The 15th Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled its lineup for narrative and docu competitions. The festival will open with Glen McQuaid's’s black comedy horror film “I Sell the Dead.”

These are three of the Dramatic Competition entries of the 2009 Sundance Film Festival:

“Adam,” directed and written by Max Mayer (“Better Living”), about a slightly dysfunctional man’s attempt at a relationship with an alluring new neighbor. Stars Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving, Frankie Faison.

“Amreeka,” directed and written by Cherien Dabis, a drama examining the challenges faced by a divorced Palestinian woman and her teenage son upon moving to rural Illinois. With Nisreen Faour, Melkar Muallem.

“Arlen Faber,” directed and written by John Hindman, about the intrusion of two strangers into the life of a famous reclusive author. With Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Pucci, Olivia Thirlby, Kat Dennings.

Nov 19, 2008–The Sundance Institute announced today that the world premiere of “Mary and Max,” a clay animation feature from Oscar Award winning short film creators Adam Elliot and producer Melanie Coombs is the Opening Night Film for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toni Collette and narrated by Barry Humphries, Mary and Max is the tale of two unlikely pen pals: Mary, a lonely, eight-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Melbourne, and Max, a forty-four-year old, severely obese man living in New York.

Nov 17, 2008–The Singapore International Film Festival will create a new awards series for local films as part of its 2009 edition. Next festival runs April 14-25, 2009.

Nov 6, 2008–Sundance Institute and NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) today announced the twelve finalists for the 2009 Sundance/NHK International Filmmakers Awards. In its thirteenth year, this partnership presents an annual cash award to support new artists in international cinema and is presented to emerging film directors from four global regions in support of their next projects. One recipient each from Europe, Latin America, the United States, and Japan will be selected by members of an international jury.