ENTERTAINMENT

ENTERTAINMENT APR 06

Entertainment Main Page I CDs Reviews I Events. Gossips. Virtuoso Corner I EVENTS CALENDAR APR 06 I

MAJOR EVENTS CALENDAR FOR APR 06

CELEBRITIES

Streisand hits the road again

Photo: Actress and singer Barbra Streisand, who first rose to stardom in 1962, was born on this day in 1942 in Brooklyn, New York.

Diva will tour six years after her farewell concerts. Barbra Streisand, who stopped touring six years ago, will hit the road again -- thanks to a Canadian. The diva will perform 20 arena shows "in the round" starting this fall, according to sources. Toronto-based concert promoter Michael Cohl is behind the comeback tour, which will pay Streisand a whopping $2 million (U.S.) per show. Cohl's team is reportedly trying to secure an opening act and has its sights set on "popera" group Il Divo. No announcement about the tour has been made but sources said top-priced tickets in each city could cost more than $1500. A stop in a Canadian city hasn't been ruled out. Streisand last farewell tour opened in Las Vegas in 1999 and wrapped up with a sold-out concert at New York's Madison Square Gardens in September 2000. The star has performed only a handful of times since, including at a June 2004 fundraising event for U.S. Senator John Kerry in Los Angeles. Last year, Streisand was in Miami Beach to record a new album with Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees. She also starred in the hit comedy "Meet the Fockers" opposite Dustin Hoffman and Ben Stiller.

Sharon Stone doesn't mind doing nude scenes

Photo: Sharon Stone admitted she doesn't mind doing nude scenes in films like her new release, Basic Instinct 2.

Sharon Stone, who returns as the seductive Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct 2, says she has no problem doing a nude scene — if it's right for the role. "It's pretty easy for me to be naked," the 48-year-old actress said Wednesday. "I'm a person who feels that if it's appropriate for the character I'm playing or the mood of the piece, then it's no big thing." Stone is famously known for her leg crossing scene in 1992's Basic Instinct, which also starred Michael Douglas. The actress said she wouldn't object to her children seeing the movies — but added that it's not going to be anytime soon. "When they're old enough to see that kind of material, then they're old enough to see that kind of material," said Stone, who has two young sons. Stone, who was nominated for a best actress Oscar for 1995's Casino, said she was happy that she didn't try to lie about her age to get roles after she turned 40. "You have to give them you until you is what they want," she said. Basic Instinct 2 will be released later this month. Stone was in Berlin to promote the movie.

SCIENTOLOGISTS DECLARE WAR ON SOUTH PARK

Reports indicated that Tom Cruise and Church of Scientology pressured Comedy Central to pull South Park episode mocking the Hollywood religion, suggests an escalating war between the cartoon's creators and Scientology. Best-selling children's author Katharine DeBrecht -- whose new book "Help! Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper!" also satirizes Scientology and Cruise -- condemns this as blatant censorship. Hollywood indicate that the Church of Scientology used its well known celebrity muscle to pressure the cable network Comedy Central into pulling an upcoming episode of the cartoon South Park that satirized the religion. Variety is reporting that the clash between Scientology and the South Park creators is escalating. News of the tension first gained national attention earlier this week when Isaac Hayes, the voice of the character Chef, quit the cast over an episode mocking Scientology and its most famous adherent, Tom Cruise. Variety reports that rumors suggest that Cruise stepped in at the request of the Church of Scientology by saying he would refuse to help promote his upcoming movie "Mission: Impossible 3" unless the episode was pulled. Viacom owns both Comedy Central and Paramount, the studio behind the "Mission: Impossible" franchise.

"These reports, if true, mean that this is a blatant display of censorship on the part of the Church of Scientology," says best-selling children's author Katharine DeBrecht, whose new book Help! Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper! also satirizes Scientology and Cruise, as well as a number of other Hollywood personalities. "While I may not be a particular fan of South Park, and I certainly don't think it's an appropriate show for children, but I'll defend their right to parody this religion and Tom Cruise, it's most outspoken advocate. "I also satirize Scientology and other trendy Hollywood religions in my new book as something called 'Toenailology,'" adds DeBrecht. "Does this mean the Church of Scientology will come after me next?" DeBrecht adds that Scientology -- which has many Hollywood stars and power brokers in its ranks, including John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, Beck, Jenna Elfman, and Lisa Marie Presley -- teaches that humans can reach a godlike state, something she believes is opposed to traditional values. "Where is George Clooney and his liberal Hollywood friends?" notes DeBecht, chiding the outspoken liberal who claims to be a supporter of free speech. "It's ironic that this censorship is happening right under Hollywood's nose, but maybe the celebrities on the Left Coast are more interested in promoting their own liberal agenda to worry about free speech."

A Hitler comedy

Photo: Dani Levy is no stranger to controversy.

Filming starts on a controversial new project this month - a comedy, in German, about Adolf Hitler. It is the work of the Swiss Jewish director Dani Levy, who in 2005 had a big hit with a comedy called Alles auf Zucker! - about Jews in Germany today. The new film, Mein Fuehrer - The real truth about Adolf Hitler, will portray the Nazi leader as a weakling helped to the top by a Jewish comedian. Mr Levy says Nazi leaders have been "put on pedestals" in documentaries. It is time to take them down, he says. The Berlin and Brandenburg Film Board, a public body, put up more than $500,000 to help finance the film. Mr Levy's film Alles auf Zucker! (Go for Zucker!) was a huge risk, but was well received. His new project is even more ambitious. Another recent German film, The Downfall, provoked an anxious debate here about where the boundaries lie with its grim dramatisation of Hitler's last days in the bunker. -By Ray Fulong.

Lulu relights her fire

Photo: Lulu is re-recording her vocals for the single Relight My Fire - 13 years after first recording the track .

It has been revealed that pint-size singer Lulu is preparing for another session with Take That. Lulu is re-recording her vocals for the single Relight My Fire with Gary, Jason, Mark and Howard, who plan to re-release the single in April - 13 years after they first recorded the track. It was announced late last year that Lulu would accompany the lads on their tour and she is certainly getting into training for the part. The songstress has studio time booked for rehearsals in preparation for the concerts, where she will be joining the backing dancers to get into shape for the hectic tour schedule. Relight My Fire was first recorded back in 1993 and was a smash hit flying in at number one in the UK charts. The new version of the single is due to be released just before Take That embark on their 30-date sellout nationwide tour in May.

Dame Judi Dench: "I am not an intellectual".

Photo: Dame Judi plays a widowed theatre owner in Mrs Henderson. Presents

Dame Judi Dench has admitted she never reads the plays she stars in, saying she merely takes roles "because someone asked me to". The respected actress told US magazine Newsweek that she was no intellectual. "I've got myself into real trouble by saying yes to a play, then going to the first reading and realising, 'This is a bummer!'," she said. US magazine Premiere predicts Dame Judi will be Oscar nominated for her role in Mrs Henderson Presents. Golden Globe nominee: In the movie Dame Judi plays a widow who opens a nude theatrical review in 1930s London. It earned Dame Judi her sixth Golden Globe nomination. Mrs Henderson Presents also earned eight nominations at this year's British Independent Film Awards, including best film and best director for Stephen Frears. Dame Judi and co-stars Bob Hoskins, Kelly Reilly and ex-Coronation Street star Thelma Barlow have also been nominated.

Britney's popularity to plummet?

Photo: Kevin Federline has struggled to find a label willing to launch his tune Popozao.

It seems Britney Spears may be in for a disappointing 2006 - a US poll predicts the new mum's popularity will plummet this year. However the news is brighter for talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, with her reign over American television expected to continue. Meanwhile, Britney's hubby will be hoping his own popularity will soar with the release of his debut rap single. Kevin Federline has struggled to find a label willing to launch his tune Popozao. But the former backing dancer is convinced that once we hear it, the track will storm straight to the top of the charts.

Madge pimps her ride

Photo: Madge is ditching her snazzy range of motors to delight legions of boy racers with a Pimp My Ride-style video for her next single .

Queen of Pop Madonna is getting Tim Westwood onside to jazz up her Ford Cortina in the video for her new single. The Ford banger is a world away from the £300,000 Mercedes Maybach limo she relaxes in whilst at her home in LA. Madge is ditching her snazzy range of motors to delight legions of boy racers with a Pimp My Ride-style video for her next single Sorry. UK Pimp My Ride host Tim Westwood will make a cameo appearance in the new video by taking the Cortina and shaping it up so it looks as good as new. The idea behind the video is a rags-to-riches story and the track it is being made for will be remixed by the Pet Shop Boys. It seems Madonna likes a bit of car bling in her video's - for her No1 single Music in 2000, Ali G turned up dripping with gold and diamonds whilst driving her limo.

MUSIC. ENTERTAINERS. STARS

Will Heidi Martin win?

Photos from L to R: 1. Heidi Martin's "Alone Together" CD cover. 2. The sensational Heidi with Orrin and Kim Smith at Sweet Basil's.

Will Heidi Martin, the American explosive and uniquely provocative Jazz songwriter, win the London International Jazz Competition? In New York, and at the Blues Alley, Heidi took the audience by storm. She was simply terrific. This woman can sing! A musical treasure, indeed. Before moving to New York City she became the protégé of legendary drummer/vocalist Grady Tate and flourished under his direction. Soon after Heidi was officially introduced to the jazz community in a rewarding showcase at the renowned Birdland Club in New York City. She has performed at Blue Note, Knitting Factory, Zinc Bar with Ron Affif, and Metronome in NYC, Zanzibar Blue in Philly, and Blues Alley and Twins Lounge in DC.

Photo: "HIDE", another magnificent recording by Heidi Martin.

Heidi Martin was born in Washington, D.C. After attending a live performance of Shirley Horn, her love affair with jazz began. She majored in music with a focus in Jazz Studies and Improvisation at the University of District of Columbia. Heidi then became an avid student of live shows, regularly attending the Monday night performances of Reuben Brown and Steve Novosal at One Step Down, where she was often asked to sit in. Heidi explained her love for music in a few words, she sent us: "I am currently recording with bassist Michael Bowie (Abby Lincoln. Betty Carter). And I am still writing originals! I really have been getting more success lately - I think because I am maturing and really feeling comfortable with just being...myself and my interpretation is from the heart. As much as I can I am grateful to experience music through me ...just as it comes.. it's more of a blessing now instead of what it should be or shouldn't - Singing is the joy it was when I was little. before studying and crafting...though I am grateful for all that too...".

Washington Post's Mike Joyce wrote: "Alone Together ...Several inventive arrangements that demonstrate Martin's vocal flexibility and range. Her version of Black Bird is at once precise and spirited! ". Vanessa Rubin said: "What captures my attention is Heidi's apparent freedom; soaring soulful riffs, bending notes, and high notes that are focused so right, they ring! It's a wonderful experience for the listener!"

CINEMA

WHEN DO WE EAT?

"When Do We Eat, is the very first "Passover comedy." The film, starring Ben Feldman ("Perfect Man"), Michael Lerner ("Barton Fink"), Jack Klugman ("Twelve Angry Men") and Lesley Ann Warren ("Victor/Victoria," TV's "Desperate Housewives"), has been a recent favorite on the festival circuit and will be released on April 7 to coincide with the Passover celebration. This is the story of the world's fastest Passover Seder that is anything but. On this night, secrets will be revealed, fantasies fulfilled, barriers broken down and some food might be consumed. A tough-love dad (Lerner) has to deal with hosting his father (Klugman), who never unpacks, his wife (Warren), who is intent on creating the perfect Seder, and his children who go out of their way to make the night an adventure. When one of the kids slips Dad a tab of special psychedelic Ecstasy, his visions turn him into a modern day Moses intent on leading this hungry group to the promised land of family forgiveness. Of course they're all so stubborn; it would be easier to part the Red Sea. Also starring, Shiri Appleby, Mili Avital, Dan Bucatinsky, Max Greenfield, Mark Ivanir, Adam Lamberg, Meredith Scott Lynn and Cynda Williams, WHEN DO WE EAT? is created by the filmmaking team of newlyweds Nina Davidovich and Salvador Litvak in their feature debuts. The two co-wrote the screenplay, which Litvak directed, and the film is produced by Litvak, Pictures From The Fringe, Steven J. Wolfe ("Twin Falls Idaho," "Relax, It's Just Sex!," "Hellbent") and Sneak Preview Entertainment.

Director: Salvador Litvak. Starring: Ben Feldman, Michael Lerner, Shiri Appleby, Mili Avital, Dan Bucatinsky, Max Greenfield, Mark Ivanir, Adam Lamberg, Meredith Scott Lynn, Cynda Williams, with Jack Klugman and Lesley Ann Warren . Release Date: April 7, 2006 . Running Time: 87 minutes . Rating: Not Yet Rated by the MPAA

The Concept: Two years ago, newlyweds Nina Davidovich and Salvador Litvak got fed up with the Hollywood runaround. Davidovich had written several scripts on her own that were optioned but never made. Litvak had two different indie projects to which he was attached to direct that were financed and then not financed, financed, not financed.... Then they tried writing as a team and dedicated two years to a Lincoln project for a baby producer, only to have Steven Spielberg announce (in the same week they completed their final rewrite) that he was doing a Lincoln movie with Tom Hanks (now Liam Neeson). No one would even read their project, and their agent begged them to do something more commercial. So they wrote a spec action-comedy about a man who makes a bet he can become the first person ever to escape from a televised police chase. Their agent took it to a bunch of producers; they all loved it. It went out to the studios, and they got two calls. Morning call: you got a deal. Celebrate! Afternoon call: the deal fell through; there's a project just like this at Dreamworks, based on an idea by Steven Spielberg. That's when Litvak and Davidovich decided, “We are making a movie.” Period. If they had to shoot it with their friends and a video camera, fine. But they were making a movie, and since they didn’t need anyone's green light they were going to make a movie that (a) they'd see on opening day and (b) could be shot on a zero-budget. Thus, kid doses his dad at a Passover Seder. Says Litvak, “We liked the idea because it made us laugh, and because we believe the only way to address the universal is through the specific. To paraphrase Tolstoy, every family is screwed up in its own way, but Jewish dysfunction looks a lot like Italian, Polish or Greek dysfunction. Judaism is unusual, however, in that it isn’t only a culture, it's also a religion, and that aspect has been largely ignored in all the years of Jewish-American comedy, stretching from the Borscht Belt to Seinfeld. In fact, there is no bigger taboo in Hollywood than religion, or at least there wasn't until The Passion, which, unlike most Jews, I actually saw (interesting movie, not terribly funny, and they skipped the Seder! i.e. the Last Supper). Yet religion and humor do go together.” In Litvak’s own life, he’s sought out mystical experiences everywhere from meditation atop Mount Kenya to a drum circle at a Grateful Dead show, only to discover one of the deepest reservoirs of mysticism in his own backyard, i.e. the Kabbalistic system within Judaism. Litvak makes clear that he’s not talking about trendy red-string Kabbalah, but rather about a daily practice rooted in the Jewish tradition that focuses as much on healing family grudges as it does on experiencing the Divine Presence. This is something deeply personal for him, and he’s been at it for years. But guess what, God does have a sense of humor, because as soon as Litvak and Davidovich said they didn’t care what Hollywood said, we're making a spiritual, hallucinogenic, family comedy with our friends and a video camera, people showed up to help them. First came executive producer Horatio Kemeny, who heard only the idea, loved it, and asked, “What do you need?” Flabbergasted, Litvak did some quick research, cited a number that seemed about the right minimum for a real movie, with real special effects, etc., and Kemeny said, “OK.” After all those years of having scripts and no money, Litvak and Davidovich finally had money and no script!!! Of course, this was soon remedied via long days at the keyboard. The script had to be more than good if it was to attract stars and experienced filmmakers - Litvak was determined to be the least experienced person on the set because he knew he’d need help to execute his ambitious vision for the film. The key player throughout the process was producer Steven J. Wolfe (“Twin Falls Idaho,” “Relax… It’s Just Sex!”) who responded to the script and Litvak’s enthusiasm. So did co-producer Amy Salko Robertson, and casting director Ronnie Yeskel (“Reservoir Dogs”), who brought indie legend Michael Lerner (“Barton Fink,” “Eight Men Out”) to play Dad. “It’s a story of how we as families have an opportunity to connect” says Salko Robertson. “A few times a year at holidays, no matter what the tradition, families come together, and many of those families have fights. That stuff comes from love rather than hate, and years of understandings or misunderstandings, and that was what was really ringing true about this project. Even though the Stuckmans gather for a Passover Seder, it could be any family with any background. This family happens to be particularly loud and a bit crazy, but we believe everyone will feel a moment of connection with them, and hopefully a moment of moving towards connections within their own families.”

The Creation: One of the biggest challenges they faced was how to make a dinner party movie visually interesting. They found the answer via story and character. For example, mom has to make an elaborate tent for her newly kosher son. Both cinematographer David Mullen (“D.E.B.S.,” “Northfork”) and production designer, Bernt Capra (“What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”) loved that approach and signed on. The challenge of editing a movie with 11 people in almost every scene appealed to Richard Halsey (“Eulogy,” “American History X,” “Rocky”); Cinergy Creative helped make Dad's crucial trippy visions into something wonderful and Daliesque; Lesley Ann Warren and Jack Klugman caught the spirit, as did Shiri Appleby (“The Battle of Shaker Heights”), Cynda Williams (“One False Move”) and Adam Lamberg (“Lizzie Maguire”). They not only came aboard, they gave and gave and gave. Supervising sound editor, Pat Griffith (“Imaginary Heroes”), a veteran of over 240 films, said he's never seen his editors work such long, unselfish hours, and none of them were Jewish. Says Litvak, “They simply got what Nina and I were trying to do, namely, to show that you don't access the highest highs on some ascetic mountaintop, but rather at home, where the heart is.”

The Casting: Salko Robertson brought in casting director, Ronnie Yeskel and they held a reading of the script with actors. Michael Lerner was a part of that original reading and everybody instantly fell in love with him. Says Wolfe, “We went through the normal casting process and read a lot of people for all the different roles, but the challenge of this envelope-pushing comedy is that at times it’s pretty heavy. We found we were only attracted to actors that brought a lot of character to what they were doing. Meredith Scott Lynn was one of the first people we cast. Early on we sent a script to Lesley Ann Warren, whom I had worked with before and one of the important things when we were casting this film is we didn’t want to go too much with stereotypes. There’s a particular direction we could have gone with Jewish stereotypes and we didn’t want to go that way. We wanted to represent as wide of a cross-section of Jewish families as there are out there.” Cynda Williams came through at the very end. That role was originally written as an Asian character but after going through the casting process they still couldn’t find anyone they loved for that role and they started thinking of other ethnicities. Wolfe called Cynda, whom he had worked with before and knew would bring a lot to the part. Everyone was very excited to get Jack Klugman. His agent was a longtime friend of Wolfe’s and he suggested him and Wolfe kept him in mind until the end. Casting this film involved putting together a whole family and it was not about picking everybody all at once but rather, laying pieces of a puzzle to get the perfect family. The most problematic character to cast was Ethan. It was a very difficult character because most people don’t know what to make of very religious people. It was important to cast somebody in this role that would show the audience that the very religious are people like everybody else. They ended up casting Max Greenfield two days before the movie started.

Some of the cast. From L to R: #1. Lesley Ann Warren. #2. Jack Klugman. #3. Meredith Scott Lynn. #4. Shiri Appleby.

LESLEY ANN WARREN (“Peggy”): One of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses, Warren plays emotionally fragile women, tough-minded careerists, hardworking single moms, and downright wacky ladies with equal verve and skill. She made her first show-biz splash right out of her teens, playing the lead in a 1965 TV musical production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's “Cinderella.” Walt Disney saw her and signed the wholesome, fresh-faced Warren to play a supporting role in “The Happiest Millionaire,” the last film he personally supervised. She also appeared in “The One and Only,” “Genuine,” and “Original Family Band” before taking adult roles in the TV series “Mission: Impossible” and a slew of made-for-TV movies, as well as the low-budget “Pickup on 101.” She worked extensively in TV movies and miniseries throughout the rest of the decade, most notably “The Legend of Valentino,” “Portrait of a Stripper,” and “Beulah Land.” Blake Edwards gave Warren a juicy part on the big screen in “Victor/Victoria,” competing with Julie Andrews for the attentions of James Garner; she showed a real flair for broad comedy, and was Oscar-nominated for her uninhibited supporting performance. She followed up with “Choose Me,” “Songwriter” and “Baja Oklahoma,” in which she starred as a Texas barmaid who wants to be a songwriter. Mel Brooks gave her a good showcase in his “Life Stinks” as a homeless woman teetering on the edge of sanity. She remains active on television, and starred in “Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story,” the feature “Color of Night” and recently in the hit show “Desperate Housewives.”

JACK KLUGMAN (“Artur”): Trained at New York's American Theatre Wing, this late-coming character actor made his film debut at age 34 in the crime program “Timetable.” Klugman was active in the golden age of live TV drama during the 1950s, and worked extensively on stage; he even sang in the original Broadway cast of “Gypsy.” He attained small-screen stardom in 1970 as the slovenly sportswriter Oscar Madison in the TV version of Neil Simon's “The Odd Couple,” which enjoyed a five-year run. It also earned him two Emmy Awards, and Klugman and Randall reunited for a TV movie, “The Odd Couple: Together Again” in 1993. Later he enjoyed more success as a crime-solving medical examiner on TV's “Quincy” (1976-83).

MEREDITH SCOTT LYNN (“Jennifer”): This native New Yorker has proved effective in comic supporting roles on TV and in independent features. After attending the High School of Performing Arts, Lynn soon began her career-making guest appearances on TV sitcoms, including the 1988 two-part series finale of “The Facts of Life.” The petite, curly-haired actress landed her first regular series gig as Leslie Barash, the tart-tongued friend to Joshua Rifkind's titular nebbish, in the short-lived sitcom “The Marshall Chronicles.” Lynn reprised the character in a 1992 episode of the sitcom “Flying Blind.” She went on to land regular roles on three other sitcoms, honing her sarcastic delivery as Dudley Moore's ambitious middle daughter in “Daddy's Girls,” a legal secretary with attitude to spare in “The Pursuit of Happiness” and Maurice Godin's ex-wife in “Life With Roger.” Lynn made her feature acting debut as a teenager searching for her birth father in the independent film “The Girl in the Watermelon.” Supporting roles in Gregory Hines' “Bleeding Hearts” and “Take a Number” followed before she joined the ranks of hyphenates. Lynn served as executive producer and co-star of Julie Davis' debut comedy “I Love You, Don't Touch Me!” and assumed similar duties on Tommy O'Haver's “Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss.” Both films featured the actress as the advice-doling sidekick to the lead. Lynn moved to the director's chair, sharing responsibility with Bradford Tatum on “Standing on Fishes,” an independent comedy about a struggling artist whose life is disrupted by both a mysterious woman and his girlfriend. She has since starred in such features as “Hollywood Homicide,” “Legally Blonde” and “Loser.”

SHIRI APPLEBY (“Nikki”): Shiri has been acting since the age of 4, landing jobs in several commercials for Cheerios, M&Ms and Taco Bell. Her first television job was on the soap opera “Santa Barbara.” Next came various roles on “thirtysomething,” “Bronx Zoo” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.” She made her film-debut in the low budget sequel, “Curse II: The Bite”. “I Love You to Death” came next and Shiri finally started to get secure work as an actress. For the next four years she worked steadily in television movies and made various television appearances. When she entered high school Appleby took a small break and took part in “Yearbook, Student Council” and was a cheerleader. In 1997 she graduated from Calabasas High School, where she was voted 'Most Spirited' by her class. Roles on TV’s “7th Heaven” and “City Guys” followed and then Shiri enrolled into the University of Southern California where she planned on taking a break from acting and studying English. However, her plans gave way when she landed the role as Liz Parker on the hit TV show “Roswell.” It was then that she gave her education a break and decided to try acting full-time. With the success of “Roswell,” Shiri rose to fan-magazine fame and was seen everywhere through the show's success. With small roles in past films such as “The Thirteenth Floor” and “The Other Sister” in 2002 after Roswell ended, Shiri landed the lead role as Amy Miller, the trusting girlfriend of Jesse Bradford, in the suspenseful teen-film “Swimfan.”

Photos from L to R: #1. Actress Mili Avital. #2. Salvador Alejandro Litva, director, writer, producer. #3. Actor Michael Lerner.

MILI AVITAL (“Vanessa”): Born in Jerusalem and raised near Tel Aviv, Mili got her first big break at age 15, in the Tel Aviv production of “Dangerous Liaisons.” She had already made a name for herself in the Israeli film industry before she left for America. In 1991, she won the Israeli Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the feature “Over the Ocean” and later received a nomination for Best Actress for her role in “Groupie”. But Israeli films have limited appeal, and though Mili was highly regarded in her native country, she relocated to New York, found work as a waitress, and took acting lessons. A talent agent discovered Mili one day in the restaurant, and she landed the female lead in “Stargate.” The main thing holding her back was her accent – not too many roles were available to foreign actresses. Mili went to work on learning to speak English like an American, and her efforts were rewarded. Mili starred alongside Johnny Depp in the independent western “Dead Man,” but her entire part lasted maybe ten minutes and ended with Avital's character getting shot through the chest. She then went on to work non-stop on three different pictures. Mili's most recent Israeli film role was in “Minotaur.” After her role in “Kissing a Fool,” Vanity Fair Magazine described Mili as one of the five most promising actresses in Hollywood today. Since finishing “Arabian Nights,” Mili has completed two films, the thriller “Preston Tylk,” and “After the Storm” with Benjamin Bratt.

Michael Lerner ("Ira"): He has appeared in numerous feature films, television series and on stage during a career that spans over thirty years. His portrait of a crass, fictitious film mogul in “Barton Fink” earned Lerner a best supporting actor Oscar nomination and a best supporting actor award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. An original member of San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, Lerner made his film debut in the feature “Alex in Wonderland” with Donald Sutherland. After several roles including “The Candidate” with Robert Redford, he gained notice for his role in “Postman Always Rings Twice” and in John Sayles’ “Eight Men Out.” He has since appeared in “Harlem Nights,” “Amos and Andrew,” “Radioland Murders,” “The Road to Wellsville,” “Godzilla,” “Celebrity,” “My Favorite Martian,” “The Mod Squad” and “Elf,” among others. He will next be seen in “29 Palms” with Chris O’Donnell, “Mockingbird Don’t Sing” with Sean Young, “Larceny” with Tyra Banks and “Shallow End” with Nancy Allen.

The Look of the Film: Steven Wolfe brought in a special effects house, Cynergy Creative. Despite a low budget they were able to see the special quality of the film and came aboard with enthusiasm and with a lot of work that would have normally cost a lot of money. Most of the film takes place in one night around the table in a tent with eleven characters, so it was a huge challenge just to cover the eleven in every scene, let alone keep the coverage interesting. Sal, David Mullen and Richard Halsey showed tremendous craft in keeping the story visually active. “Every scene was planned out in advance,” says Wolfe, “We made the decision very early on to shoot the film in widescreen, and it opens the film up quite a bit.” “The palette of the tent was inspired by an illustration in a Passover Haggadah I was given as a child by my great-grandfather. It had these beautiful color-drenched illustrations by an artist named Artur Szyk,” says Litvak. “The idea was to have no color in the family’s world before they entered the tent. Then, when the Seder begins, it’s a little like Dorothy leaving Kansas and entering Oz.”

The Finished Product: “Three things I would like audiences to take with them once they have seen this film:” says Litvak, “Families can heal, miracles happen if you make them happen, and finally, there’s a place for spirituality in everyone’s life.”

Filming of a new version of the Hollywood movie based on the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code is to take place at the Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh, UK.

Rosslyn Chapel picture courtesy of Undiscovered Scotland

Photo: Rosslyn Chapel has seen a surge in visitor numbers.

Agreement for the use of the location has been reached between the chapel's trustees and Rose Line Productions. Tom Hanks, was the star of the original film. He played Professor Robert Langdon. This is a new production unrelated to the previous one. One similarity: Both films were shot on location at the Rosslyn Chapel, a 15th century chapel that saw a huge surge in visitors after the book's plot suggested it was built to house the secret of the Holy Grail. Despite being derided by the Catholic church and many historians, Dan Brown's work has sold 17 million copies worldwide. Trustees spokesman Stuart Beattie said: "The chapel has long been a popular destination for hundreds of years. 'Magnificent' building: "There are many stories in Rosslyn's long history and I'm sure the chapel will make a superb backdrop for this particular one." He was confident the trustees would feel the film was value for money. Location fees alone could generate $270,000.

Da Vinci Code/Tom Hanks composite image A spokesman for Rose Line Productions described Rosslyn as a "magnificent" building which would enhance the quality of the film. Hanks will play the lead role with Audrey Tautou the female co-star. Oscar winner Ron Howard will direct the movie. The chapel will close for the filming. However, Dr Andrew Sinclair, a descendent of the family that founded the chapel and a former Cambridge historian, is reported to have said that the filming will ruin the chapel's reputation. He also said it would lead people to believe the "preposterous" claims made in the book. Theological objection: Lincoln Cathedral will double as Westminster Abbey after the latter refused permission to film, describing The Da Vinci Code as "theologically unsound". The book alleges that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children. It centres on a murder in a secret society and the trail leads to Rosslyn Chapel. The chapel, which is six miles south of Edinburgh, was visited by 68,603 people in 2004-05.

The Jerusalem Film Festival loved 'The Big Question'...will you?

Photo: Francesco Cabras.

"THE BIG QUESTION" was screened last week at Magno Screening Room. The film will opened in several cities around the country. The film addresses critical issues. What are the first existential queries that lead us to question the absolute? THE BIG QUESTION is based on an idea that is very simple yet rather complex: it poses extremely direct questions to a large and varied group of people regarding their own intimate perception of the divine. The set of “The Passion of the Christ” serves as the backdrop for the peculiar microcosm and a surprising sociological container where these inquiries take place. Ranging from interviews with director Mel Gibson to actors Monica Bellucci and James Caviezel to many of the extras and crew in the film, the documentary offers unique cultural, religious, social and geographical viewpoints by those offering their opinions. The topics suggested through the assorted questions are confronted by a subtle, sometimes humorous exploration which touches every denomination: believers, atheists, agnostics, or the undecided. The visuals are melded together and united by an eclectic sound track composed by musicians of very different ethnic roots. Additionally, a white dog roams the landscape, representing the allegoric and hieratic soul of THE BIG QUESTION. The dog travels through valleys, mountains and ghost towns of southern Italy, during a voyage more dreamlike than realistic. The documentary is based on an idea which is both very simple, but at the same time quite complex: it poses extremely direct questions to a large and diverse group of people regarding their own intimate relationships with God, spirituality, and faith. One of the questions is, “Who is God for you?” A question simultaneously banal and very difficult for which the response could not only take hours but for some is a lifelong quest. In this case, the idea and the experiment are to demand nippy responses that are immediate and devoid of superstructures. The Directors utilize the apparent limits of an extemporaneous interview as a means for reaching brief moments of truth and sincerity. The foundation of the documentary is given by the vast heterogeneity of the human beings interviewed, each with its different, culture, religion, social and geographical background. The fact that this group of people all worked on a set of a film about the passion of Jesus Christ provided for a far more attentive and profound answers. That which one wishes to gain is a vast, extreme, delicate, rational but poetic, inflexible and hazy, range of differences in personal spiritual experience. This documentary speaks of one of the very few aspects of life that touches every human being, atheist, agnostic, mystic or those who have either not defined their creed or do not wish to go there. The intention is that the vision of this documentary can interest anyone and capture the attention of the viewer, and that one will be touched profoundly, but can also have be entertained. There are very moving and inspiring moments, but also testimonies that are striking and fun in their immediacy and ingenuity. The direction of the interviews is simple, as well as rigorous and painstakingly photographed like large-format Polaroids. The testimonies are sewed with decontextualized images of a white dog wondering among the Sassi and of the prehistoric churches of Matera in southern Italy. These places are depicted in a somewhat destructuralized manner, surreal and oneiric along with an original soundtrack especially composed to build a purely narrative and aesthetic textile. Work on the documentary took nearly a year and a half, from shooting to editing and music recording. The original music score was composed by orchestra director Alessandro Molinari and by musicians from Italy, Mongolia, India and Honduras. Amongst these are Kamal Sabri, Enk Jarghal, Khaoticos and Maurizio Iorio. The inspiring film for this project has been Pier Paolo Pasolini’s ‘Comizi d’amore’.

FILMAKERS’ BIOGRAPHIES. FRANCESCO CABRAS: Born in Roma in 1966. He is a director, author, director of photography and producer of documentaries, music videos, commercials and fiction. In 1999 he has founded the independent production company ‘GANGA’ together with Alberto Molinari and Francesco Struffi with whom he has realized most of his works. As an actor, in 1997 he has won the Best Leading Actor Award at Nanni Moretti’s Sacher Festival. Subsequently he has landed roles in the following international productions: ‘Equilibrium’ by Kurt Wimmer, ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ by John Madden and ‘The Passion of the Christ’ by Mel Gibson. He has a Bachelor in Psychology. As a journalist and photographer specialised on music, travel and social issues, he spent many years in Asia where he met in 1995 the Peace Nobel Prize Aung San Suu Kyi at her house arrest in Burma for an exclusive interview. As an amateurish songwriter he had an unexpected number one song in several European countries. ALBERTO MOLINARI: Born in Roma in 1965. Director, author, director of photography, composer, editor and producer of documentaries, music videos and fiction, he has founded ‘GANGA’ together with Francesco Cabras and Francesco Struffi with whom he has realized most of his works. He founded and held the position of as artistic director of ‘Il Locale’ a live music club which was the driving center for Italian alternative music and theatre nineties. He has a Bachelor of Drama at ‘Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia’ of Roma. He works as actor and author in numerous movies, theatre and TV productions, amongst which ‘Regina’ by neorealism Maestro Carlo Lizzani where he had the main lead role, and ‘Volevamo essere gli U2’, the most staged Italian play of the last decade. FRANCESCO STRUFFI: Born in Rome in 1969. He is editor, art director, graphic designer, webmaster, multimedia projects developer and digital imaging expert. In Ganga he is in charge of editing and video compositing. He lives between Spain and Italy.

CAST: GREG (the dog). He was found among other six stray dogs in the countryside nearby the remote village of Matera. When he saw his future mate, Nando (our assistant director of TBQ), he got up and followed him instinctively. He is renowned and loved by all the inhabitants of the ancient village of the Sassi in Matera where he freely wonders about and lives with Nando. He is half wolf and has never been trained but is extremely smart and communicative. His long time fiancée is Isabella and they had seven puppies. His name was given because when Nando was driving him home Gregory Isaac was playing on his stereo. Greg’s special grace, beauty and dignity persuaded the directors to feature him in the documentary as a symbol of interior research, despite the tremendous difficulties in working with such an independent and free spirit. REST OF THE CAST: Both people native of Matera and those working in the production of the film on Jesus Christ.

Flawed and Flimsy – Early 2006 Current Film Round-up

By Marion D.S. Dreyfus

A colleague writes from England on the occasion of the British version of the Academy awards: […] I realized that most of the winning films -- Wallace & Gromet excepted -- supported social and political mores open to debate. I take no sides, though the directors did - and this does not conform with the view (following Adorno) I have long held that if an agenda, political or otherwise, gets entangled in a work of art, then that work of art is the poorer. When I go to a movie, I want to be entertained, but do I want to be harrangued?

His observation on agenda-driven films being the poorer for their heavy messages is one that many on this side of the pond are forced to note, as well. So popular a fistful of films as "The Constant Gardener," and "Syriana" and "Good Night and Good Luck"--as well as the controversial and distorted "Munich"-- irritate viewers who want a well-performed, well-scripted drama that permits one to make up one's own mind. The crop of recent award-garnering films thwack one over the head repeatedly with their questionable messages. If one rejects those not-so-invisible-ink blatancies, as do I, one's enjoyment is immediately temporized and quickly gone. The evil-doers in "Gardener" are the exceedingly regulated pharmaceutical industry avatars, those who bring us the near-miraculous medications that alleviate cardiac problems, deep depression, erectile dysfunction, and a host of one-time lethal disorders and diseases. This industry, which I know from the inside and in large measure admire, has its occasional flaws or lapses, but is so heavily monitored that continuing in a profit-making business is a notable achievement.

Photo: Actor George Clooney.

George Clooney's baby, "Syriana," aside from being barely comprehensible, is widely touted, too, perhaps because it ham-fistedly points to the failures and moral lacunae (again) of American Big Business to stand by its own or follow its apparently Clooney-blessed trajectory precisely where he wants it to. A chic film, with as many scene shifts as there are background dancers on MTV videos--with the same mortal nanosecond length--"Syriana" has reaped praise from many in the industry, yet only one person of this author's acquaintance found it enjoyable, out of dozens who rushed to screen the trendoid lenser. If anyone understands the import of the film's dozens of 4-second-long scenes, he must reject the premise, which is howlingly unfair and unproven.

"Munich" - ca va sans dire - written by a writer who makes no secret that he is dismissive of Israel's right to exist, and based upon a fallacious Oliver-Stonybook by a never-was Mossad wanna-be, makes a hash of the factual history, damages the credibility of the participants who avenged their innocent brethren murdered for the savage goals of Arafat's goons to teach the world a paltry and bloody lesson that failed, is another stylishly photographed adventure drama that, were it not based on real lives lost in a real-time context, and were it not actually deleterious to those it supposedly champions in its rancid retelling of a tragic episode in modern terrorism, would be a passable-plus entertainment. The suspense, riveting character studies, superb multilingual, multinational cast, atmosphere and multiple loci are all in place.

The nagging "But it wasn’t like that!" mechanism obtrudes, spoiling any enjoyment potential. Spielberg's film coarsens the debate, frays credulity, and puts words that never were into the mouths of icons like Golda Meir and others with too much integrity and plain sense of their own Jewish identity to voice the Tony Kushner mushmouth line in a thousand years. "Good Night and Good Luck" takes liberties with the history, the characters (I knew Fred Friendly, and he bore little resemblance to his on-screen embodiment), and the politicking of the time. "Firewall," featuring several screen favorites Harrison Ford and Virginia Madsen, has a number of plot holes that are problematic to obsessive compulsives and nitpickers (guilty as charged), but the overall cinematic experience is not very compromised, since the story...doesn't matter all that much. It is, as colleagues remind one consistently, 'only a movie.' The settings are fun, the hi-tech gloss of instant-messaging, iPods, cell phoe technology and game boys are nicely meshed, and it represents an update of the conventional bank-heist standby movie-goers have long enjoyed.

On the outlandish other hand, "Curious George" has been the absurd recipient of vituperative incessant criticism. The monkey is "too inquisitive." He is "a dangerous role model"; he was "unfairly captured" and possibly damaging for tender viewers because he gets into improbable scrapes and naughtiness. Political correctness as applied with a slavish crayon to a child's simple entertainment, written by two fleeing citizens of 1941 Europe, a husband and wife duo leaving the inferno on bicycles, with the scripts for seven Curious Georges among their precious few impedimenta. No. I screened "Curious" in a theatre filled with toddlers and tots--and they, the perfect demographic, loved this film. They giggled and chortled throughout. That's the ticket, after all, for a child's comedy. While the animation graphics are almost shockingly primitive in the age of Pixar verisimilitude, the movie, and the voices--Drew Barrymore and Will Ferrell among many enjoyable others--greatly appealing. One must reject the thesis, improbably pumped in a time of "Humpback Mountain" and "Capote" and other truly gender-assertive gay-themed films “TransAmerica”; the upcoming “Night Listener” starring Robin Williams and Toni Collette) that are openly about what they espouse, that the dashing hunter in the film is a poorly disguised closeted gay who 'adopts' a 'young simian' as a colonialist cover for his probable erotic shortfalls. No: The explorer/museum docent in the film is a shy chap in jodhpurs who would in an earlier incarnation be played by Jimmy Stewart. He gets goofy in the presence of his true love, the Drew Barrymore teacher figure, but he is won over by the rascally yet lovable little monkey. There is no implied alternate choice of lifestyle. This is a kid's movie. Even for adults, frankly, it is unprepossessing and madly enjoyable, with a delicious soundtrack and a hummable theme.

For my dime, "Sophie Scholl" is the best upcoming film on the screen. A true story, using actual transcripts, of the White Rose group in WWII Germany, who all tried valiantly to bruit the truth about what Hitler was doing to the world, its Jews, and the German polity. Immaculately acted, white-knuckly tense, and brilliantly scripted in black and white, this is a great film, and offers discriminating viewers great story-telling. Ironically, it is a pallid, strangely off-niche film called “Something New,” that sets sail for uncharted waters. Heavily advertised, the film features a blue-stocking professional Buppie who reluctantly comes to fall for her landscape architect, who happens to be, in a perfect obverse of “Pretty Woman,” which it greatly resembles, a hunk paragon of Caucasian ethnicity. She resists falling for Mr. Fab for the majority of the simplistic film, but ends up listening to her neurosurgeon father (imagine! A film where loving, decent parents are respected and heeded!), who wisely counsels her to follow her heart, not her color chart. Aside from the novelty of seeing the inner circle of elite black society exercise its right to dopey debutante rituals a la their white counterparts, this is a formula play that nudges one forgivably because it does not hew to the PC line of hanging with one’s own. Its point is in a way more daring than the pricier mega-million pix of the lockstep Hollywood panjandrums. Restless through most of the film, one respected its clunky but unexceptional goal of promoting honesty in one’s dealings, even with those not of the same stripe.

As entertaining as “Sophie Scholl,” but set in a wholly unfamiliar setting, the Farsi film “Border Café” mesmerized with its contrast of the rigid orthodoxies of traditional Iranian culture arrayed against the valiant struggle of a widow with several small children who takes on the running of her late-husband’s border café rather than marrying her unyielding brother-in-law. Though evidently a spectacular chef and attractive, she must remain hidden in the kitchen and pretend someone else runs the establishment. She must hide female visitors from baleful male glances, and sustain the insult of being denied her husband’s patrimony. Eventually locked out of her dignified but verboten livelihood by the heartless and implacable authorities, she is left to fend for herself with no champion or resort.

Proud, strong, tenacious, the widow is left bereft, outside her barred restaurant to contemplate her future. Under her hijab, there is in her glare of defiance more than a glimmer of why freedom and secularism is more than a faraway dream for those still under the ugly yoke of despots and hidebound medieval law. That director Kambozia Partovi could make such a film, even in 2005 Iran, is more heartening than a dozen “Syriana”s and “Munich”s.

IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES

By Danielle Hawkes

NEW YORK, NY –Although countless films have documented the horrors of the Holocaust and the devastating losses that followed, the vibrant Jewish culture that existed in Europe--specifically Poland-- before WWII often seems to have been tragically lost forever. On April 25, Docurama will proudly present a heartfelt tribute to a culture nearly decimated by Hitler's ruthless genocide, when it proudly releases the 25th Anniversary Edition of acclaimed filmmaker Josh Waletzky's IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES. A treasure trove of artwork, home movies and memories, this mesmerizing collage has been masterfully pieced together by Waletzky to recreate a society long lost. IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES visits people as varied as an émigré living in New York City and a Yiddish-speaking woman in Warsaw who touchingly sings the songs of beggars she learned as a child. A stunning commemoration of the art and culture of this diverse group between the two World Wars, IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES will be available on an extras-enhanced DVD. This Special 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition is sure to become a treasured addition to any home entertainment library. What the critics wrote: “fond and thoughtful…a touching monument of a world long gone”-- New York Times. “For anyone who is interested in what was and is no longer, IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES is the way to catch a glimpse backwards, the modern-day equivalent of wall paintings, bits of pottery and gothic columns.”-- The Washington Post

ON APRIL 25, JOIN DOCURAMA® FOR A STIRRING CINEMATIC CELEBRATION OF JEWISH LIFE IN POLAND BEFORE THE HOLOCAUST WITH THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF A CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED CLASSIC

Enlightening Extras on This Collectible DVD ($26.95srp) Include an Elaborate, Discussion-Provoking Study Guide, Commentary with Filmmaker Josh Waletzky and More. Like an intricate sand sculpture washed away by a relentless tide, the rich and eclectic culture of Jews in Poland was tragically destroyed by the Holocaust. Decades later, acclaimed filmmaker Josh Waletzky (Partisans of Vilna) uncovered a treasure trove of artwork, home movies and memories that he masterfully pieced together to recreate a long-lost society. A stunning commemoration of the art and culture of this diverse group between the two World Wars, IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES pays homage to the dynamic and vibrant community of 3.5 million people devastated during WWII. This Special 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will be available as an extras-enhanced DVD on April 25, for the collectible price of$26.95srp. Unearthing the stories of Jewish villagers, scholars, socialists, Zionists and artists who built a thriving culture during a 900-year history, this triumphant film draws on the artifacts of a vanished world -- home movies, songs, and the evocative memories of survivors -- to recreate Jewish Poland. Tracing the contours of Jewish Diaspora, IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES visits people as varied as a woman who can still sing the Hebrew prayers and Yiddish songs she heard as a young girl, the brother of a young woman who left her Orthodox home to join the theater, and a man who participated in the homegrown kibbutzim that prepared Zionist youth for life in Palestine. From the bucolic, traditional shtetls of the countryside to the lively cultural diversity in the cities, Waletzky masterfully memorializes a proud culture that still inspires hope and reverence. To further enhance and deepen the viewing experience, the DVD release includes an elaborate printed Study Guide with background, bibliography and key questions for discussion; Commentary with Waletzky; and a filmmaker biography. A critical success that drew rave reviews when it was released theatrically in 1981, IMAGE BEFORE MY EYES is the Winner of the Silver Ducat at the Manheim Film Festival. Seen on PBS and as an Official Selection at the New York Jewish Film Festival, the film was produced by the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.

Docurama: Founded in 1999 by parent company New Video Group Inc., Docurama is the only label dedicated exclusively to bringing critically acclaimed and cutting-edge documentary films to the home entertainment marketplace. Since its launch, Docurama has released over 100 award-winning and highly acclaimed documentary titles including DA Pennebaker’s Bob Dylan: Dont Look Back, The Brandon Teena Story, Southern Comfort, Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, and the recent theatrical phenomenon about famed nature sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides: Working With Time. Docurama is also the exclusive distributor of both seasons of Michael Moore’s hit television series The Awful Truth. Docurama’s impressive collection of Academy Award® winners and nominees includes Murder on a Sunday Morning, Scared Straight!, The Weather Underground, Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision, Genghis Blues, Children Underground, and Sound and Fury. In partnership with the Independent Film Channel (IFC) Docurama has released numerous acclaimed documentaries and theatrical hits including Lost in La Mancha, Go Tigers!, Keep the River on Your Right, A Decade Under the Influence, and Brother’s Keeper, as well as the recent John Landis doc Slasher. In 2004, Docurama partnered with the acclaimed PBS documentary series P.O.V. to release their critically-acclaimed documentaries on DVD. Among some of the first films to be released include the 2003 theatrical doc Lost Boys of Sudan and the recent Sundance Special Jury Prize winner Farmingville. Most recently, Docurama has joined forces with the Sundance Channel to launch the Sundance Channel Home Entertainment Documentary Collection, culled from some of the strongest documentary titles to air on Sundance Channel, including both original productions and acquisitions. Early releases include films from The First Amendment Project as well as the acclaimed 8-part documentary series The Staircase. New Video is also the exclusive label and distributor for the A&E Home Video lines, including The History Channel® and Biography®. Contact: dhawkes@foundrycomm.com or Michael Krause mkrause@foundrycomm.com