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One of the small (admittedly, very small) pleasures in life is discovering something really cool before everyone else finds out about it - a good example in recent movie history would be the colossal, surprise hit and independent film, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." It just so happens that everyone in Asheville and the surrounding vicinity can be part of that cool, hip, in-the-know crowd by heading for the Fine Arts Theater in downtown Asheville and watching the truly well done and newly released film, "All the Real Girls." An award winner at last month's Sundance Film Festival, the independent film is accumulating a wide array of good-to-excellent reviews from film critics across the country.The movie was filmed entirely in Marshall and Asheville. With a budget in the $1 million range, quite low in an industry where budgets generally exceed tens of millions of dollars, the movie's accolades and positive reviews provide additional motivation to independent filmmakers throughout the business. The screenplay was co-written by Asheville native and the film's leading man, Paul Schneider, and David Gordon Green. The film was directed by David Gordon Green, produced by Lisa Muskat and Jean Doumanian, and also stars fast-rising actress Zooey Deschanel, Emmy Award-winning Patricia Clarkson (whose television credits include "Frasier" and "Far from Heaven"), Shea Whigham, Maurice Compte, Benjamin Mouton, and Danny McBride. While the cast does not include any "big name" actors, the performances are solid throughout, with Clarkson providing considerable experience and substance to the cast in her role as Paul's mother. The story is a true-to-life, small-town romance between Paul (played by Schneider) and Noel (Deschanel, whose film credits include "The Good Girl" and "Almost Famous"). The conflict in the story is provided by Noel's older brother and Paul's best friend, Tip, played by Shea Whigham. The film succeeds in not tying things up all nice and neat at the end, rather ending with the same true-to-life air that is so well captured throughout the movie. The film collected two awards at last month's Sundance Film Festival, one for Outstanding Performance to Patricia Clarkson, and the other to the film as a Special Jury Prize for Emotional Truth. The annual Sundance Film Festival, held each January in Utah, is a major component of the Sundance Institute, founded by Robert Redford in 1981. The Sundance Institute is dedicated to the development of artists of independent vision and the exhibition of their new work. "All the Real Girls" is currently in limited release (Asheville, New York, and Los Angeles only), and Asheville residents can catch the film at the Fine Arts Theater, 36 Biltmore Avenue, through Thursday, February 20. The movie is showing in the downstairs theatre, with show times at 1:20, 4:20, and 7:20 PM. Movie prices are $5 for the 1:20 and 4:20 PM showings (and for seniors at all times) and $7 for the 7:20 PM show. For more information, please call the Fine Arts Theater at 828-232-1536
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