This is a bittersweet romantic comedy/drama set in Australia about an American girl named Heidi (played beautifully by Australian actress Rachael Taylor) hitchhiking through anywhere Australia, seemingly directionless with only a small suitcase and her violin. Lost after her father's death and her meeting with his new family, she is torn between returning home to America or starting a new life in Australia, as her father had done. During her journey, she meets Michael (Alex Dimitriades)...

    'Lula, the Son of Brazil' screened at the 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival to a somewhat skeptical audience. But while some doubted the political subject matter, all who screened the film were pleasantly surprised by this mildly political narrative and very human story about Brazil's beloved ex-president. It isn't common knowledge that Lula grew up in poverty with a strong mother who faced unspeakable adversity to raise her child well with the drive ...

 This was the third film I saw on my first day at PSIFF 2011...I mean, I really did pick the best for the first day... Marcel Rasquin's film, 'Hermano' (2010) conjures up reminiscence to the Brazilian hit film, 'City of God' (2002), not because it is similar, but because it is THAT GOOD!  We start with a baby boy (Daniel) left to die in a dumpster. A mother picks the baby out of the dumpster and takes him home with her young son, Julio. Then we jump to years later when both boys- Daniel an...