Thanks to Vittoria for making us aware of this 'April,' 'Casa' kick off Woodstock film fest Event takes place Sept. 17-21; concert skedded for the 17the By LILY OEI The Woodstock Film Festival will kick off its fourth year with the East Coast premiere of Peter Hedges' "Pieces of April" in Woodstock on Sept. 18 and, simultaneously, a screening of John Sayles' "Casa de Los Babys" in nearby Rhinebeck, N.Y. Fest has increased in size and geography and decided to acknowledge the expansion with twin openers. "Casa" will screen at arthouse theater Upstate Films in Rhinebeck, where other events will take place during festival weekend. "These are two great films that will have very different audiences," said festival director Meira Blaustein. "But everyone will come together for the party." "Pieces of April" stars Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson and Derek Luke. Written and directed by Hedges, story follows family members reuniting for Thanksgiving. Ensemble drama "Casa de Los Babys" is the story of six women who are in South America to adopt babies. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia Gay Harden and Lili Taylor star. Woodstock Fest will take place Sept. 17-21, with a concert skedded for Sept. 17. Full lineup will be announced Aug. 18 at fest's annual kickoff party at Gotham's Knitting Factory. Source: Variety ----------- More on the fest from Indie Wire; Woodstock Set With East Coast Premiere of "Revolution" and Openers "Casa" and "April" by Brian Brooks July is already here and news from the Fall festivals is beginning to roll in. In mid-September, the 4th Woodstock Film Festival will open with the East Coast premiere of Peter Hedges' "Pieces of April," playing in the town of Woodstock, NY, and also a simultaneous screening in nearby Rhinebeck of John Sayles' "Casa de los Babys." Also slated for the festival is the East Coast premiere of the documentary, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" by Kim Bartley and Donnacha O' Briain. More than 100 narrative & doc features and shorts will screen at the festival, alongside panel discussions, workshops, concerts and parties. Written and directed by Hedges, "Pieces of April" stars Katie Holmes, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Sean Hayes and Oliver Platt in the story of a family Thanksgiving drama in the making when April Burns (Holmes) decideds to cook dinner in her Lower East Side apartment for her straight-laced family from Pennsylvania. New York Women in Film and Television will also host a discussion with Hedges, producer John Lyons, Clarkson, and Platt and others to be announced later during the fest. United Artists will release the film in September. "Casa de los Babys," from IFC Films, is an intense drama starring Maggie Gylenhaal, Daryl Hannah, Marcia Gay Harden, Susan Lynch, Mary Steenburgen and Lili Taylor set in South America. The group of women are trapped in a motel as they anxiously await decisions about their adopting local babies. For "Revolution," the Irish filmmaking duo traveled to Venezuela last year to film President Hugo Chavez, securing permission from the leader for full access for what was planned as a personal profile. But the project immediately changed following a coup with Chavez being replaced by an interim government. It debuted earlier this year at SXSW. Finally, Woodstock will also screen the on-the-road documentary, "Go Further" by Ron Mann ("Grass," "Twist"). Described as an "Electric Kool-Acid Test on Tofu," the film captures actor/activist Woody Harrelson on his journey to promote sustainable development and "conscious living in an environmentally sound world." The full lineup for the 2003 Woodstock Film Festival, which will take place September 17 - 21, will be announced next month. [For more information, please visit: http://www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/.]

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