The Phoenix Film Festival screens more than 150 feature films, documentaries, and shorts, and sadly, there's simply no way our eyeballs can be in so many places at once.
In an attempt to help you navigate and whittle down your choices from the masses, here's a list of our Top 10 most anticipated films.
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1. Underdogs Directed by Doug Dearth, Underdogs is the story of a small-town high school football team destined to play their crosstown rival, a perennial powerhouse, while standing up for an entire community. Stars DB Sweeney, Melora Walters, and Natalie Imbruglia are scheduled to be on hand the night of the screening. Screening: 7 p.m. Saturday, April 6.
2. Favor Directed by Paul Osborne. A film about true friends and the things they do for each other, its world premiere is at the festival. Screenings: 7:45 p.m. Friday/9:15 a.m. Saturday/2:00 p.m. Sunday
3. Down and Dangerous Directed by Zak Forsman. This action crime thriller also is getting its world premiere at the festival. Screenings: 7:15 p.m. Friday/11:30 a.m. Saturday/11:35 a.m. Sunday
4. The East Directed by Zal Batmangli. This film is about Sarah Moss (played by Brit Marling), an operative for an elite private intelligence firm whose top objective is to ruthlessly protect the interests of their A-list corporate clientele. Also starring Ellen Page (Juno, Inception), Patricia Clarkson, and Alexander Skarsgard. Screening: 7:20 p.m. Wednesday
5. Los Wild Ones Los Wild Ones, a SXSW 2013 Accepted Film documentary directed by Elise Salomon, made its debut at SXSW. Salomon produced the 2009 hit Paper Heart. Screenings: 7:25 p.m. Friday/5:10 p.m. Saturday/9:35 a.m. Sunday
6. Uprising Directed by Fredrik Stanton, Uprising which tells the inside story of the Egyptian revolution from the perspective of its principal leaders and organizers, including four Nobel Peace Prize nominees. Screenings: 11:05 a.m. Friday/5:25 p.m. Saturday/1:45 p.m. Sunday
7. Unfinished Song Directed by Paul Andrew Williams, Unfinished Song is a funny and inspiring story about Arthur, a curmudgeonly old soul who is perfectly content sticking with his dull daily routine until his beloved wife introduces him to a local seniors singing group. Screening: 7:05 p.m. Sunday
8. Renoir Directed by Gilles Bourdos, Renoir is about a painter whose life is changed when a young girl enters his life, filling it with an unexpected energy. Screening: 7:20 p.m. Monday
9. Kon-Tiki Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg. A story about legendary explorer Thor Heyerdal's epic 4,300-mile crossing of the Pacific on a balsa wood raft in 1947 in an effort to prove it was possible for South Americans to settle in Polynesia in pre-Columbian times. Screening: 4:35 p.m. Sunday
10. Stuck in Love The closing film in this year's festival is directed by Josh Boone and is a touching comedy-drama about a successful novelist (Greg Kinnear) whose obsession with his ex-wife (Jennifer Connelly) has sent his perplexed family into a tailspin. Also starring Kristen Bell and Steven King. Screening: 7:30 Thursday (closing night)
For more information on the Phoenix Film Festival, see its website.
