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Show u p a Peirce 1M mi t H f pi n I Dur f.imilv. tnii Knur, m s "And your countn ," I hey h.ue thrs rvjvr mwf tlvit every soldier told me soklim go through. It's aUnit proHM-inthe soldier to your left, the soldier to your right, hemp; willing to die for them and being challenged by the nature of this conflict, the nature of ur ban warfare. So many soldiers said to me, 'They're putting us in impossible circumstances.' " And those circumstances include stop-losIn the movie, a soldier who thinks he's being discharged (Ryan Phillippe) is told he's got to go back to Iraq. He refuses. Interstate flight ensues. But this is in large part a narrative device so is Iraq, to a degree: Peirce is far more interested in what war means to men in a larger sense, how it provides them "an arena where guys can be guys ... a space to be together in a way they truly love. And which they can't have anywhere else." In interviews she conducted in places such as Paris, ILL, and throughout base towns in Texas (where the film is set), Peirce talked to vets, AWOL soldiers, soldiers who had fled to Canada. The subjects formulated or confirmed a great deal of what Peirce thinks about g and gender men, politics. The process took a year, and if that seems like a long time, there is that fact that it's been nine years since Peirce's last movie, which also nature questioned the of the sexes. "Boys Don't Cry," which won a Best Actress Oscar for the previously unknown Hilary Swank, was based on the story of Brandon Teena, a Ne- - v Oscar winner and teen actress delve into dark places 0' d -- braska transsexual who was beaten, raped and murdered in one of. the more notorious hate crimes of the 1990s. The movie's message was more than timely: Although entirely unconnected to Peirce's story, the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard occurred just a year before the release of "Boys Don't Cry," throwing another shaft of harsh light on America's struggle with homophobia and intolerance. "I sort of willed it into exis- tence," Peirce says of "Boys Don't Cry," which she with Andy Bienen. "But then the culture enabled me to continue making it." "I think she was just very passionate and articulate about what her vision for the movie was," says Boys producer Christine Vachon, whose New York based Killer Films has been behind the innovative filmmak ing of Todd H ay nes ( I m Not There ), Mary Har-ro- n ("The Notorious Bettie Page") and Todd Solondz ("Storytelling"). "I was able to get a strong sense about what she was going to do. ... I think she just conveyed a sense that she really knew her story, and she'd do something magnificent with it." She did, many agree. Roger Ebert called it "a worthy Barry Koltnow t ' ...Ft?' FRANK MASI companion to those other masterpieces of death on the prairie, 'Badlands' and 'In Cold Blood.' " And yet getting a second project on screen has been star as two best J "V:7 ' .' ' . ft? j M . A "Stop-Loss- then-inter- n Who'd like some more "Chocolat"? The series, now in its sixth year, introduced fiction into its programming in 2007, and that's a trend that will continue in 2008 with a visit by British author Joanne Harris. Harris, who's set to speak at Sundance in May, published her first novel in 1989 but didn't really explode onto the literary scene until 10 years later, with the publication of "Chocolat." That novel, about a mother and daughter who stir up suspicion, but also ecstatic satisfaction, when they begin to make and sell almost magically delicious chocolates in a small village in France, was a huge hit. So much so that it was adapted to film within a year of its publication, with the movie version, featuring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, grabbing five Academy Award nominations, percent of its electricity from wind farms via Rocky Mountain Power, and converted all of its slope grooming snow machines to biodiesel. The Tree Room series, however, isn't just about rallying support for causes. John Grogan will present his humorous memoir "Marley & Me: Life and Love With the World's Worst Dog" in September, while New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd will be on hand in April to discuss a collection of her columns. In October, Jay Parini will present a sort of "series within a series" by . discussing his book "Promised Land: Thirteen Books that Changed America." And the Tree Room series isn't People who just limited to like to read novels have a place there now as well. non-fictio- including Best Picture. You might expect that any normal writer would be plotting a sequel immediately, but Harris wrote several other novels before deciding to return to the story of Vianne Rocher and her daughter, Anouk, in "The Girl With No Shadow" (published last year in the United Kingdom as "The Lollipop - A new free report has recently been released that reveals how break through medi- cal technology is offering surgery free new hope for disc pain sufferers. Research has P proven that FDA non- approved LP spinal has decompression surgical high for success rate treating deback pain including bilitating sciatica and multiple herniated discs. It looks like this breakthrough in medical technology has lead to the most promising disc treatment today. For your free report entitled, "New Breakthrough in nology" Shoes"). Harris said that she typically doesn't plan things very far in advance, and that she hadn't really thought about revisiting the main characters from "Chocolat" until recently. She also thinks the novel's not much of a sequel, since it takes place five years after the events in "Chocolat" and leaves the village of Lansquenet-sous-Tanne- s and its inhabitants entirely out of the action, instead focusing on change in the lives of Vianne and Anouk. "I wanted it to be a coming-of-ag- e story for both of them," Harris said. "It's very much a story about who we are and where we've come from and how we evolve, and the terrible mis well-spoke- n community." Some- where, in other words, that there could be a polite discussion of even radically opposed ideologies. "What we really want to do is open that dialogue," Waters said. Hitchens was originally slated to speak April 12, but the date of his is being renegotiated to accommodate a scheduling conflict. J - 't i. f CI .51 i 4 1 toll-tre- 806 South 1840 West Orem www.911backpaininfo.com. These free reports are available for a limited time. Maple Ridge Spinal Pain Center David Cook, DC 801-598-81- 1 DAVE 801-598-15- www.BuildingDynamics.com DOUG fiii-iiiiiiji- Albright's appearance, in June, is Waters said that the former head of state enjoyed her previous visit, in 2006, so much that she contacted the resort and asked to speak there again after arranging publication of "Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadera return engagement ship." Sundance was more than happy to oblige particularly in an election year. "I'm anxious to hear her views as to what will help America to remain a great country," Linebaugh said. The series has a strong subscriber base of readers who line up to attend each year, but don't let that stop you from calling about tickets. Linebaugh said that he think the series is sometimes seen as being a bit of a private party for literary snobs, but the truth is that he hopes he'll see you there. "We'd love," he said, "to host everyone who wants to come." - yev . Tech- call Nvausv 1 Pheasant Meadow and listen to the II f n e 11 hr recorded message for all the details or go to -- as excited 1 y Medical w respeii her so much. I OCR: What were your first OS. (il I.I S - l'h.uli7e Theron is t he t Kcai winning impressions of her? ANNASOPHIA: I've never f eh uilrrss tiom the sluxking seso much passion from anyone rial killer movie "Monster." alxwt this business. Normally. AnnaSophia Robb is the little girl from the sentimental XHtple arc so ,aded. OCR: So, the rumor that you dog movie "Because of Winn-- . Pixie." bring your Oscar into meetings with you is not true? The actresses; 32 and 14 re- CHARLIZE (laughing): No, sportively, have joined forces OCR: How did you know to play mother and daughter in about AnnaSophia? Was it "Bea dark and disturbing drama called "Sleepwalking." Theron cause of CHARLIZE: No, it wasn't. Acalso produced the film. Theron plays an irrespontually, she was working on a film called "The Reaping" with sible single mother trying to recapture her youth by (director) Stephen Hopkins. hid worked with Stephen on abandoning her daughter and leaving her with a family mem- "The Life and Deat h of Peter ber (Nick Stahl) who is about Sellers," and we became reto lose his job and be evicted ally good friends. I le was at from his home. This delightful my house one weekend and told him about this project, family dynamic dips to new and how much trouble I was low when St ahl's character and the girl visit the family pahaving finding a triarch (Dennis Hopper), who actress who could carry all this emotional weight. le told me makes the rest of the family about Anna. Fie said she was kxik so intense, and that her eyes In a comfortable Four Seawere unbelievable. She was the sons hotel suite. Theron is stunning, as always, and Robb only girl we read. OCR: Let's talk about your is adorable, as always, as they chat about their bleak movie, character, who makes Britney what they learned from each Spears look like mother of the other and what, in Theron's year (AnnaSophia laughs). Why should the audience care about case, an Oscar win means in her? the grand scheme of things. CHARLIZE: Life isn't black As soon as the interview and white. In our society, it's ended, the younger actress headed straight for a dessert very easy to look at someone and judge them, point a finger table, where she loaded up at them or label them as crazy on S'mores. The model-- t hin or a bad mother. It is rare to Theron kept walking. ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: step back and try to have some I heard the producer on this empathy for someone, and to movie was real mean. try to understand why they beANNASOPHIA ROBB (giggles): have the way they do. Believe Oh, yeah. She whipped me me, people don't act out for the sake of art ing out. There is every day. I'm kidding, of course. usually a reason. So, it's really OCR: Describe your first challenging as an actor to play a character who, in the first meeting. 10 minutes of the movie, does ANNASOPHIA: Let's see; Bill (director William Maher) and I something quite horrendous were sitting thereThen Charl-iz- e and unforgiving, and still try to make people understand came in, and the energy in fl:e room suddenly went where she's coming from. OCR: Are we supposed to "Pow!" Gee. that sounded kind of weird, didn't it? (both acsympathize with her? CHARLIZE: I never played her tresses laugh). OCR: What did you talk to get sympathy. I just begged for empathy. I hoped that about? ANNASOPHIA: We talked people would walk away with a little more understanding. about my character. She wantOCR: What about your chared her to be real. There are kids out there in the world like acter, AnnaSophia (who must deal with feelings of abandonher and she wanted to show ment and abusive family memthat. I've never had a meeting that intense. But it was a fun bers)? ANNASOPHIA: She is a child intense. OCR: Then what happened? who's had to deal with all these ANNASOPHIA: She told me adult situations. The only adult to come in the next day to run role model she's had in her life is her mother, so she's grown lines with her. She emphasized a tough skin because she's al- that it wasn't an audition and that was such a relief because I ways being let down. Promises are never kept. She has to take hate auditions. They make me control of her life because noso nervous. OCR: Does Charlize's Oscar body else is in control. She also finds love in this movie, and precede her into the room? Do she also grows up. It's really a you feel its weight? ANNASOPHIA: I didn't think coming-of-ag- e story. takes we make." And speaking of evolution, you could be forgiven for considering it a terrible mistake on the part of Sundance to invite Hitchens, an outspoken atheist and strident critic of organized religion, into the heart of Mormon country. Resort programs manager Tracy Waters said that the invitation to Hitchens was thoughtfully proffered (and enthusiastically accepted). While realizing, she said, the importance of being "sensitive" to the predominant religious culture, series organizers felt that Utah Valley "is a "Slipped, Herniated; Or Bulging Disc Pain? " UTAH- I 1 , "Look, it's hard making v , movies. It's hard even for the people that it's easy for," - A .. . T Vachon says. "Finding that combination of the story that you want to tell, and having it align with the elements just so you can actually get right it done it's crazy." A little crazier for Peirce. "Boy s" brought her to the attention not just of Hollywood, but the Academy (co-stChloe Sevigny was also nominated, as Best Supporting Actress). Hollywood started throwing money at Peirce. But she had her eye on one story: The 1922 shooting death of film director William Desmond Taylor, which, coinCHRIS PIZZELLOAssociated Press ciding as it did with the equally " sensationalized Roscoe (Fatty) writerdirector Kimberly Peirce left laughs with Arbuckle case, led cast member Ryan Phillippe at the premiere of the film in Los to a crackdown on Hollywood .Angeles on March 17. immorality. "King Vidor tried to make a movie about it," Peirce says, would not have been terribly Ryan Philippe says Peirce's the long, but literally the next personal involvement referring to the late, great director. "So did (screenweek I said, 'I can be masinterviews she'd done, the research, the fact that her brothsively depressed, but screw it: writer) Robert Towne. It's er was there was essential I'm gonna do it differently.' " Hollywood's greatest unsolved So she took off with her to the success of the filming. murder mystery, and the Reid Carolin. "He was whole thing was covered up. "Knowing it came from such a personal place for her, and Completely covered up, white-glov- e from a military family, I was from a military familyf so we coverup, by the governhaving seen the research she ment and by Hollywood, to did, and that she was going picked up our cameras, I paid save Hollywood and America's for everything, and we flew to to these homecomings, and innocence. That's my take." Paris, Illinois." watching hours upon hours of soldier videos, all that passion, So Peirce says she solved Peirce, whose grandfather that was important to me," he the murder ("We did! I'm a big fought in World War II and said. whose brother researcher."), wrote a script He found it strange, howand got her film cast with An- served in Iraq, had an automatic connection with the nette Bening, Hugh Jackman, ever, when he realized she was Ben Kingslcy and Evan Rachel soldiers and the families of the the first female director he'd Wood. ever worked with. 1,000 soldiers at the homecom"That is shocking," Phillippe "Then the studio (Dreaming in Paris. Less so with the Works) runs the numbers," she "industry." says, "because I've made about 30 films, and it's a strange "As the project was developsays. "They love it, but they ing, I would have conversasay, 'We've run the numbers commentary on this business. and we'd love to see the $30 tions with people from the vari- We need more female writers million version, but we only ous studios and tell them about and more voices, and that's one thing I've been encouragwant to pay for the $20 million the film," she recalls. "They'd version. And we don't want to say, 'That's amazing! That's don't wait ing Kim about see the movie we want to pay another nine years to make a amazing! Do you want us to film. People need to have that for." develop it with you?' I said no. Not to put down executives, kind of inspiration she can "Being a director for me is but I don't want an executive about being a realist, so it's provide." like, 'OK, that's how the ball looking over my shoulder sayrolls,' but I'd lost a lot of time. ing, 'Is that interesting? Is that That was the end of '03, which necessary?' " Continued from Dl Hut Winn-Dixie- : '. Paramount Pictures and M1V Films friends trying to cope with the return struggle. Tree Room it alttHit meet inn liei Ryan Phillippe left and Channing Tatum to civilian life in Stop-Loss.- " a aKxit -a |