"Cecil B. Demented," the Hollywood satire John Waters directed in Baltimore last year, has been selected to play in the non-competitive section of the Cannes Film Festival this year.
The comedy, which stars Stephen Dorff, Alicia Witt and Melanie Griffith, will be shown along with films by Brian De Palma, Ang Lee and Dave Stewart of Eurythmics.
"Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her," the directorial debut of Rodrigo Garcia, will make its European premiere at the festival. Garcia received early financing for the project with a Producers Club of Maryland Fellowship. The Maryland Film Festival will sponsor a Baltimore screening of the film later in May, when Garcia is on his way back from Cannes.
The Cannes Film Festival unspools May 10 through 21.
Familiar face
If you've seen "Deterrence," Rod Lurie's political thriller currently playing at the Rotunda and thought you saw a familiar face, you're probably right.
Rigg Kennedy, who grew up in Waverly and attended St. Bernard's School and Roland Park Middle School, has a supporting role in the film playing a communications expert for a U.S. president.
Kennedy, who formerly was a dancer on the legendary "Buddy Deane Show," was last seen in Lurie's award-winning short film "4 Second Delay," which was a hit at last year's MicroCineFest.
Kennedy left Baltimore in 1975 and has been working in Los Angeles for several years, appearing on stage, on television and in such movies as "Dayton's Devils" and "RPM." Upcoming projects include "Silent Scream," "The Flunkie" and "Play Back."
"Deterrence" plays at the Rotunda for one more week.
Earth Day film
The Senator Theatre will continue its annual Earth Day tradition Saturday with a free screening of "Baraka."
The movie is the result of a 14-month journey by filmmakers to capture images that describe the planet's evolution. Admission and refreshments are free. The film will be shown at 10 a.m., after the Partners Across the Road community clean-up. There will be a second screening at 11: 30 a.m.
Screenings at Towson
There will be several screenings on the Towson University campus this week: The Women's Studies program film festival wraps up this weekend with "Taafe Fanga" ("Skirt Power") tonight, and Sally Potter's 1983 film "The Gold Diggers" on Saturday. Both films will be shown in room 204 of Van Bokkelen Hall at 7: 30 p.m. Admission is free.
