The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio. Playwright Jane Anderson makes her feature film directing debut with this tale of an enterprising 1950s housewife (Julianne Moore) who enters jingle contests to make ends meet. Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern co-star. DreamWorks, Fall.
Proof. The film of David Auburn's Pulitzer Prize-winning play stars Gwyneth Paltrow (above, with Anthony Hopkins) as the troubled daughter of a mathematical genius (Hopkins) who suffered from mental illness. Jake Gyllenhaal and Hope Davis also star. John Madden ("Shakespeare in Love") directed. Miramax Films, TBA.
Pure. In a poor section of East London, a 10-year-old boy shoulders the burden of his family, including his mother's drug addiction, after his father's death. Harry Eden, Molly Parker and Vinni Hunter star. Directed by Gillies MacKinnon ("Hideous Kinky"). Indican Pictures, March 25.
Roll Bounce. The closing of the local skating rink forces Bow Wow and his buddies to an uptown rink setting up the Roller Jam skate-off. With Chi McBride and Nick Cannon. Directed by Malcolm Lee ("Undercover Brother"). Fox Searchlight, Sept. 16.
Rory O'Shea Was Here. Two severely disabled young Irishmen receive a grant to move out on their own and strive for true independence. James McAvoy, Steven Robertson and Romola Garai star. Directed by Damien O'Donnell ("East Is East"). Focus Features, Feb. 4.
Saraband. Ingmar Bergman catches up with the characters from "Scenes From a Marriage" as Liv Ullman's reunion with her former husband (Erland Josephson) stirs emotions and reveals complex family bonds. Sony Pictures Classics, July 8.
Schizo. Kazakhstani film about a 15-year-old boy who looks after a dead boxer's girlfriend and child. Olzhas Nusuppaev and Gulnara Jeralieava star. Directed by Guka Omarova. Picture This!, March.
Sequins. A pregnant teen bonds with an embroiderer who gives her refuge. Lola Naymark and Ariane Ascaride star. Directed by Elenore Faucher. New Yorker Films, March 25.
Step by Step (Un Honnete Commercant). A dissatisfied French tax investigator reaches an agreement with a crime boss. With Benoit Verhaert and Philippe Noiret. Written and directed by Philippe Blasband. Empire Pictures, March 25.
Summer Storm. A young German rower is disturbed by the feelings he has for his best friend and teammate. With Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullman and Alicja Bachleda-Curus. Directed by Marco Kreuzpainter. here!/Regent Releasing, July 22.
Swimming Upstream. In 1950s Brisbane, a young Australian swimmer strains to earn his father's affection by training for the Olympics. Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis and Jesse Spencer star. Directed by Russell Mulcahy ("Highlander"). MGM, Feb. 4.
Take My Eyes. A woman flees into the night to get away from her abusive husband, but she knows he will look for her. Laia Marull and Luis Tosar star. Directed by Iciar Bollain. New Yorker Films, April 22.
3 Dancing Slaves. Three brothers, each at a turning point in his life, must escape their domineering father to reach adulthood. With Nicolas Cazale, Stephane Rideau and Thomas Dumerchez. Directed by Gael Morel. TLA Releasing, July.
3-Iron. Korean director Kim Ki-Duk's ("Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter ... and Spring") tale of a nomadic housebreaker and an abused wife who find fleeting happiness together. Jae Hee and Lee Seung-yeon star. Sony Pictures Classics, April 29.
Tony Takitani. A technical illustrator looks to fill the void in his life after tragically losing his couture-loving wife. Issei Ogata stars. Directed by Jun Ichikawa. Strand Releasing, May.
Travellers & Magicians. Buddhist lama Khyentse Norbu, director of the surprise 1999 hit "The Cup," returns with the first feature ever shot in Bhutan, which weaves parallel tales of two men seeking escape from their banal lives. Zeitgeist Films, Jan. 28.
Tropical Malady. Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul's ("Blissfully Yours") romantic mystery about the love between a soldier and a country boy journeys into magical myth. With Banlop Lomnoi and Sakda Kaewbuadee. Strand Releasing, Spring.
Turtles Can Fly. On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, an industrious 13-year-old Kurdistani nicknamed "Satellite" organizes minefield clearing and falls for an orphan. With Avaz Latif, Soran Ebrahim and Saddam Hossein Feysal. Directed by Bahman Ghobadi ("A Time for Drunken Horses"). IFC Films, Feb.
Twin Sisters. Siblings are separated and face different fates during World War II, with one sent to Nazi Germany while the other goes
to the Netherlands to live with relatives sheltering
Jews. With Ellen Vogel,
Thekla Reuten, Nadja Uhl, Gudrun Okras. Directed by Ben Sombogaart. Miramax Films, TBA.
Two for the Money. Sports gambling mogul Al Pacino recruits ex-college athlete Matthew McConaughey based on his knack for picking winners. With Rene Russo. Directed by D.J. Caruso ("The Salton Sea"). Universal Pictures, TBA.
