Director Lars Von Trier spoke to a NYC audience at the IFC Center - via iCHAT, the AOL instant messenger client for Mac OS X that uses speech bubbles and pictures. The virtual Q&A took place in honor of his new film release, “Manderlay”, the sequel to the Nicole Kidman caper “Dogville”. The film, which takes place where the last film left off, concerns the protagonist’s arrival at an Alabama plantation called Manderlay, where slavery still exists. Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) attempts to set the slaves free by teaching them the values of American democracy, but - surprise surprise - not everything turns out as expected. Von Trier, who famously has never set foot in the country, includes the film as the second installment in his ‘USA- Land of Opportunities’ trilogy. “Manderlay” opens today in select New York theaters.

- Jordan