11/09/2007

Tuesday, November 20
If it's Thanksgiving, then it must be time for the Sundance Film Festival to begin announcing the films for its 2008 edition, which runs from January 17 to 27th in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. IN BRUGES, the directorial debut of Irish playwright Martin McDonagh will open the Festival on January 17th. The film, which stars Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson is, according to the Festival release, "a twisted tale of two London hit men who are ordered to take a forced vacation in Bruges, Belgium."

McDonagh has become an internationally celebrated playwright in Europe and in the United States for his productions of such provocative plays as The Beauty Queen of Lenane, The Lonesome West and The Pillowman. In 2005, he directed the short film SIX SHOOTER, which also starred Brendan Gleeson, and won the Oscar for Best Short Film the following year. IN BRUGES is produced, and will be released in the United States, by Focus Features, the company behind such current releases as LUST, CAUTION (Ang Lee), EASTERN PROMISES (David Cronenberg) and INTO THE WILD (Sean Penn). The film is co-produced by the UK's FilmFour, along with Blueprint Pictures and Scion Films.

The Sundance Film Festival, long respected as the prime showcase for new American independent production, has emphasized international cinema in its last few years, introducing competition categories for World Fiction and World Documentary films. The choice of a non-American film for the Festival's Gala Opener is another indication of Sundance's aspiration to be the primary film event for international cinema as well. Festival spokesmen said that they will announce the full 2008 film program next week. Stay tuned.

Sandy Mandelberger