Sugar

Miguel Santos, a.k.a Azucar, a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro de Macoris, struggles to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at the Kansas City Knights baseball academy, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States' minor league system. Miguel travels from his tight knit community in the Dominican Republic to a small town in Iowa, corn country, where he and a couple other Latin American teammates are the only Spanish-speaking people in the vicinity. As Miguel struggles with the new language and culture, despite the welcoming efforts of his host family, he is faced with an isolation he never before experienced. When his play on the mound falters, he begins examining more closely the world around him and his place within it, and ultimately questions the single-mindedness of his life's ambition.

Cast
Algenis Perez Soto
Rayniel Rufino
Andre Holland
Ann Whitney
Ellary Porterfield

Detail Info
Directed by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden
Produced by Anna Boden, Paul Mezey, Jamie Patricof
Genres Drama, Sports and Teen
Running Time 1 hr. 54 min.
Release Date Apr 3rd, 2009 (limited)
MPAA Rating R for language, some sexuality and brief drug use.
Distributors Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co. Hunting Lane Films, HBO Films, Journeyman Pictures

The Song of Sparrows

Karim works on an ostrich farm and manages to earn a decent living. But one day one of the ostriches runs away, and Karim is deemed responsible and is fired. During a trip into town to get his daughter’s hearing aid repaired, Karim gives a man a ride on the back of his motorbike in return for a fee. In view of how lucrative it turns out to be, he decides to continue this taxi service on a regular basis. Every day he rides into town, bringing back with him all kinds of rummage--old furniture, car parts, etc. His contact with the city dwellers and their way of life changes Karim. Bit by bit his pretty little courtyard is transformed into an ugly, uncomfortable storeroom. And Karim, who was once a friendly and generous man, becomes rapacious and wealth is the only thing that concerns him. Then one night when he is sorting out his junk, he falls off a pile and breaks his foot. Obliged to take to his sickbed, he watches as his family struggle to earn a living and observes how much support they receive from the neighbors during this difficult time. Soon, the house begins to change and so does Karim.

Detail Info
Directed by Majid Majidi
Produced by Sushil Tyagi, Majid Majidi
Genres Art/Foreign and Drama
Running Time 1 hr. 36 min.
Release Date Apr 3rd, 2009 (limited)
MPAA Rating PG for brief mild language.
Distributors Regent Releasing
Production Co. Algorithmic Productions, UTV Motion Pictures

Paris 36

Set in a suburb of north-east Paris between December 1935 and July 1936 during the "revolutionary" period of the Popular Front (who introduced the first paid holidays and a shorter working week). Three unemployed performers decide to take over by force the music hall where they worked a few months earlier and stage a show there.

Cast
Nora Arnezeder
Clovis Cornillac
Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu
Gerard Jugnot
Kad Merad

Detail Info
Directed by Christophe Barratier
Produced by Nicolas Mauvernay, Jacques Perrin, Romain Le Grand
Genres Art/Foreign, Comedy and Drama
Running Time 2 hrs. 1 min.
Release Date Apr 3rd, 2009 (limited)
MPAA Rating PG-13 for some sexuality and nudity, violence and brief language.
Distributors Sony Pictures Classics

Gigantic

An offbeat comedy revolving around Brian, a mattress store worker who wants to adopt a Chinese baby. Brian meets Happy, a hot, potty-mouthed girl who he falls head over heels for. Together, they negotiate their increasing intimacy, and the appearances of their many eccentric relatives, as Brian awaits the call from the adoption agency.

Cast
Paul Dano
Zooey Deschanel
Edward Asner
Jane Alexander
John Goodman

Detail Info
Directed by Matt Aselton
Produced by Paul Dano, Scott Ferguson, Jeff Preiss
Genres Comedy
Running Time 1 hr. 39 min.
Release Date April 3rd, 2009 (limited)
MPAA Rating R for language, some sexual content and violence.
Distributors First Independent Pictures

The Escapist

A convict serving a life sentence is determined to visit his estranged and ill daughter before she dies. He soon develops an escape plan and recruits an ensemble of escapists.


Cast
Brian Cox
Joseph Fiennes
Liam Cunningham
Seu Jorge
Dominic Cooper

Detail Info
Directed by Rupert Wyatt
Produced by Brian Cox, Tristan Whalley (II), Alan Moloney
Genres Art/Foreign, Drama and Thriller
Running Time 1 hr. 42 min.
Release Date Apr 3rd, 2009 (limited)
Distributors IFC Films, ThinkFilm

Enlighten Up!

Filmmaker Kate Churchill is determined to prove that yoga can transform anyone. Nick Rosen is skeptical but agrees to be her guinea pig. Kate immerses Nick in yoga, and follows him around the world as he examines the good, the bad and the ugly of yoga. The two encounter celebrity yogis, true believers, kooks and world-renowned gurus. Tensions run high as Nick's transformational progress lags and Kate's plan crumbles. What unfolds and what they discover is not what they expected.

Cast
Nick Rosen Himself

Detail Info
Running Time 1 hr. 30 min.
Release Date Apr 1st, 2009 (limited)
Distributors Tuka Productions, Nama Productions
Production Co.Tuka Productions, Nama Productions
U.S. Box Office $20,397
Produced in United States

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