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In the late ’60s, two celebrated producers, who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic lyrics, discovered a musician in a Detroit baraan artist who reminded them of a Chicano Bob Dylan, perhaps even greater. They had worked with the likes of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, but they believed the album they subsequently produced with RodriguezaCold Factawas the masterpiece of their producing careers. In fact, the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording of Cold Fact somehow found its way into apartheid South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon. Two South African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing myths about the artist known as Rodriguez. First-time director Malik Bendjelloul’s documentary Searching for Sugar Man is a film about hope, inspiration and the resonating power of music.

In the romantic comedy Ruby Sparks, Calvin (Paul Dano) is a young novelist who achieved phenomenal success early in his career but is now struggling with his writingas well as his romantic life. Finally, he makes a breakthrough and creates a character named Ruby who inspires him. When Calvin finds Ruby (Zoe Kazan), in the flesh, sitting on his couch about a week later, he is completely flabbergasted that his words have turned into a living, breathing person. Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine).

Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to their limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.

Francis (Andre Dussollier, Micmacs, Tell No One) is a successful crime writer who moves to Venice to work on his next novel. When he meets model-turned-real-estate-agent Judith (Carole Bouquet, That Obscure Object of Desire, Red Lights), he is instantly infatuated. Francis and Judith eventually marry and move to a remote house on Torcello Island but Francis’ newfound happiness hinders his writing. Obsessing over what Judith does while at work, he hires a young ex-convict (Mauro Conte) to investigate. As Judith’s sexual past is revealed both men become increasingly fixated on the mysterious woman. Set against the beautiful backdrop of Venice, Unforgivable examines the consequences of unresolved past relationships and their far-reaching effects into the future. Directed and co-written by veteran French filmmaker Andre Techine (The Girl on the Train, Wild Reeds). Official selection of Cannes 2011 Directors’ Fortnight. (Fully subtitled)

When Margot (Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine), 28, meets handsome artist Daniel (Luke Kirby), their chemistry is intense and immediate. But Margot suppresses her sudden attraction; she is happily married to Lou (Seth Rogen), a cookbook writer. When Margot learns that Daniel lives across the street from them, the certainty about her domestic life shatters. She and Daniel steal moments throughout the steaming Toronto summer, their eroticism heightened by their restraint. Swelteringly hot, bright and colorful like a bowl of fruit, Take This Waltz leads us, laughing, through the familiar, but uncharted question of what long-term relationships do to love, sex, and our images of ourselves. Also starring Sarah Silverman. Warmly human, funny and bittersweet, Take This Waltz deftly avoids romantic cliches and paints an unusually true and unsentimental portrait of adult relationships. Written and directed by Sarah Polley (Away From Her).

Advance tickets may be purchased here: https://tickets.landmarktheatres.com/Ticketing.aspx?TheatreID=264&MovieID=13318&ShowDate=7/15/2012&ScheduleID=102933

In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis), a six-year-old girl, exists on the brink of orphanhood. Buoyed by her childish optimism and extraordinary imagination, she believes that the natural world is in balance with the universe until a fierce storm changes her reality. Desperate to repair the structure of her world in order to save her ailing father and sinking home, this tiny hero must learn to survive unstoppable catastrophes of epic proportions. The fantastical and striking narrative drama Beasts of the Southern Wild is director and co-writer Benh Zeitlin’s feature film debut.

To Rome With Love is a kaleidoscopic comedy set in one of the world’s most enchanting cities. The film brings us into contact with John (Alec Baldwin), a well-known American architect reliving his youth; Leopoldo Pisanello (Roberto Benigni), an average middle-class Roman who suddenly finds himself Rome’s biggest celebrity; a young provincial couple, Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) and his lovely new wife Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi), drawn into separate romantic encounters-Antonio ends up passing off a stranger (Penelope Cruz) as his wife, while Milly is romanced by legendary movie star Luca Salta (Antonio Albanese); and Jerry (writer/director Woody Allen), an American opera director endeavoring to put Giancarlo (renowned tenor Fabio Armiliato), a singing mortician, on stage. While Rome is a city abundant with romance and comedy, To Rome With Love is about people having adventures that will change their lives forever. Also starring Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Greta Gerwig, Judy Davis, Alison Pill and Flavio Parenti.

Given that this is opening weekend for the movie, it is strongly recommended that you buy your tickets in advance at http://www.landmarktheatres.com/tickets/default.asp

In the scrappy romantic comedy Safety Not Guaranteed, an unusual classified ad inspires three cynical Seattle magazine employees (Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson and Karan Soni) to look for the story behind it. They discover a mysterious eccentric named Kenneth (Mark Duplass, Your Sister’s Sister), a likable but paranoid supermarket clerk, who believes he’s solved the riddle of time travel and intends to depart again soon. Together, they embark on a hilarious, smart and unexpectedly heartfelt journey that reveals how far believing can take you. Written by Derek Connolly and directed by Colin Trevorrow.

Advance tickets may be purchased at https://tickets.landmarktheatres.com/Ticketing.aspx?TheatreID=264&MovieID=13574&ShowDate=6/24/2012&ScheduleID=102184

In the dramatic comedy Your Sister’s Sister, Mark Duplass (co-director of Jeff, Who Lives at Home and Cyrus) stars as Jack, a slacker who’s still emotionally unstable a year after his brother Tom’s death. When he makes a scene at a memorial party, Tom’s ex-girlfriend, Iris (Emily Blunt), offers up her family cabin on an island in the Pacific Northwest so Jack can seek catharsis in solitude. Once there, however, he runs into Iris’ sister, Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), a lesbian reeling from the abrupt end of a seven-year relationship, who finds solace in the affable Jack’s unexpected presence, and the two bond over a long night of drinking. The blurry evening concludes with an awkward sexual incident made worse by Iris’ sudden presence at the cabin the next morning, which sets into motion a twisted tale of ever-complicated relationships. Written and directed by Lynn Shelton (Humpday).

Ultrasonic, referred to at DCIFF as the film that “sets the bar for DC-made feature films” has an all DC cast and crew and was shot entirely in the DC metro area.

ULTRASONIC tells the tale of Simon York music teacher, married, soon- to-be-father. Simon plays in a band and dreams of one day getting paid to write music. For now, however, money is tight and Simon shelling out $2000 to record an album is an additional cause of stress on his marriage to Ruth. Jonas is Ruths troubled brother and spends his days handing out flyers and trying to, open peoples eyes, to his theories of conspiracies and injustices in the world. One night Simon hears what he thinks is a very real sound in an alleyway. The sound does not disappear and remains audible from his house. Ruth doesnt hear it and she dismisses it, claiming that his ears are ringing from years of loud music. Jonas reaction to Simons ailment is much different than Ruths. Jonas believes Simon and, after doing some research, believes that what Simon is hearing is in fact a government experiment, which utilizes an ultrasonic auditory signal to control the minds of all who hear it. Simon, with some prodding from Ruth, goes to visit an ear doctor who informs him that his test results show Simons hearing to be least 6,000 Hz higher than the average human. This convinces Jonas that his theory is correct, and the two of them embark on a journey to get to the bottom of the sound experiment and stop the noise.