Michael Moore Brings Oscar-Quality Films to the 2009 Traverse City Film Festival

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Michael Moore at the Traverse City Film Festival

We're bringing the absolute best in new films from around the world and here at home.

Traverse City, MI (PRWEB) July 24, 2009

Traverse City Film Festival founder Michael Moore has announced "the best movie lineup" in its five-year history for the 2009 event that runs from July 28 through Aug. 2 in the northern Michigan town of Traverse City, Michigan.

"Last year we had over 80,000 admissions and we expect even more this year," Moore said. "We're bringing the absolute best in new films from around the world and here at home."

Tickets are on sale now for the entire schedule which can be viewed at http://www.traversecityfilmfestival.org.

Film fans will be thrilled to see the selections that start with the opening night film "Troubled Water" and conclude with the closing night film "Julie & Julia."

"Troubled Water," a Norwegian film from director Erik Poppe, who is attending the festival, is about a young man just released from prison after serving eight years for a terrible crime. While on the path to redemption, he is forced to confront his past when he encounters a woman whose life has been forever scarred by his actions.

"Julie & Julia" is the much-anticipated film starring Meryl Streep as Julia Child with Amy Adams in Nora Ephron's story about the early days of the renowned chef's career, and Julie Powell's attempt, more than 40 years later, to cook and blog her way through all 524 recipes in Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in just one year. Traverse City festival attendees will see "Julie & Julia" ahead of its release in theaters across the USA. It will have two screenings in Traverse City.

Festival-goers will be able to choose from a total of 71 features and 50 short films representing more than 30 countries and five continents. Films include ''Valentino: The Last Emperor,'' "Which Way Home," "Outrage," "Learning Gravity," "The Answer Man," ''The Girlfriend Experience,'' "The Greatest," "Humpday" and "Sugar."

The festival will feature a ''Straight Outta Austin'' segment with two of the brightest stars from what Moore calls "the new hotbed of American Independent Cinema," Ben Steinbauer ("Winnebago Man," the funniest documentary in the festival according to Moore), and an unprecedented two new films by the same filmmaker (because they're so funny, according to Moore): "Registered Sex Offender" and "Harmony and Me" from Robert Byington.

Steinbauer and Byington will also be teaching a class in the new TCFF Film School on American Comedy. Conducted by filmmakers who will be in Traverse City presenting their films on Wednesday through Sunday of festival week, the class topics also include screenwriting, documentaries, women in film and making short films.

Steinbauer and Byington are two of more than 60 filmmakers, industry guests and actors (Jeff Garlin, Kevin Corrigan, Justin Rice, Patton Oswalt, Christine Lahti and others) who will attend the festival this year. Daily panel discussions featuring filmmakers will be held at 9:30 am every morning at the City Opera House, free to the public (with free coffee, too). The Friday panel will be a unique chance for festivalgoers to attend a meeting of the Michigan Film Commission to see how government works and to find out how film incentives are working in Michigan. Other topics include documentaries, films about Palestine, and comedy.

There's also a panel on Sunday, Aug. 2, focusing on Paul Mazursky, the TCFF09 Tributee. The legendary writer/director will attend the festival in person to present and discuss his classic films, ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice,'' ''Enemies, A Love Story'' and ''An Unmarried Woman.'' Jeff Garlin will moderate.

Two special sections, "Greetings from Tehran" and "Palestine and Vine," will focus on films from the Middle East, including the new documentary, "Rachel," about the life and death of Rachel Corrie, an American who sacrificed her life to help the Palestinian people. Her parents will participate in discussions at the festival.

"We're also bringing two Palestinian filmmakers," Moore said. "At this time in history, more than ever, we need to hear voices from that part of the world that are not filtered by the Western media."

Moore himself will host a special 20th anniversary screening of his first film, "Roger & Me." Special guests from that film will attend as well.

Film festival board member Larry Charles will present a one-time-only screening of outtakes from his new film, "Bruno," starring Sacha Baron-Cohen. Comedian Jeff Garlin (''Curb Your Enthusiasm'') will give a sneak preview of a surprise title. Other filmmakers attending include Jim Czarnecki, co-producer with Kathleen Glynn of "Bowling for Columbine," who will bring his new film, ''Soundtrack for a Revolution.'' Comedian Patton Oswalt will show his new movie, "Big Fan."

The environment takes center stage with eight eye-opening documentaries that shine light on urgent problems facing the planet.

Traverse City celebrates the 40th anniversary of Woodstock with a screening of never-before-seen footage from the concert and special guests who performed at Woodstock live on stage at the State Theatre: Country Joe McDonald, Paul Kantner (Jefferson Starship) and Wavy Gravy will attend.

Nightly free family films will be shown on a huge inflatable screen set against the beautiful Traverse City waterfront. Also new this year is the TCFF Kids Fest offering new, independent films for young people Wednesday through Saturday at 9:30 am for just $6.

The film festival will open with a Street Party on Tuesday, July 28, from 5 -8:30 p.m. featuring a presentation of the Michigan Filmmaker Award to Traverse City-based Rich Brauer, live music and the exotic balloon art of New York City's Jason Michael Hackenwerth. An unconventional sculptor, Hackenwerth blows, twists and shapes plastic into whimsical forms and creatures.

Live music is one of the highlights of the festival, with performers at every venue playing before each show, and a new After Hours series running at three concert halls around Traverse City. A new ''5th Traverse City Film Festival'' CD is on sale, too, featuring a compilation of music from this year's featured artists.

The outdoor TCFF Film Lounges will also offer live music from 1 to 6 p.m., and all day festival patrons will be able to use these areas to discuss films.

Two races will be held on Saturday night, Aug. 1. At 7:30 p.m., eight elite men and eight elite women will run the "Stars of the Mile" race for a cash purse in a loop downtown, after which families and runners will participate in a costume 5K race beginning at 8 p.m. and running along the Bay, ending in front of the festival's anchor venue, the State Theatre. The winners will be recognized at the new Saturday night outdoor downtown Filmmakers Party by Jeff Garlin. The Best Costume prize winner will receive two free round-trip tickets to anywhere in the continental US.

Admission prices to all festival events remain the same as last year, $9 for regular movies. Opening and closing night films are $25, with an extra 6 p.m. screening of "Julie and Julia" priced at $15. Opening and closing night parties are ticketed separately at $50. The Montessori Children's House is offering day care during festival hours.

In order to keep ticket prices the same, a limited number of tax-deductible $2,500 Producer's Passes are also available. The passes, offered as a fundraiser for the festival, are non-transferable and give the bearer a guaranteed seat at, and early access to, all festival films and events.

View the 2009 Film Festival Guide online at http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/tixSYS/2009/filmguide/

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