FIRE
dir. Deepa Mehta, 1996, Canada/India, 104 min., 35mm, Japanese premiere

Torn between deeply-rooted traditions and their own desires, members of a contemporary New Delhi family express their tensions in very different ways. While the men seek escape in spiritual abstinence, contraband porn or affairs, sisters-in-law Radha and Sita find refuge from unhappy, oppressive marriages in their love for each other.When threats from conservative terrorist groups disturbed by the film's depiction of female desire and sexuality made its distributor pull the film during its Indian run last year, an incident reported in the Japanese and international media, Indian women fought back in support of this brave, unapologetic depiction of female sexuality and desire. "Lusciously photographed and passionately told, FIRE ignites the senses as well as the emotions."

(TIFF)Indian-Canadian director Deepa Mehta's next film after 1993 sleeper CAMILLA with Jessica Tandy and Bridget Fonda, FIRE won the audience award for best film at the Vancouver International Film Festival and Barcelona International Women's Festival, as well as a special jury prize at the Mannheim-Heidelberg Film Festival.

2 SECONDS
dir. Manon Briand, 1998, Canada, 103 min., 35mm, Japanese premiere

Upon the discovery of one grey hair, it only takes two seconds for Laurie to lose a crucial race after she hesitates at the starting line, quit mountain bike racing and find out that fate is about to change her life forever. Laurie becomes a bike messenger in Montreal, but remains unable to rid herself of her desire for speed. One day Lorenzo, an old Italian bike shop owner tells her about a love affair destined never to take place because the hero was in a bike race he had to finish. Haunted by this story, Laurie wonders what she would have done in the hero's place. Then, quite incredibly, she finds herself once again not only two seconds behind, but in the same situation as Lorenzo...

A film about chance, speed and love at first sight.French-Canadian director Manon Briand's first feature film, 2 SECONDS hums with subtle humour and energy.

RELAX... IT'S JUST SEX
dir. PJ Castallaneta, 1998. USA, 110 min., 35mm, Japanese premiere

With stellar performances by its ensemble cast, RELAX... IT'S JUST SEX offers a disarming look into the trials, tribulations and pleasures of modern city life.

Aspiring writer Vince is desperate for a boyfriend but too nice in bed. Buzz, an artist with volatile opinions about AIDS, could be the answer, but falls for the HIV-positiveJavi instead. Longterm couple Sarina and Megan break up over Megan's hetero affair with Sarina's cousin Jered, and homegirl Robin(TANK GIRL's Lori Petty) wants Sarina on the rebound. And then there are fun damentalist gym-queen lovebirds Diego and Dwight...

Presided over by bodacious, cha-cha-heeled den mother Tara (Jennifer Tilly,last seen vamping in lesbian hit BOUND), herself obsessed with having a baby with commitment-shy Gus, RELAX's modern urban "family" take on AIDS, relationships and gay-bashing, and prove just how strong friendship can be.