The Great Actor

The mostly true story of the legendary "worst director of all time", who, with the help of his strange friends, filmed countless B-movies without ever becoming famous or successful.

Host Scott Forrest presents a curated compilation of eight independent short films in this rapid-fire science-fiction feature. Genres collide, narratives twist, aesthetics clash, and even humor, both campy and dystopian, showcase the vast creative possibilities of each story's individual world, offering the viewer a brief glimpse into the lives of every character's attempt to survive the otherworldly chaos around them. Released in 2001, the selected shorts span original creation dates of 1997 to 2001; most of the featured filmmakers also appear as themselves in short video interviews to talk about their inspirations, creative process and motivations while working on their individual shorts.

After the passing away of his son and Caucasian daughter-in-law, London-based widower Purshotam Agarwal brings up his granddaughter, Namrata, on his own. When she matures, he pressurizes her to get married to Tikamgarh-based Ranveer's son. She travels to India, and much to his chagrin refuses to get married to the boy of his choice, and instead brings back a wealthy male named Romi, who she claims is her fiancé. Little does Purshotam know that Romi is not who he claims to be, and that Namrata has no intention of marrying him either.

Koro wants to get to the other side of the road.

In Martha's Vineyard, Mass., conjoined twins Walt and Bob Tenor make the best of their handicap by being the fastest grill cooks in town. While outgoing Walt hopes to one day become a famous actor, shy Bob prefers to stay out of the spotlight. When a fading Hollywood actress, Cher, decides to get her show "Honey and the Beaze" cancelled, she hires Walt -- and his brotherly appendage -- as her costars. But their addition surprisingly achieves the opposite.

Liisa and the renowned composer Raimo Kaarna are fond of each other, but in Kaarna's family history, everyone does not accept the relationship. In addition, Liisa has her own doubts, and a secret that does not endure the daylight.

Sherry Graham, a self-destructive makeup saleswoman, hopes a new man and business venture will provide her a fresh start. After her plans are foiled, she takes control of her life in a dramatic turn of events.

Sherlock Holmes is as dashing as ever, but with a little secret: Dr. Watson is the brains behind the operation. When Reginald Kincaid, the actor he has hired to play Holmes becomes insufferable, Watson fires him and tries to go out on his own, but finds that he has done too good a job building Holmes up in the public's mind.

Anita and her children, Santa and Kristaps, live in an apartment in Riga. Every year, they celebrate New Year’s Eve with grandma, uncle Peter and a feast fit for kings…

Two out-of-work actors -- the anxious, luckless Marwood and his acerbic, alcoholic friend, Withnail -- spend their days drifting between their squalid flat, the unemployment office and the pub. When they take a holiday "by mistake" at the country house of Withnail's flamboyantly gay uncle, Monty, they encounter the unpleasant side of the English countryside: tedium, terrifying locals and torrential rain.

The decade of the hippies is at an end and the 80's are approaching fast. Carl and Robert are two doped out guys who lives in harmony with the world around them and let life pass by in an eternal hash high. They have been peddling hashish for a decade, hitting an all time high with this last batch: 45 Kilos of pure, high grade Nepalese Hashish. Following the delivery, the police are on their tail.

Carla gets a call from the small town where she grew up in the South of Spain. Her father, who she hasn't spoken with in many years, is very ill. She refuses to face it and decides, against everyone's opinion, to take him to Barcelona, where she is convinced they'll be able to save him.

Ravi is an average guy who has just graduated from college. Like most average guys, he doesn't know what he wants in life. Reetu is a not so average girl who knows what she doesn't want. Suraj is a sure headed fellow who knows exactly what he wants in life. Manoj Sizapati (aka Siza) wants what every guy wants. Little do they know that they are living in a Small World (Sano Sansar) where everyone knows everyone, even if they think they do not.

Small-town bartender Owen Peadman goes to Los Angeles to raise money to help save his father's Minnesota restaurant. He tries to find a way into Hollywood society, where he meets socialite Lisa and her uptight actor boyfriend. Can he balance his growing feelings for Lisa with surviving the sordid lifestyles of the Hollywood elite?

Featuring musical compositions of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, three love stories tackle unique challenges on romantic, soul-searching journeys.

National Theatre Live’s 2010 broadcast of Alan Bennett’s acclaimed play The Habit of Art, with Richard Griffiths, Alex Jennings and Frances de la Tour, returns to cinemas as part of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary celebrations. Benjamin Britten, sailing uncomfortably close to the wind with his new opera, Death in Venice, seeks advice from his former collaborator and friend, W H Auden. During this imagined meeting, their first for twenty-five years, they are observed and interrupted by, amongst others, their future biographer and a young man from the local bus station. Alan Bennett’s play is as much about the theatre as it is about poetry or music. It looks at the unsettling desires of two difficult men, and at the ethics of biography. It reflects on growing old, on creativity and inspiration, and on persisting when all passion’s spent: ultimately, on the habit of art.

When struggling, out of work actor Michael Dorsey secretly adopts a female alter ego – Dorothy Michaels – in order to land a part in a daytime drama, he unwittingly becomes a feminist icon and ends up in a romantic pickle.

After 6 years together, Mike's girlfriend leaves him, so he travels to LA to be a star. Six months on, he's still not doing very well— so a few of his friends try to reconnect him to the social scene and hopefully help him forget his failed relationship.

During a lunar eclipse, seven friends gather for dinner and decide to play a game in which they must share with each other the content of every message, email or phone call they receive throughout the evening.

A trio of unemployed silent film actors are mistaken for real heroes by a small Mexican village in search of someone to stop a malevolent bandit.