: Cruz Angeles, Maria Topete; Stars: EJ Bonilla, Gleendilys Inoa, Damián Alcázar, Ricardo Chavira, Gina Torres),
Official Site
Two Latino teens whose lives are affected by the attack on the World Trade Center discover that love is the only thing that keeps them from drowning.
World Premiere
The Greatest
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Shana Feste; Writer: Shana Feste; Stars: Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan, Johnny Simmons, Aaron Johnson, Mike Shannon)
After the tragic loss of their teenage son, a family is again thrown into turmoil by the arrival of a young woman.
World Premiere
Humpday
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Lynn Shelton; Writer: Lynn Shelton; Stars: Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, Alycia Delmore, Lynn Shelton, Trina Willard),
Official Site
Two old friends take male bonding a little too far.
World Premiere
Sin Nombre and Cold Souls
Paper Heart
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Nicholas Jasenovec; Writer: Nicholas Jasenovec, ; Stars: Charlyne Yi, Michael Cera, Jake Johnson)
Even though performer Charlyne Yi doesn't believe in love, she bravely embarks on a quest to discover its true nature - a journey that takes on surprising urgency when she meets unlikely fellow traveler, actor Michael Cera.
World Premiere
Peter And Vandy
(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: Jay DiPietro; Writer: Jay DiPietro; Stars: Jess Weixler, Jason Ritter, Jesse L Martin, Tracie Thoms)
Juxtaposing a couple's romantic beginnings with the twisted-manipulative-regular couple they have become, Peter And Vandy is a contemporary Manhattan love story with no beginning and no end.
World Premiere
Sin Nombre
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Cary Fukunaga; Writer: Cary Fukunaga; Stars: Edgar Flores, Paulina Gaitan, Kristyan Ferrer, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Luis Fernando Peña, Diana García)
The paths of a Honduran migrant and a gangland youth trying to escape his past cross on the top of a train.
World Premiere
Taking Chance
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Ross Katz; Writer: Ross Katz, Michael Strobl; Stars: Kevin Bacon, Blanche Baker)
Marine officer escorts fallen comrade back from Iraq.
World Premiere
Big Fan and Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire
Toe To Toe
(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Emily Abt; Writer: Emily Abt; Stars: Sonequa Martin, Louisa Krause, Silvestre Rasuk, Leslie Uggams, Gaius Charles, Ally Walker),
Official Site
The story of an inter-racial friendship put to the test by the intense pressures of a competitive Washington, DC prep school.
World Premiere