Keswick Film Festival

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Based on a true event which for many epitomises the faults in the Turkish legal system, Pardon tells the tragicomic story of three friends who end up in prison when they are mistaken as members of a terrorist organization.

The Writer, Ferhan Sensoy is a popular director and actor in Turkish theatre where he is well-known for his spontaneous political criticism. He generally performs on stage in his own theatre which means that not many outsiders get to see his work. "Pardon", in that sense, is reaching out to people who can not come to watch his plays.

A posting from Istanbul on the IMDB states “The story is one of the true stories of Turkey about its legal system faults. The acting and directing is superb. I have watched it three times in the same week and laughed each time.”

Thanks to Plato Films

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The film tells the story of a highly intelligent former state champion bodybuilder from small town Ohio who has become obsessed with his scientific research and, consequently, has let his world-class physique go. He journeys to the mecca of bodybuilding, Los Angeles, to prove himself. Determined to reveal his new ideas to the world, the awkward yet sincere bodybuilder realizes he has no choice but to get back in supreme shape, compete in the ultimate "Mr. West Coast" bodybuilding competition and use his own body as the perfect reflection of his mind's work. Amidst the LA-freaks, Hollywood wannabes, and outrageous gym culture of Los Angeles, the now determined bodybuilder struggles to preserve an integrity of the mind, body, and spirit that is so apparently void in this strange new land.

Thanks to Sam Turcotte

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Originally entitled ‘Bienvenue Chez les Ch’tis’ this gem of a comedy explores the north/south divide in France. The film plays on cultural and linguistic differences as the hero, Philippe, travels from suave and comfy meridional France to take up a post-office manager's job in his country's grim north which most of the French consider to be populated with hard drinking unemployed rednecks speaking an incomprehensible local dialect – Ch’ti.

The film is brought to life for a British audience through inspired subtitling which succeeds in matching French mis-speaks with plausible English equivalents in a tour de force which, says the Guardian, merits the creation of a whole new Oscar category. Allied to ”the ingenuity of the
writing, the fluency and comic timing of the actors, in particular the assured direction of Dany Boon, who happens to be a Ch’ti himself”, the Sticks and the town of Bergues are destined to charm.

Thanks To Pathe

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In this comedy from Spain, a young girl in her twenties, Marina, and her teenage brother, Samuel, have lost their parents in an accident three years ago. Samuel has taken it hard. He hasn't left their apartment in these last three years and has created a bizarre world for himself and his once-famous literary grandfather. His eccentricity and cleverness scares off the tutors hired to educate him. Marina has no life as she is consumed with taking care of Samuel and working across the street as a waitress.

Marina accidentally meets up with a psychologist, Gabriel, and asks him to be her brother's tutor. Almost immediately, Gabriel has a powerful positive effect on Samuel. And Gabriel becomes smitten with Marina. The student Samuel reverses roles and begins to teach the shy Gabriel how to attract women.

Thanks to Gustavo Ron