•• Versatility of roles is a feat most Hollywood actresses can only dream of. Very rarely are actresses able to break down the barriers of Hollywood typecasting and transcend roles, each more different from the next. Vivacious and always unique, actress Virginia Madsen has done just that. From her Independent Spirit Award-winning performance in 2004’s hit Sideways, which helped turn us all into seasoned oenophiles, to her latest project, The Magic of Belle Isle, which shows us the softer side of Morgan Freeman, Madsen’s résumé boasts incredible costars, fantastic directors, and remarkable individuality.

Born in Evergreen Park and raised on the North Shore, Virginia and her equally talented family members have been making “Madsen” a household name since the early ’80s. Her mother is director Elaine Madsen, while brother/actor Michael Madsen is notably remembered for his role as “Mr. Blonde” in Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 hit Reservoir Dogs.

•• On the North Shore & Chicago
“I lived in Evanston up until high school. Then I moved to Wilmette, Winnetka, and then back to Evanston—we moved a lot. I think the thing that I miss the most [about the North Shore] are the trees. I miss the foliage, the beautiful, giant, towering trees on the North Shore. That drive up Sheridan Road, I mean, almost any time I come to Chicago, I rent a car and just drive up as far north as I can on Sheridan Road, as much as I have time for, just so that I can see the big houses and the trees. The drive along the lake, I just love it there so much.

What makes Chicago such a great city is its design. It’s always been a haven for architects to have creative and artistic freedom. I think we have the most beautiful skyline in the United States. Do I sound homesick? I’m a little bit homesick today. My dad is still out there in Oak Lawn, so I try and get back whenever possible. My friend Rusty Schwimmer just moved back to Chicago, so at least there’s another reason to visit [Chicago]. She’s my best friend; we went to New Trier together.”

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•• Check out this wonderful teaser and featurette that Magnolia Pictures made for “The Magic of Belle Isle”. The film has been distributed by Magnolia Pictures and it’s now available to rent on iTunes,  Video On Demand since June 1st and will be available in theaters on July 6th. You can watch the trailer in High Definition over on Apple.

In an effort to tap into his original talent, a wheelchair-bound author moves to a rural town, where he befriends a single mother and her three kids, who help reignite his passion for writing.

•• The third annual Aruba International Film Festival kicks off June 22, running through June 28 and ahead of the debut, organizers have solidified the lineup for this year’s event. Rob Reiner’s The Magic of Belle Isle, starring Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen, will open the festival. Virginia Madsen will be on hand for the red carpet premiere and the presentation of the film at Paseo Herencia.

As for the competition lineup, AIFF artistic director Claudio Masenza and founder Jonathan Vieira announced films from 18 different countries, several of which will make their international and South American debuts.

In addition to the competition, AIFF announced selections for its local, sidebar platform: the Caribbean Spotlight Series. The CSS jury will be led by last year’s Audience Award winner, Bahamian filmmaker Kareem Mortimer. The full lists for the competition series and the CSS series are listed below: The full lists for the competition are listed below:

•• The official AIFF 2012 competition
A Few Best Men (Country: Australia/UK / Director: Stephan Elliott)
A Gang Story (Country: France/Belgium / Director: Olivier Marchal)
Anton Corbijn Inside Out? (Country: Netherlands/Germany/UK/Italy/Sweden / Director: Klaartje Quirijns)
Bringing Up Bobby (Country: USA / Director: Famke Janssen)
Easy! (Country: Italy / Director: Francesco Bruni)
Easy Money (Country: Sweden / Director: Daniel Espinosa)
Electrik Children (Country: USA / Director: Rebecca Thomas)
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Country: Japan/UK / Director: Takashi Miike)
Hollywood Invasion (Country: Italy / Director: Marco Spagnoli) American Premiere
In the Land of Blood and Honey (Country: USA / Director: Angelina Jolie)
Kryptonite! (Country: Italy / Director: Ivan Cotroneo)
Redlegs (Country: USA / Director: Brandon Harris)
Reveron (Country: Venezuela / Director: Diego Rísquez)
Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (Country: UK/Italy/Germany / Director: Laurent Bouzereau)
Sex of the Angels (Country: Spain/Brazil / Director: Xavier Villaverde)
Stolen (Country: USA / Director: Simon West) (World Premiere)
Take This Waltz (Country: Canada/Spain/Japan / Director: Sarah Polley)
The Magic of Belle Isle (Country: USA / Director: Rob Reiner)
The Hunter (Country: Australia / Director: Daniel Nettheim)
War of the Buttons (Country: France / Director: Christophe Barratier)
Where Do We Go Now? (Country: France/Lebanon/Egypt/Italy / Director: Nadine Labaki)