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Show First-timers: Premieres add Hollywood luster by RICK BROUGH Record staff writer The United States Film Festival is famous for its once-in-a-lifetime opportunities op-portunities to see independent films. However, it also offers several first-lime first-lime premieres of major American films. The festival opens Friday, Jan. 17, with the regional premiere of "A Trip to Bountiful," a much-acclaimed much-acclaimed film co-produced by I'tahn Sterling VanWagenen. Geraldine Page stars as Carrie Watts, an old lady who feels imprisoned im-prisoned in the Houston home where she quarrels constantly with her son and daughter-in-law. She runs away to return to her home town of Bountiful, Boun-tiful, Texas. Major premieres are scheduled lor virtually every night in of the festival. They include: One Woman or Two This film directed by Daniel Vigne -ounds like a French version of '30s screwball comedy. Gerard Depar-dieu Depar-dieu is a paleontologist who finds the two-million-year-old fossil remains of (he first French woman. An American scientific foundation -ends its director, Mrs. Heffner (Dr. Ruth Westheimer), to France to see the discovery. But Depardieu picks up a younger woman (Sigourney Weaver), mistaking her for Mrs.. Heffner. Weaver, who is on the run, doesn't mind the mistaken identity but then she is kidnapped by villagers who don't like the archaeological diggings in their neighborhood. Power The world premiere of Sidney Lumet's latest film stars Richard estranb H ex-partner, who believes in using his uVnts only for people he really supports. And Julie Christie is a journalist who bounces between both men. The Woman and the Stranger Towards the end of World War II, two German POWs are left to work on an endless ditch. Both escape, with one returning to the other man's wife. T h e y make a life together influenced by love and-fate and-fate until the woman's real husband hus-band returns.. The film was directed by Rainer Simon. rX Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) is a crack movie special effects man who is asked to fake the killing of a gangster for the government's Witness Protection Program. But a" hen the gangster is really killed, Rollie finds himself caught in a world of violence, double crosses and intrigue. To get himself out, he calls upon his skill at fakery. Brian Dennehy is the detective a ho sees real carnage every day and can't believe Rollie actually makes a living at fake violence. The film was directed by Robert Mandel. . Desert Bloom The atomic tests of the early '50s are used as a backdrop for this story of a Las Vegas family in turmoil. Jack Chrismore, the father (Jon Voight), is still troubled by his World War II experiences and spends his tree time listening for messages on his short-wave radio. Mother Lily (JoBeth Williams) tries to buck up with humor and wifely cliches, but gives into a weakness for compulsive com-pulsive gambling. Into this stifled atmosphere comes Lily's sexy, vivacious sister, Starr (Ellen Barkin), who is staying with the family until her Nevada divorce becomes legal in 42 hours. She opens up the world for 13-year-old Rose Chrismore (Annabeth Gish), but also threatens to disrupt the family. The film, directed by Eugene Corr, was developed in conjunction with The Sundance Institute. Its four stars are expected to attend the r premiere. Hannah and her Sisters The most eagerly-awaited premiere, perhaps, is this new Woody Allen film. Not much is known about it, except that it deals with three themes Allen is interested in: the relationship of sisters; adultery within a family; and dealing deal-ing with the apparent lack of meaning mean-ing in life. . , The cast is one of the most impressive im-pressive he has ever gathered together. Besides Allen himself, it , includes Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Far-row, Barbara Hershey, Carrie Fisher, Sam Waterston, Maureen O'Sullivan, Lloyd Nolan and Max V'onSydow. Trouble in Mind Kris Kristofferson stars as Hawk, hi ex-con and ex-cop in Rain City, a grimy town out of . '40s detective fiction. fic-tion. He's found his dream woman in Georgia (Lori Singer), but she's the sweetheart of Coop (Keith Car-radine), Car-radine), a country boy turned pom-padoured pom-padoured gangster. The supporting cast includes Genevieve Bujold, George Kirby and Divine in his first all-male role as gangster Hilly Blue. " I " , "f if (ieraldine Page stars in Sterling Van Wagenen's "The Trip to Bountiful." Gere as a media consultant who believes "People don't vote issues. They vote people." Among several campaigns. Gere promotes a New York millionaire for the governorship of New Mexico. When the candidate falls off a horse, Gere reverses the tape to make him look like an acrobatic cowboy. Gene Hackman plays Gere's ff r W ..4 f r - Special effects wizard Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) poses with friend in ' FX." Tliat Rollie on the right |