FilmNewYork

Tuesday, March 13----The Museum of Modern Art presents its fifth annual exhibition of recent films from Canada in the Canadian Front 2007 series that begins tomorrow evening and runs through March 19th.

The eight-film progam, a mix of dramatic features and documentaries, opens with the New York premiere of AWAY FROM HER, the directorial debut of actress Sarah Polley (best known for her roles in Atom Egoyan's THE SWEET HEREAFTER and the 2004 remake of George Romero's zombie classic DAWN OF THE DEAD). Polley also adapted the screenplay from a famed short story by Alice Munro, after the changing relationship in a long time couple when the wife (luminously played by Oscar winner Julie Christie) descends into dementia from Alzheimer's Disease. The film, which also includes affecting performances from Michael Murphy, Olympia Dukakis and Gordon Pinsent, will be introduced by Polley at the opening of the series tomorrow evening at MoMA.

DANS LES VILLESFour of the eight films are directed by women, pointing to the strong presence of female talents both in front of and behind the camera. Aside from Polley, films from femme talents include: Sophie Deraspe (LOOKING FOR VICTOR PELLERIN, a documentary profile of an eccentric Montreal artist who "dropped out" to parts unknown); Gariné Torossian (STONE TIME TOUCH, an impressionistic diary film about the filmmaker's return to her Armenian roots) and Catherine Miller (whose second feature DANS LES VILLES is an emotional tale of the intersecting lives of four lonely Montrealers).

Arthur LipsettWestern Canada is represented by debut filmmaker Bojan Bodruzic, originally from Bosnia, whose original film IMMIGRANTS tells the dramatic tale of two Bosnian refugees who attempt to reclaim their shattered lives in Vancouver. Canada is famous for its documentary tradition, which is compellingly revealed in the non-fiction films RADIANT CITY, director Gary Burns' and Jim Brown's devastating critique of the blandness of Canadian suburbia; and FINDING ARTHUR, director Martin Lavut's homage to a lost cinema giant, experimental filmmaker Arthur Lipsett.

The program also includes one of Canada's box office champions from last year. MAURICE RICHARD, by director Charles Biname, is a biopic on Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, a star hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens. The film was a major winner at the Genie Awards, Canada's version of the Oscars, winning a Best Director prize for Biname and three acting awards, including for Patrick Dupuis as Richard. 

For more information on the program, screening schedule and upcoming events, log on to: www.moma.org

Sandy Mandelberger, Film New York Editor