Marc Webb's debut feature is a classic tale of unrequited love. But it's so much more. Helped along by a zippy soundtrack and thoroughly engaging lead performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, 500 Days of Summer manages to combine elements of Tarantino-esque post-modernism and Shakespearean romantic farce ? creating a film that should influence romantic comedies for this generation the way When Harry Met Sally did for the previous one. Tom is a handsome but awkward greeting card copywriter who falls head over heels for Summer ? who's just not as committed to the whole concept as Tom is. Love, sex, dating, infatuation, anxiety?it's the stuff of the best romantic comedies ever made?and it's all handled with a freshness not seen in the genre for some time by a bright new talent destined for great things.

Preceded by:
The Monday Before Thanksgiving (Courtney Cox, 2008, 19 minutes, USA - starring Laura Dern, Courtney Cox

The Lonely is a documentary portrait of the filmmaker Harmony Korine during the production of his third feature film, Mister Lonely. Shot on location in Scotland, Paris, and Panama, each chapter presents the production process and the causal, day-to-day absurdities of the actor/impersonators featured in Mister Lonely (Diego Luna & Samantha Morton headline). Throughout the process, as Harmony reveals his thoughts on the film he also reveals a part of himself.

Preceded by Peace Queer: The Movie (Brad & Todd Barnes, 2008, 42 minutes, USA) The true (?) story behind the making of Todd Snider's latest album Peace Queer.

To make Capturing Reality, director Pepita Ferrari interviewed a number of prominent documentary filmmakers - Werner Herzog, Kim Longinotto, Albert Maysles, and Errol Morris to name a few. Ferrari's goal was to find out where they get their inspiration and what their view is on their profession. The interviews are spliced with short excerpts that illustrate their arguments and beliefs. The entire process of documentary filmmaking is addressed, from the planning and research to the final edit. Some directors attach a great deal of importance to solid preparation through research; others prefer to be surprised by locations and subjects. Some argue for more attention to visuals; others follow their subjects with small digital cameras, making concessions in cinematic quality in favor of the story. But the primary topic is the filmmaker, and ultimately for fans of documentary cinema, Capturing Reality becomes a celebration of the truth.

Seventeen-year-old Rass is growing up in an Estonian suburb. In the absence of a solid home life his family becomes a group of youngsters who are verging on being thieves. Drugs are an inseparable part of their lives, and when Rass agrees to distribute them to make a living for himself, he gets tangled up in the narcotics trade. Small amounts suddenly become two-kilo packages that the mafia, to the misfortune of all involved, has not been paid for, and is ready to collect on by force? This is the story of one boy's adolescence, the story of what happens to young people who fall between the cracks. Based on one of the most important works of contemporary Eastern European literature, I Was Here marks a career breakthrough for longtime director Rene Vilbre.

Preceded by: Omelette (Nadedja Koseva, 2009, 5 minutes, Bulgaria) As a Bulgarian woman makes an omelette, we learn how hard it is to make ends meet.

To make Capturing Reality, director Pepita Ferrari interviewed a number of prominent documentary filmmakers - Werner Herzog, Kim Longinotto, Albert Maysles, and Errol Morris to name a few. Ferrari's goal was to find out where they get their inspiration and what their view is on their profession. The interviews are spliced with short excerpts that illustrate their arguments and beliefs. The entire process of documentary filmmaking is addressed, from the planning and research to the final edit. Some directors attach a great deal of importance to solid preparation through research; others prefer to be surprised by locations and subjects. Some argue for more attention to visuals; others follow their subjects with small digital cameras, making concessions in cinematic quality in favor of the story. But the primary topic is the filmmaker, and ultimately for fans of documentary cinema, Capturing Reality becomes a celebration of the truth.

Reminiscent of the fantastic Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu's debut feature, Before Tomorrow represents another great stride forward in Inuit filmmaking. Ningiuq and Kutuujuk are elders of a 19th-century Inuit family. In the summer season, they join with neighboring families to share stories, celebrate, dine, and inter-marry. This year, however, the stories are about the impending advance of foreigners. After a bountiful catch, Ningiuq, her grandson Maniq, and Kutuujuk volunteer to stay behind and dry the fish for the upcoming winter. When Kutuujuk falls ill and no one from the family arrives to take them home, Ningiuk fears the worst. When they must begin the treacherous journey home on their own ? they discover that their fears may have been an underestimation. Before Tomorrow is proof that the tradition of the indigenous storyteller has been passed down to new generations in cinematic fo

A young boy, verging on adolescence, isn't quite ready to let go of his Dolls (Randy Caspersen, 2007, 10 minutes, USA).

When James (Connor Clements, 2008, 17 minutes, Northern Ireland) realizes that buried secrets can lead to poor family relations, he decides to reveal his secret to his only friend.

In Non-love Song (Erik Gernand, 2009, 8 minutes, USA) two best friends getting ready to head off to college attempt to connect as adults.

In Scene 3: Daniel & Alex (Andrea Ostlund, 2008, 12 minutes, Sweden), two friends have a dinner conversation that about friendship, boundaries, and longing.

Tommy (Tora Martens, 2008, 18 minutes, Cuba / Sweden) - once a celebrated dancer with the Cuban national ballet ? discusses love, desire, and his status as an HIV-positive man in Cuba.

In The Watch (Marco Berger, 2008, 15 minutes, Argentina) Pablo meets Javier when his watch stops working. They share a cab, some dri

Arguably the most successful African pop artist in history, Youssou Ndour's distinctive voice became known internationally through a string of popular tracks, including collaborations with Peter Gabriel and Neneh Cherry. Not resting on fame, Ndour used his popularity to shed light on issues important to him. In 2007, he was listed as one of Time Magazine's one hundred most influential people in the world. Years in the making, I Bring What I Love follows Ndour as he releases Egypt ? a call to his fellow Muslims for peace in a post-9/11 world. While receiving praise in the West, Ndour becomes the centre of controversy when religious conservatives in his home nation of Senegal deem the album blasphemous. Director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and her crew film in Africa, Europe, the US, and the Middle East to tell the story of how Ndour rises to these challenges and eventually wins over audiences at home and abroad.

Preceded by: Kno

The bond between mothers and daughters is rich territory for film and director Carl Bessai and his sparkling cast mine it to great wealth in Mothers & Daughters. While Bessai is credited as screenwriter, he actually shares the credit with his entire cast ? the film was created in the style we might more readily recognize with Mike Leigh. This improvisational style can sometimes lead to indulgent performances, but Bessai and his actresses manage to keep everything grounded and surprisingly light (some tears are shed, but the film manages to avoid being maudlin). Micki is a high-strung novelist who overwhelms her actress daughter. Brenda is a dedicated housewife whose husband has left her and she seeks the support of her daughter Kate. Celine owns her own business and is hired by Cynthia, a young professional remodeling her home and searching for her own identity. Each relationship has its challenges. The delight comes in seeing h

Every year thousands compete in the world's greatest singing competition ... that you've never heard of. American Harmony journeys deep into the obsessive, zany, heartfelt world of competitive barbershop singing, where passion is equaled only by talent, and the reward is not fame or fortune, but simply victory. The film focuses on four quartets vying to win the International Championships of Barbershop Singing, in what turns out to be the closest and most controversial victory in its 70 year history. Max Q is the heavy favorite - a superstar quartet comprised of former Champions. Looking to upset them is OC Times (The Heart-Throbs), Vocal Spectrum (The Rookies) and Reveille, an aging foursome who that has been together for 30 years.

Preceded by: Pickin' & Trimmin' (Matt Morris, 2008, 11 minutes, USA) drops by The Barbershop in Drexel, North Carolina, where the atmosphere is laid back and the music is a cut above the rest.

In Crafty (Erik Gernand, 2008, 9 minutes, USA) a crafty politically activist lesbian tries to get a petition signature from a conservative crafty housewife.

Two antique dolls confront their secret feelings for each other after a night of unforgettable passion in Operated by Invisible Hands (Nicole Brending, 2007, 7 minutes, USA).

The Other War (Tamar Glezerman, 2008, 44 minutes, Israel) is the internal strain Eli feels between her loyalty to her family, her love for her girlfriend, and her beliefs about her nation.

Rope Burn (Melvin J. Montalban, 2008, 8 minutes, Australia) is the tale of a love triangle set above the stage of a sexy trapeze circus.

As Alison waits for her new girlfriend at a posh restaurant she bumps into her first love, who desperately wants her back in Say That You Love Me (Dina Jacobson, 2008, 9 minutes, United Kingdom).

Terry wants to ask Allison to marry her, but she can't affor

It's Christmas Eve on the outskirts of Dublin. Youngsters Dylan and Kylie are neighbors, each struggling with the pressures of a dysfunctional family. So when yet another row with Dylan's father erupts, the young boy decides to run away, with Kylie right behind him. They set off for the city, looking for Dylan's brother, who made his own escape two years before. During the day they wander around the friendly, generous streets of Dublin, trying to forget their troubles and to take courage as they meet up with people who can help them. But when night falls, the city changes face, and the children are plunged into a dark and murky world full of bogeymen. Lance Daly offers an urban road movie from the perspective of his child protagonists. Driven by the two young actors, whose first screen performances hit all the right notes, Kisses is a cry of hope amidst the soulless Irish landscapes.

Preceded by: Martin (Sean Branigan, 2008, 18

The lives of indigenous peoples are not always authentically portrayed ? especially by outsiders. So Pachamama is a refreshing change of pace. Toshifumi Matsushita ? a Japanese director currently based out of New York City ? beautifully brings to life the story of Kunturi ? a 13-year-old Quechua boy living on the salt flats of Bolivia. After his grandmother's death and his best friend move away, Kunturi joins his father on his first salt caravan, traveling through the beautiful Andean peaks and lush valleys below. On this journey, Kunturi will begin to understand how the adult world works ? and how modernity is slowly encroaching on the rhythms of lives little changed over centuries. Pachamama translates from Quechua to 'Mother Universe', Kunturi learns that she is both protective and harsh. Reminiscent of The Story of the Weeping Camel, Pachamama brings a voice to a community seldom heard.

Part Bollywood, part 1920’s jazz, and all hysterically inventive, Sita Sings the Blues is the wildly popular first feature from animator Nina Paley. Sita begins with Paley waking happily in her San Francisco apartment with boyfriend and cat in tow. When said boyfriend takes a job in India, matters of the heart take a painful turn, leading us into the story of Sita – the star-crossed lover of the ancient Hindu text the Ramayana. Happily bouncing back and forth between the present and the ancient past, between the US and India, and tossing in musical interludes of Sita singing the songs of 1920’s jazz vocalist Annette Hanshaw, Paley has crafted a lovingly tongue-in-cheek romance for all generations. Attempts to compare it to anything else will ultimately fail as this is guaranteed to be one of the most unique pieces of cinema to ever make its way to Music City. Preceded by

For a hundred years, virtually the entire history of American movies, film critics have championed this medium they so unabashedly love. Their reviews illuminate the film-going experience, suggesting paths for readers to enter cinema more deeply, thoughtfully, appreciatively. For the Love of Movies is the first documentary to dramatize the rich, fascinating history of American film criticism. From the raw beginnings of criticism before The Birth of a Nation to Bosley Crowther's 27-year reign at 'The New York Times,' from the incendiary Kael-Sarris debates of the 1960s and 70s to the battle for audience between youthful on-liners and the print establishment, Gerald Peary's affectionate documentary tells all ? featuring interviews with Roger Ebert, A.O. Scott, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Kenneth Turan, and 2009 NaFF Narrative Feature juror, Elvis Mitchell.

Kira is just out of a lengthy relationship and is feeling adrift. She meets Max (Dazed and Confused's Wiley Wiggins) one night and the two of them hook up. A fling is just the thing she needs to get over the ex, right? A few nights later, she runs into Max ? and his long-time girlfriend - at a bar. That's not right. Kira continues to drift, both professionally and romantically while Max develops two obsessions ? one with Kira, and one with the nagging thought they he may very well be an asshole. Director Dia Sokol worked as a producer on Joe Swanberg's Nights & Weekends and Andrew Bujalski's Mutual Appreciation (Bujalski appears here as one of Max's friends) and with Sorry, Thanks she steps confidently into the director's role bringing a feminine perspective to the 'mumblecore' movement. And she has created the 'unromantic comedy' for the quarter-life crisis crowd.

Preceded by: I'm In Away from Here (Catriona McInnes, 200

About Face (Chad Maker, 2008, 7 minutes, Canada) imagines a day in the life of an office worker who signs up for an 'interactive reality' version of his social networking site.

A simple teenage girl attempts to survive her overbearing mother's exuberant plans for a prom she would rather not attend in Boutonniere (Coley Sohn, 2009, 10 minutes, USA).

In The Confession (Thomas Hefferon, 2008, 4 minutse, Ireland), Johnny Smith goes to church to confess his sins, but the priest seems more interested in latest gossip.

After trying a new ED drug, Peter finds himself with an erection lasting more than four hours in First Time Long Time (James Demo, 2009, 14 minutes, USA).

Thomas, a 25-year-old professional magician still living with his parents, turns on his awkward charms when a beautiful nurse moves in next door in Instead of Abracadabra (Patrik Eklund, 2008, 22 minutes, Sweden).

Transporting a dead dog on t

Les Blank came to Sinking Creek often over the years bringing his iconic films with him. In 1983, he premiered Burden of Dreams and told the audience, 'I thought I was in the hands of a madman.' After seeing this benchmark film - marking a high point in the 'making-of' genre, you'll see why. For nearly five years, Werner Herzog struggled against all odds to complete his most ambitious project: Fitzcarraldo, the story of one man's attempt to build an opera house in the Amazon jungle. Blank captured the unfolding and unraveling of the overzealous filmmaker and his project. Named one of the 100 best films of the 20th Century, Burden of Dreams remains an extraordinary document of the filmmaking process and provides a unique look into the single-minded mission of one of cinema's most fearless directors.


Preceded by: Frank Film (Frank Mouris, 1973, 9 minutes, USA) Premiering at Sinking Creek in 1973, this Academy Award-winning

High art meets pop culture as the music of William Shatner ('Star Trek,' 'Boston Legal') and Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five), from their critically-acclaimed album, 'Has Been,' is transformed into 'Common People,' a ballet from award winning choreographer Margo Sappington (Oh! Caluctta!) and the Milwaukee Ballet. William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet explores this unique collaboration, as well as the musical journey that has taken Mr. Shatner from the trippy covers of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man' in the 1960's to his recent original work with Ben Folds, and finally, to the ballet. The willingness of audiences to accept new work, especially based on pop music, is explored, as is the shape of ballet in our culture. Gonzo Ballet takes us from Shatner's musical beginnings, and the critical misfires, to his finally 'getting it right' with Ben Folds, and to the unlikely collaboration with Margo Sappington. What shines through is

Mike Manadoro (Transamerica's Kevin Zegers) has a choice to make - between the world he knows and the world that is promised to him. Mike lives in Brooklyn with his disabled father (Vincent D'Onofrio) who runs numbers on the side. On those trips, Mike takes pictures of the locals and begins to develop a keen eye for the perfect image. When he submits his photos to an arts program in Manhattan, he is offered a partial scholarship, but his father is too proud to borrow the rest of the money necessary to pay Mike's tuition. Thus, Mike take's a job delivering packages for the local 'boss'. With Brooklyn basically a character in the film, Francois A. Velle's The Narrows has an energy - and an authenticity - to it that is not frequently seen. Based on the novel, Heart of the Old Country, The Narrows also features Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill).

The great band Wilco have 8 HD cameras and 42 channels of Pro Tools follow them around the south while they play small historic venues to rabid crowds, while allowing us to view the south through these veteran travelers eyes. Beautifully shot, edited and mixed, this film is proof that they are the most inventive group of musicians since The Band.

Some might be scary, some funny, all of 'em - definitely a little weird...and that's why we love 'em.

When his truck and chainsaw breaks down, Junior (in his human skin mask) struggles to keep his family together amidst the horrifying kindness of suburban strangers in The Auburn Hill Breakdown (Geoff Redknap, 2008, 16 minutes, Canada).

The sudden appearance of an exotic flower spawns an unprecedented epidemic in Dear Beautiful (Roland Becerra, 2009, 15 minutes, USA).

DVD (Ciro Altabas, 2007, 18 minutes, Spain) includes scene selection / trailer / alternate ending / deleted scenes and geek-meets-girl story.

A small family is gathered for The Funeral (Peter Baekkel, 2009, 15 minutes, Denmark) of the prematurely dead Jesper, but the ceremony is interrupted by a knock?from inside the coffin?

In Glock (Tom Everett Scott, 2008, 12 minutes, USA) A new spy is given a cell phone and told to wait for his first m

The music of Trimpin has to be seen to be believed ? and that's not a syntactical error because Trimpin doesn't just make music. He composes the music, plays the music, and creates the instruments upon which the music is played. Starting out in his workshop ? a cross between Frankenstein's lab and Santa's Workshop ? we are introduced to this (mad?) genius as he turns wooden clogs, toy pianos, and discarded guitars into brand new works of musical art. Director Peter Esmonde was granted more than two years access to Trimpin and his cameras take us everywhere ? to the several-stories tall interactive guitar exhibit in Seattle, to the glass blower's workshop where new instruments are crafted based on Trimpin's specifications, to his experiments with the world-famous Kronos Quartet. It's worth saying a second time. It must be seen to be believed.

Preceded by Steel Homes (Eva Weber, 2008, 10 minutes, UK) Self-storage units are win

Academy Award nominee Kathleen Quinlan leads a perfectly-selected cast in this heartfelt comedy drama about a family on the verge of disintegration in 1980’s Buffalo. It’s the day before Thanksgiving and Cliff and Carol Morgan have called their adult children – late-night DJ Robby, hypochondriac Charlie, and their adopted sister Brooke – to gather at the Golden Buddha to let them know that they are divorcing and that this will be their last Thanksgiving together as a family. It’s the rare film that can deliver gut-busting laughter and honest emotion, but director Rafael Monserrate and writers Troy Hall and Kevin Logie (who star as the two brothers) manage that delicate balance perfectly. Cap it off with wonderful performances (Quinlan reminds us why she got her Oscar nomination) and a rockin’ 80s soundtrack and you have a heartfelt and hilarious tribute to the rise and decline of the American family.div>

Joong-ho, an ex-cop turned pimp, is upset because his girls have been disappearing on him. Then, one night, he gets a call from a client, and sends Min-ji ? his best girl. It's only after Min-ji has been sent away that Joong-ho realizes that all of the missing girls have been sent to this same client. With that realization, the chase begins ? a chase that will uncover a brutal serial killer, mangled bodies, and a corrupt police system that cares little for those on the lower rungs of the ladder. Director Na Hong-jin has done something few first-time directors do ? he's crafted a film that been both critically (it world premiered at Cannes) and commercially successful (it's been one of Korea's biggest locally-grown hits of all time). He's also blended horror, intense action, and social commentary into a single film. If The Chaser doesn't raise your adrenaline, someone should check your pulse.

El-Khader is an idealist who dreams of being an actor. Rabia has studied law at university but the employment situation looks bleak and she makes ends meet working as a seamstress. Youseff is a petty drug dealer who can't afford the medical treatment that would offer him a greater degree of mobility. His brother is missing, thought to be in Afghanistan, but Youseff's search to try and discover more specific information about his whereabouts appears to be leading nowhere. Shot in Jamaa Mezwak of T?touan, northern Morocco, where five of the terrorists responsible for Spain's 11 March 2004 bombings were born and bred, the film looks behind the myths that now taint the area to examine the particular situation of three young people all having to make key decisions about their lives.

Preceded by: Karim vs. Karachi (Robin Ruggiero, 2009, 16 minutes, Pakistan) Since his father's death, Karim has not felt safe in Karachi.
And
Thur

A collection of shorts from filmmakers under 18 and a chance for the audience to see the future's brightest talents.

In The Art of the Deal (Emilio Mazur, 2008, 10 minutes, USA) a lonely boy uses his own cunning ways to get the attention he craves from his supposedly corporate-savvy mother.

One girl's Bad Hair Day (Dale Rainey, 2008, 12 minutes, USA) leads to a bad day for everyone.

Bernard (Amy Obarski, 2008, 10 minutes, USA) was selected as the best short produced at the Governor's School.

In Eye for an Eye (Arni Beinteinn Arnason, 2008, 15 minutes, Iceland)

The death of an apartment dweller starts a strange chain reaction of events in Interior. Block of Flats Hallway (Ciprian Alexandrescu, 2008, 16 minutes, Romania).

In KH1 (Youn Kim, 2008, 13 minutes, South Korea), a young man's dreams of becoming an actor depends on raising $5,000 to go to school ? a cost his father cannot afford.

Thanksgiving 1987. Buffalo, NY. Cliff and Carol Morgan take their three grown children to The Golden Buddha Chinese Restaurant for an announcement. After thirty years of marriage, they are getting a divorce. Now they must spend what may be their last Thanksgiving together as a family, in as civilized a manner as possible.

When it's not autism, what is it? The diagnosis of autism has become synonymous with controversy. Autistic-Like: Graham's Story, a tender personal documentary capturing one couple's ardent journey to help their son, does little to quell the various disputes about the neurological disorder. The film questions the CDC's 1 in 150's estimates and suggests many diagnoses may not be autism. Ruffling the feathers of some of the autism community's myriad of factions, the couple dive into the Applied Behavior Analysis method, merge into the once highly controversial Options program, and find harmony with the relational model of Floor Time. Though disturbing to many within the autism community for its bold assertions, the film is a stereotype-stretching, heart-connecting and accurate portrayal of the many facets of the enigmatic diagnosis: how developmental disability demands the time, patience and resources of a family, complicated by the madde

In the war-zones of Liberia and Congo, four volunteers (including Nashville resident), Dr. TC Krueger) with Doctors Without Borders struggle to provide emergency medical care under extreme conditions. With different levels of experience, each volunteer must find his own way to face the challenges, the tough choices, and the limits of their idealism. Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors without Borders is a window into the seldom portrayed and less-than glamorous side of humanitarian aid work. It explores a world that is challenging, complex, and fraught with dilemmas - the struggles, both internal and external, that aid workers face when working in war zones and other difficult contexts.
Preceded by: Acholiland (Dean Israelite, 2008, 20 minutes, USA): A small UN contingent is faced with a terrible decision: play by the rules and watch children die, or risk the lives of an entire refugee camp in order to save them.

Basketball had Hoop Dreams, spelling bees had Spellbound. Now competitive cooking has Pressure Cooker. Wilma Stephenson is the dynamic force behind the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program at Philadelphia's Frankford High School. On the first day of class Stephenson tell her students, 'Everything you've heard about me is true, only it's 500 times worse.' She's tough, but she knows that if she isn't, her students are likely to repeat the mistakes of their parents ? leaving them impoverished and trapped in the inner-city. Three of those students become the focus of Mark Becker and Jennifer Grausman's camera: Tyree ? who faces the pressures of the locker room from his fellow athletes; Erica, who has to help care for her disabled younger sister, and Fatoumata, the African immigrant whose family doesn't support her aspirations. With Mrs. Stephenson's leadership, they will try to win scholarships to some of the most prestigious cookin

Alex's Halloween (Daniel Persitz, 2008, 14 minutes, USA) is about his outrageous costumes and working with his brother to sneak their candy past their health-crazy mom.
The Biggest Flower in the World (Juan Pable Etcheverry, 2007, 10 minutes, Spain) is a beautiful story for children?and adults.
Shelly, the Chicken Cowboy (Stephen P. Neary, 2008, 7 minutes, USA) wasn't looking for a fight, but he found one!
Dear Fatty (Hsin-I Tseng) is the enigmatic story narrated in the form of a little girl's letter to her hamster who has gone missing.
A veteran gunslinger is ready to maintain his reputation against the new kid in town in Four Minutes to Noon (Jonathan Taylor, 2008, 4 minutes, USA).
Hakim (Ishmail Sahin, 2008, 15 minutes, Tanzania / Germany) is the celebration of an orphaned boy in Africa, who finds his final home in an adoptive village.
Two Americans begin gathering letter of friendship between Indian and Pakistani c

The lives of indigenous peoples are not always authentically portrayed ? especially by outsiders. So Pachamama is a refreshing change of pace. Toshifumi Matsushita ? a Japanese director currently based out of New York City ? beautifully brings to life the story of Kunturi ? a 13-year-old Quechua boy living on the salt flats of Bolivia. After his grandmother's death and his best friend move away, Kunturi joins his father on his first salt caravan, traveling through the beautiful Andean peaks and lush valleys below. On this journey, Kunturi will begin to understand how the adult world works ? and how modernity is slowly encroaching on the rhythms of lives little changed over centuries. Pachamama translates from Quechua to 'Mother Universe', Kunturi learns that she is both protective and harsh. Reminiscent of The Story of the Weeping Camel, Pachamama brings a voice to a community seldom heard.

High art meets pop culture as the music of William Shatner ('Star Trek,' 'Boston Legal') and Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five), from their critically-acclaimed album, 'Has Been,' is transformed into 'Common People,' a ballet from award winning choreographer Margo Sappington (Oh! Caluctta!) and the Milwaukee Ballet. William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet explores this unique collaboration, as well as the musical journey that has taken Mr. Shatner from the trippy covers of 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' and 'Mr. Tambourine Man' in the 1960's to his recent original work with Ben Folds, and finally, to the ballet. The willingness of audiences to accept new work, especially based on pop music, is explored, as is the shape of ballet in our culture. Gonzo Ballet takes us from Shatner's musical beginnings, and the critical misfires, to his finally 'getting it right' with Ben Folds, and to the unlikely collaboration with Margo Sappington. What shines through is

On the evening of April 23, 2006, Emmy Award winning TV anchor and news reporter Reed Cowan was on call for his Salt Lake City employer. He was paged to the scene of the accidental hanging death of a child. Arriving on the scene, Cowan discovered that every parent's nightmare ? the loss of a child ? was his own. The reporter became the news. The Other Side of the Lens is Reed Cowan's first film and it follows Cowan and his journey of self-examination, liberation, and activism that would assist him through his grief. The juxtaposition of the necessity for personal healing the sensationalism of present-day television news becomes jarring when the person leading us on this journey has truly seen both sides. On his journey, Cowan meets the Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Kenyan grandmother of Barack Obama, and others whose worldviews remind us that from great tragedy comes great hope.

Our families can make us...or break us in this collection of shorts.

A terminally ill woman and her mentally challenged son go to their lake house to discuss their futures in Gilles (Constant Mentzas, 2008, 14 minutes, Canada).

Hyung-sup agrees to stop by his grandmother's house to fix her bathroom light but gets more than he bargained for when she presses him to stay for dinner in Grandma & Wrestling (Hyung-sup Lim, 2008, 18 minutes, South Korea).

In Make My Day (Pelle Moller, 2008, 8 minutes, Denmark), a father and son face down their bullies.

Today is Martin's 12th birthday and, as always, uncle Helmer arrives first to the party with a gift of something yellow in My Uncle Loved the Color Yellow (Mats Olof Olsson, 2008 9 minutes, Sweden).

Home is where the hurt is when 8-year-old Robin (Hanno Olderdissen, 2008 20 minutes, Germany) comes back to his family after three months in foster care.

In

In its 6th year, the Nashville Film Festival's At Risk Film Project features participants from the Charles Davis Foundation in 'Who's Real?' Once the narrative film was shot, it was handed over to teens from the W.O. Smith Music School to compose the score.

'The making' of documentary chronicles five weeks of after school sessions with the teens, beginning with open discussions exploring such topics as teen pregnancy, gangs, high school drop outs, and 'fake friends.' After choosing their topic, the group improvised scenes to create a story dealing with loyalty amongst friends. The doc also visits W.O. Smith students during a scoring session with their mentors.

The 'Who's Real' narrative short tells the story of Bianca, who confides in 2 girlfriends her fear of being pregnant, only to discover that one betrays her, spreading the rumor throughout the school. Meanwhile, her aspiring basketball star boyfriend, Kenny, is appro

Based on actual events, April Showers is about picking up the pieces in the direct aftermath of school violence. Set in a middle class suburban neighborhood, April Showers focuses on the lives of a handful of teachers and students as they attempt to make sense of a world that has just been turned upside down by one of their own. With the community and an entire nation caught up in the 'story', the students of Jefferson High must turn to one another for answers. In the wake atrocity, the rifts caused by misinformation and a frenzied media prove difficult to overcome. Lost and lonely under the international spotlight, one young man navigates his way through his almost indiscernible home. From quaint suburban town to battlefield turned media circus, Jefferson High provides the backdrop for Sean's struggle to cope with the loss of his friend April.

The bond between mothers and daughters is rich territory for film and director Carl Bessai and his sparkling cast mine it to great wealth in Mothers & Daughters. While Bessai is credited as screenwriter, he actually shares the credit with his entire cast ? the film was created in the style we might more readily recognize with Mike Leigh. This improvisational style can sometimes lead to indulgent performances, but Bessai and his actresses manage to keep everything grounded and surprisingly light (some tears are shed, but the film manages to avoid being maudlin). Micki is a high-strung novelist who overwhelms her actress daughter. Brenda is a dedicated housewife whose husband has left her and she seeks the support of her daughter Kate. Celine owns her own business and is hired by Cynthia, a young professional remodeling her home and searching for her own identity. Each relationship has its challenges. The delight comes in seeing h

A collection of shorts for an ever-shrinking international community and the difficulty of getting through it safely.
In Cargo (Jennifer Harrington, 2008, 14 minutes, USA) a Colombian woman's efforts to make it into the US takes a frightening turn.
When his visa is denied, a young man faces deportation and a misunderstanding with the Mexican girl he's attracted to in The Loneliness of the Short Order Cook (Marcel Sawicki, 2008, 22 minutes, Poland/USA).
A Chinese man comes to America for the first time to visit his son, but his trip goes awry when he finds his son has been arrested in No Wind, No Waves (Julian Anthony Higgins, 2008, 22 minutes, USA).
Stereotypes are put to the test under the reality of living in the midst of war and terror On the Road to Tel-Aviv (Khen Shalem, 2008, 15 minutes, Israel).
In Pokerface (Denize Karabuda, 2008, 15 minutes, Sweden) an Iranian mail-order bride learns to play internet poker ? and

Returning home to a Helena, Montana for her 20-year high school reunion, debut filmmaker Kimberly Reed hopes to rebuild her relationship with her adopted brother - and to capture the experience on camera. Instead of a simple tale of estrangement and reconciliation, Prodigal Sons offers deep questions of identity ? gender identity, genetic identity, and the how traumatic brain injury can completely alter a loved one. Reed's access and her family's relative ease around the camera create an intimate portrait of a family who seems so simultaneously ordinary ? and yet utterly extraordinary. Let's just say that if Kimberly Reed had attempted to fictionalize her family's story and sell it as a screenplay, she would have been laughed out of every studio. Instead, we're given the gift of this raw, emotional, personal ? and ultimately beautiful - examination of one family's attempts to reconcile past with present.

The American Dream is both a blessing and a curse in Tze Chun's Children of Invention. Single mother Elaine Cheng struggles to support her two children ? Raymond and Tina - by juggling various jobs and selling various products freelance. When one too many of these products turns out to be nothing more than a pyramid scheme, the family finds itself homeless, and Elaine ? in the US illegally ? finds herself at risk of deportation. Meanwhile, Raymond dreams of various inventions hoping that, one day, one of them will make him rich enough to care for the whole family. Chun (whose short film Windowbreaker played NaFF in 2007) weaves a gentle tale of lives on the brink, but by telling it largely from the point of view of the children gives the audience a sense of wonder and hope. And isn't that what the American Dream is truly about?

Preceded by: 3 Wheels (Tony Wei, 2009, 16 minutes, USA / China) A rickshaw driver and an America

Danny Glover headlines an all-star cast in the Directorial debut of actor Giancarlo Esposito, Gospel Hill. Glover is John Malcolm, the brother of a slain civil rights leader (Samuel L. Jackson. Thirty years after the murder, John has withdrawn from the community, uninterested in interacting with his neighbors. This threatens his relationship with his wife Sarah (Angela Bassett) ? a community activist attempting to prevent the destruction of their historic neighborhood by those wishing to build a golf course in its place. Sarah enlists the support of a newly transplanted teacher Rosie (Julia Stiles), whose relationship with the son of the local sheriff ? who refused to properly investigate the murder of John Malcolm's brother ? puts her squarely in the center of the town's strained racial relations. Gospel Hill is about not only race, but about the battle between cynicism and hope ? a timeless struggle in the quest for the American

Abner Meechum (Academy Award-nominee Hal Holbrook) is an aging Tennessee farmer. He's pretty much had it with the nursing home his lawyer son has tossed him away to and flees to his home - only to find out that his home has leased it to oldest enemies. Abner moves into the rental shack on the property and insists he won't leave until the farm is his again. The resulting grudge match will tear families apart and forge new alliances. Under the heat of the Tennessee summer son (the film was shot entirely in Eastern Tennessee), good - but stubborn - people find their anger reaching the boiling point. With his feature debut, Scott Teems evocatively brings William Gay's short

At the center of 24-year-old director Antonio Campos's debut feature, Afterschool, is the 21st Century media technology. With the advent of You Tube and cell-phone video cameras, everything from giggling babies to impromptu acts of violence has become internet entertainment. In such a world, can young people engage in reality without the distance the screen creates? Robert is a sophomore at an east coast prep school, assigned to capture stock footage for the video yearbook. When his assignment leads him to inadvertently filming the gruesome deaths of two of his classmates, Robert's world is altered forever. Campos manages to keep the social criticism to a minimum (though that criticism sears), instead he focuses on storytelling ? the ever-shifting allegiances of high school, the generational misunderstandings, and the difficulties of growing up. As a result, Afterschool is one of the most assured debut features in some time.

Kevin Smith made a rare appearance at Sinking Creek in 1994. Students from across the region flocked to catch a glimpse of this rising, shockingly young auteur. He was only 23 when he made Clerks and it still remains the ultimate cinematic tribute to slackers. Depicting a day in the life of two convenience store clerks as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof, Smith's film is not only surprisingly charming, but remarkably cinematic. A breakout success, Clerks paved the way for future films and has influenced an entirely new generation of filmmakers. Don't miss your chance to see it on the big screen ? and don't be surprised if you spot recognizable faces in the crowd.

Preceded by: Bambi Meets Godzilla (Mary Redmond, 1969, 2 minutes, USA) Regarded as a classic of animation, this film was voted #38 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time.

Prince of Broadway is the story of Lucky and Levon, two men whose lives converge in the underbelly of New York's wholesale fashion district. Lucky, an illegal immigrant from Ghana, makes ends meet by soliciting shoppers on the street with knock-off brand merchandise. Levon, a Armenian-Lebanese immigrant, operates an illegal storefront with a concealed back room where counterfeit goods are showcased to interested shoppers. Lucky's world is suddenly turned upside down when a child is thrust into his life by a woman who insists the toddler is his son. While Lucky copes with his new domestic dilemma, Levon struggles to save a marriage that is falling apart.

Preceded by: Memphis Calling (Colin Mitchell, 2009, 12 minutes, US) A mistaken collect phone call from an inmate will change two people's lives.

Moments before his death, Stevie Ray Vaughn talked to Robert M. Knight, legendary rock photographer, one last time. 'If anything ever happens to me,' he said, 'you'll know me when you hear me.' In the wake of tragedy, Knight would remember those haunting words, as they fueled his unyielding passion to find the next great guitarist. Smart, hip, and funny, Rock Prophecies is a backstage pass into the eccentric world of rock 'n roll from the vantage point of an obsessive photographer. Barely 18, Robert M. Knight stalked, captured and befriended Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin well before they become iconic. Years later, he snapped the controversial last photograph of Stevie Ray Vaughan. During photo assignments, mysteries about the creative process are explored as Knight revisits his life long guitar heroes. In the end, Knight finds and mentors a new guitar prodigy, Tyler Bryan, that unravels the meaning behind his final and foreshadowing

Jimmy Wayne Collins was well on his way to becoming a country music star but after failing to break through he finds himself back in Blackwater, Texas with a terminally ill father and an older brother, Kyle, in trouble with the law. Jimmy, Kyle and their gang of loyal friends are prone to pushing the envelope in a quest for high-risk thrills, but when the boys push too far, the bonds of family, friendship, and loyalty are tested. Featuring Michael Parks (Grindhouse), Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans), Brett Moses (Beautiful Dreamers), Dominique Swain (Alpha Dog, Lolita), and country stars Lee Ann Womack and Tracy Byrd, Noble Things combines the elements of Texas noir and domestic pot-boiler and delivers both thrills and emotion in equal parts.

Athena and Lilith are two women in love. As with most couples, they dream of having a child that is a true biological combination of them both. Although Mother Nature doesn’t work that way, modern science has found a way to make one plus one equal two. With the help of Jim, a trusted lab technician, they use sperm made from Lilith’s stem cells to inseminate Athena. And it works! Athena is pregnant with Lilith’s child. Lilith is happy to be an expectant mother, but secretly wishes she was the pregnant one. She goes behind Athena’s back and convinces Jim from the lab to help her with the same process. That causes some friction, but the couple works it out, and everything is running smoothly, until their families get involved. Told in “mockumentary” fashion, The Baby Formula takes a unique, hilarious, honest, and touching look at the ever-changing definition of family and the commonalities and humanity as its center.

Yes, they are animated. No, they are not for children.

A toon hating executive has a hare raising experience when he meets an out of work toon rabbit in Animated America (James Baker, Joe Haidar, 2008, 15 minutes, USA)

These cutecutecute (Clemens Kogler, 2008, 2 minutes, Austria) little critters will give you guidance to navigate this #*%ed up world.

A dog...An electric collar...And plenty to bark at...Sparks will fly in Dog with Electric Collar (Steve Baker, 2008, 5 minutes, Australia)!

Two asymmetric men compete for a woman's attention through shameless and shameful acts in E1even Roses (Pedram Goshtasbpour, 2008, 5 minutes, USA).

Dark family secrets cast a shadow over Bill's recovery, in I Am So Proud of You (Don Hertzfeldt, 2009, 22 minutes, USA), the sequel to Don Hertzfeldt's Everything Will be OK.

In Sebastian's Voodoo (Joaquin Baldwin, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) a voodoo doll must find the courage...

Most American cinephiles will know Eugene Hutz for his role as Elijah Wood's Ukrainian tour guide in Everything is Illuminated. Thanks to Margarita Jimeno's documentary Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, American cinephiles - and the music fans who knew better - will get to see his band, hear their music, and appreciate their socio-political messages. More than just a concert film, Gogol Bordello Non-Stop explores the roots of the band (indeed, they come from five different nations) and how global identity and politics can shape music. But if all you are looking for is a rocking good time, the frenetic energy of Gogol Bordello's gypsy punk jams will more than satisfy your need and Jimeno's brilliant and intimate camera work will make you feel like you're in the pit with their fans. And if you're not one already, you'll likely find yourself becoming one.

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. The film's central protagonist is Girl Talk, a mash-up musician topping the charts with his sample-based songs. But is Girl Talk a paragon of people power or the Pied Piper of piracy? Creative Commons founder, Lawrence Lessig, Brazil's Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil and pop culture critic Cory Doctorow are also along for the ride. A participatory media experiment, from day one, Brett shares his raw footage at opensourcecinema.org, for anyone to remix. This movie-as-mash-up method allows these remixes to become an integral part of the film. With RiP: A remix manifesto, Gaylor and Girl Talk sound an urgent alarm and draw the lines of battle.

Preceded by: Hero, Wings are Not Necessary to Fly (Angel Loza, 200

Set in the 16th century, Sauna follows the two Spore brothers, charged with marking the border after the war between Sweden and Russia. Erik, the soldier, has fought his entire adult life and has no intentions of making peace with his Russian enemies. Knut, the cartographer, is more sensitive and intuitive. He avoided the war through his scholarship. When Erik loses it and kills a Russian sympathizer, Knut ? to save her ? locks the victim's dauther in a root cellar. When the two leave the village without rescuing the girl from her prison, the guilt begins to eat away at Knut. Eschewing many genre trapping, director AJ Annila still manages to terrify with its grimness and desolation. In Finnish lore, the sauna is a place to wash one's sins away. Knut learns, however, that some sins are not so easily forgiven. Annila's audience learns that what is unknown can be much more frightening that what is seen.

The sprawling and humanistic Citizen Juling opens as the filmmakers ask celebrants of the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol's corination, 'Why do you love the king?' Most respond with trepidation. A good Thai does not question the sacred ideological pillars of 'Nation, Religion, King.' Thus begins a powerful exploration of the issues surrounding the Islamic insurgency in the south of Thailand, a nation whose democracy seems constantly at risk. Since the 2004 beginnings of the separatist movement, more than 50 Buddhist educators have been brutally murdered. One of those victims was Juling Pongkunmul whose murder, just prior to the kings's coronation celebration, unified the Buddhist north against the separatists. Citizen Juling follows activist and parliamentarian Kraisak Choonhavan as he travels through the Muslim south seeking the root causes of the violence and mistrust between Thai Buddhists and Muslims who had for centuries

Alex's Halloween (Daniel Persitz, 2008, 14 minutes, USA) is about his outrageous costumes and working with his brother to sneak their candy past their health-crazy mom.
The Biggest Flower in the World (Juan Pable Etcheverry, 2007, 10 minutes, Spain) is a beautiful story for children?and adults.
Shelly, the Chicken Cowboy (Stephen P. Neary, 2008, 7 minutes, USA) wasn't looking for a fight, but he found one!
Dear Fatty (Hsin-I Tseng) is the enigmatic story narrated in the form of a little girl's letter to her hamster who has gone missing.
A veteran gunslinger is ready to maintain his reputation against the new kid in town in Four Minutes to Noon (Jonathan Taylor, 2008, 4 minutes, USA).
Hakim (Ishmail Sahin, 2008, 15 minutes, Tanzania / Germany) is the celebration of an orphaned boy in Africa, who finds his final home in an adoptive village.
Two Americans begin gathering letter of friendship between Indian and Pakistani c

Abner Meechum (Academy Award-nominee Hal Holbrook) is an aging Tennessee farmer. He's pretty much had it with the nursing home his lawyer son has tossed him away to and flees to his home - only to find out that his home has leased it to oldest enemies. Abner moves into the rental shack on the property and insists he won't leave until the farm is his again. The resulting grudge match will tear families apart and forge new alliances. Under the heat of the Tennessee summer son (the film was shot entirely in Eastern Tennessee), good - but stubborn - people find their anger reaching the boiling point. With his feature debut, Scott Teems evocatively brings William Gay's short

This collection of shorts explores contemporary and traditional religion and its impact on daily life ? in both provocative, touching, and occasionally humorous ways.

Gone Fishing (Chris Jones, 2008, 13 minutes, UK) is the touching story of a boy and old man coming to terms with bereavement through their shared love of fishing, and the legend of the biggest pike ever caught.

The Hungu (Nicolas Brault, 2008, 9 minutes, Canada) is an African musical instrument and this is the legend that surrounds its playing.

Lost Paradise (Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun, 2008, 10 minutes, Israel) is a present-day Adam and Eve story.

An epic battle for religious and personal freedom is fought over a painting in the Academy Award-nominated short film The Pig (Dorthe Warno Hogh, 2008, 23 minutes, Denmark).

A young girl comes to an understanding of death and her familiy's traditions in Rain (Thomas Takemoto-Chock, 2008, 15 mi

Part Bollywood, part 1920’s jazz, and all hysterically inventive, Sita Sings the Blues is the wildly popular first feature from animator Nina Paley. Sita begins with Paley waking happily in her San Francisco apartment with boyfriend and cat in tow. When said boyfriend takes a job in India, matters of the heart take a painful turn, leading us into the story of Sita – the star-crossed lover of the ancient Hindu text the Ramayana. Happily bouncing back and forth between the present and the ancient past, between the US and India, and tossing in musical interludes of Sita singing the songs of 1920’s jazz vocalist Annette Hanshaw, Paley has crafted a lovingly tongue-in-cheek romance for all generations. Attempts to compare it to anything else will ultimately fail as this is guaranteed to be one of the most unique pieces of cinema to ever make its way to Music City.

The music of Trimpin has to be seen to be believed ? and that's not a syntactical error because Trimpin doesn't just make music. He composes the music, plays the music, and creates the instruments upon which the music is played. Starting out in his workshop ? a cross between Frankenstein's lab and Santa's Workshop ? we are introduced to this (mad?) genius as he turns wooden clogs, toy pianos, and discarded guitars into brand new works of musical art. Director Peter Esmonde was granted more than two years access to Trimpin and his cameras take us everywhere ? to the several-stories tall interactive guitar exhibit in Seattle, to the glass blower's workshop where new instruments are crafted based on Trimpin's specifications, to his experiments with the world-famous Kronos Quartet. It's worth saying a second time. It must be seen to be believed.

Preceded by Steel Homes (Eva Weber, 2008, 10 minutes, UK) Self-storage units are win

Who is Jack Sheldon? You may remember him as Merv Griffin's trumpet-wielding sidekick, or the indelible voice of School House Rock ('I'm just a bill. Yes I'm only a bill'), but musicians know him as a jazz giant. Unlike his close friend and collaborator, Chet Baker, Jack Sheldon survived the demons of drugs, alcohol and unspeakable personal tragedy. As friend Billy Crystal puts it, Jack Sheldon is the, 'last cat standing' from the bebop generation. Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon features on-camera interviews with Clint Eastwood, Billy Crystal, Merv Griffin, Chris Botti, and Johnny Mandel among others, along with historic footage with Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and other legends. Penny Peyser and Doug McIntyre's award-winning Trying to Get Good examines the eternally dissatisfied soul of a musical perfectionist and his quest to just 'figure things out' ? both musically and personally.

Arguably America's foremost humorist and commentator, Garrison Keillor, takes his skits and jokes, music and monologues across the country in his traveling radio show, spinning his stories into American gold. This free form, intimate look at the private man in the public spotlight goes behind the scenes of America's most popular radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, and inside the imagination of the man who created it. Compared to James Thurber, Will Rogers, and Mark Twain, Garrison Keillor is a weekly tradition for millions of Americans in that most old-fashioned of mediums ? radio. Where TV shows see their ratings dipping, Keillor's radio ratings remain among the highest for any program of its type in the nation ? some 30+ years on. Peter Rosen's off-the-cuff documentary, Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes gives us insight into how all of that happened.

Jimmy Wayne Collins was well on his way to becoming a country music star but after failing to break through he finds himself back in Blackwater, Texas with a terminally ill father and an older brother, Kyle, in trouble with the law. Jimmy, Kyle and their gang of loyal friends are prone to pushing the envelope in a quest for high-risk thrills, but when the boys push too far, the bonds of family, friendship, and loyalty are tested. Featuring Michael Parks (Grindhouse), Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans), Brett Moses (Beautiful Dreamers), Dominique Swain (Alpha Dog, Lolita), and country stars Lee Ann Womack and Tracy Byrd, Noble Things combines the elements of Texas noir and domestic pot-boiler and delivers both thrills and emotion in equal parts.

Three years in the making, this cin?ma-v?rit? feature from acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper, Paradise Lost ? screening in the Sinking Creek retrospective ? and , Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) is the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion 'Amazon Chernobyl' case, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures. Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints, the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines a complicated situation from all angles while bringing an important story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. Crude is a nominee for the Al Gore REEL Current Award.

The Empress Hotel, a project of the San Francisco Department of Health, is home to a rarified clientele?sufferers of mental illness or addiction who have lived on the streets. Not every person can stay on meds or get clean, yet out of chaos and hopelessness, a community is formed. The tenants are vulnerable and stubbornly irascible. Some are honest, some duplicitous and all--including the therapists, nurses and doctors who serve them? understand how deep addiction is and how hard it is to give up. As Roberta Goodman, hotel manager says, 'I don't have anything to offer that's better than the feeling you get from, what I'm told, the first time you smoke crack. And everybody's trying to get back to that first time.' Empress Hotel tells the stories of ten residents, their interactions, celebrations, successes, and setbacks.

Preceded by: Victoria (Charles Sommer, 2007, 12 minutes, USA) is a documentary about a disheveled piano locat

At the intersection of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo Streets in Mexico City sits Rosa Elena Carbajal's lodging house. Her granddaughter, Yulene Olaizola takes her camera to delve into a mystery that occurred in her grandmother's residence. That mystery involves a former tenant, Jorge Riosse ? who became fast friends with Rosa Elena. He was a bright, artistic, friendly man who was also deeply ashamed of his homosexuality and suffered schizophrenia. During the period that he lived in the house (until his death in 1993) 13 women fell victim to a mysterious serial killer in Mexico City. In some hands, the mystery may have played like a simple anecdote. In the deft hands of this debut feature director, though, the story has far-reaching implications about family, identity, and our ability to view a world that is filled with surprises.

Nashville filmmaker Brent Leung was born in 1980, just as the HIV/AIDS epidemic became headline news. Over the past eight years, he has gained access to and insight from some of the field's top researchers and most influential policy-makers. What his film, House of Numbers, reveals is we understand a lot less about the epidemic than we are led to believe ? conventional wisdom be damned. Among those captured by Leung's camera: the co-discoverers of the HIV virus, presidential advisors on the illness, Nobel laureates, as well as survivors and activists who helped shape public perception and policy. Traveling the world with camera in tow, Leung's film offers an opening salvo in the battle to bring clarity to an epidemic politicized to the point of insanity.

Indie sensation Mark Duplass (Baghead, Humpday) stars as Sam Bryant, an aging Seattle rocker with no 'real job', no record deal, and ? after his girlfriend dumps him ? no place to stay except with his suburban aunt Sharon (a delightful Melissa Leo, Academy Award-nominee for Frozen River). Sam is not the kind of guy who would be your first choice to chaperone two young teens (Sam's cousin and his cousin's best friend) on a camping trip, but he's the only choice, so camping they go. And it's all kicks and giggles until one of the boys ends up separated and lost in the woods. Director Craig Johnson, who premiered his short film Maui with NaFF in 2005, returns with his debut feature, a fast and funny story about realizing ? even if that realization comes later in life ? that it's time to grow up and start behaving like a man?whatever that might mean.

Preceded by Tender as Hellfire (Jason Stone, 2009, 18 minutes, USA) Four years f

On 13 January 1968, Johnny Cash recorded his legendary live album at Folsom State Prison in California. 40 years later, the album hasn't lost a bit of its power. His children, former colleagues, and even some ex-prisoners and guards look back. Archive footage of life in the prison back then is interspersed with footage of how it is now, as well as still photography of the performance. The son of a poor cotton farmer in Arkansas, Cash often ended up in trouble because of his excessive drug use, so he'd been through the metaphorical mill and felt a clear connection to the men behind bars. And the feeling was mutual. By performing for society's outcasts, for those whom the state had reduced to a number, he wanted to make a contribution to reforming the American prison system and bringing the lives of the condemned out into the open.

Don't Ask Don't Tell remains one of the most blatant forms of government discrimination existing as law. Director Johnny Symons' Ask Not is a rare and compelling exploration of the effects of the US military's policy against openly gay service members. A provocative portrait of bravery amidst exclusion, the film reveals the personal stories of Americans willing to risk their lives for a country that criminalizes the act of coming out of the closet. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' affects them and their loved ones during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a life of required secrecy, and powerfully provokes thoughtful dialogue about the merits of banning those who are honest about their identities from serving their country.

Preceded by: Appassionata (Mirko Echghi-Ghamasari, 2008, 16 minutes, Germany) A German soldier awaiting his doom spots a piano in the no-man's land between

Reminiscent of the fantastic Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner, Marie-Helene Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu's debut feature, Before Tomorrow represents another great stride forward in Inuit filmmaking. Ningiuq and Kutuujuk are elders of a 19th-century Inuit family. In the summer season, they join with neighboring families to share stories, celebrate, dine, and inter-marry. This year, however, the stories are about the impending advance of foreigners. After a bountiful catch, Ningiuq, her grandson Maniq, and Kutuujuk volunteer to stay behind and dry the fish for the upcoming winter. When Kutuujuk falls ill and no one from the family arrives to take them home, Ningiuk fears the worst. When they must begin the treacherous journey home on their own ? they discover that their fears may have been an underestimation. Before Tomorrow is proof that the tradition of the indigenous storyteller has been passed down to new generations in cinematic fo

Director Claudia Weill returns to Nashville for a second time to screen this breakout success and true maverick of independent cinema for the time. Winner of awards at Cannes, Sundance and the Toronto International Film Festival, Girlfriends is an intimate character study of two women coming of age in 1970's New York City. Weill captures a highly realistic portrayal by Thirtysomething's Melanie Mayron as she makes the journey through life facing challenges and choices in the struggle for independence and identity. Christoper Guest and Eli Wallach also make an appearance. Iconic film director Stanley Kubrick named Girlfriends his "favorite film of 1978."

Preceded by: Mona Lisa Descending the Staircase (Joan Gratz, 1992) 7 min. Originally screened in Nashville in 1992, this Academy Award? winning short uses claymation to seamlessly follow the major roads of the roots of modern art.

and

Meg Partridge's Academy Award

A wry comedy about Art, a frustrated musician, undergoing what he sees as a quarter life crisis. This is not helped when his girlfriend dumps him and he has to move back in with his middle class parents ? who are far from thrilled with the idea. Art discovers self-help guru, DR LEVI ELLINGTON, author of It's Not Your Fault. Using inheritance money, Art pays for Dr Ellington to move in with him and his parents becoming Art's full-time life coach, shadowing him wherever he goes. Art's painfully funny journey to define his existence brings to the fore the dysfunctional relationship he has with his parents and the importance in his life of his oddball friends. Rich in detail and dark yet affectionate humor, How to Be is a timely look at the increasingly common phenomena of grown-up children living at home, frustrated creativity and self-help.

Fernando Eimbcke's first feature film Duck Season took the world by storm in 2004. His second feature film is an impressive stride forward from an already impressive starting point. Juan crashes the family's car into a telephone poll on the outskirts of the sleepy town he calls home. When he calls home, his little brother informs him that Mom has locked herself in the bathroom. Juan's only solution is to find someone to help him fix the car. Thus begins one boy's journey into adulthood ? with the aid of a paranoid mechanic and his boxer hound, a parts specialist with a kung-fu obsession, and a single mother who clearly needs some Nicorette. Through the dry, quirky humor, Eimbcke begins to reveal the sadness that inhabits Juan's home. The relaxed rhythms, the subtle performances, and the confident direction all develop into a touching whole ? like a scrapbook of one family's life.

Preceded by: The Hands of Able (Victor Bar

Make-out with Violence is a genre-bending tale of a boy trying to fulfill his unrequited love for a girl who has risen from the dead. It tells the story of twin brothers Patrick and Carol Darling, newly graduated from high school and struggling to come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of their friend, the bright and beautiful Wendy Hearst. When a drive through the countryside surrounding their suburban community leads to the discovery of Wendy's mysteriously animated corpse, the boys secretly transport the un-dead Wendy to an empty house in hopes of somehow bringing her back to life.

Seventeen-year-old Rass is growing up in an Estonian suburb. In the absence of a solid home life his family becomes a group of youngsters who are verging on being thieves. Drugs are an inseparable part of their lives, and when Rass agrees to distribute them to make a living for himself, he gets tangled up in the narcotics trade. Small amounts suddenly become two-kilo packages that the mafia, to the misfortune of all involved, has not been paid for, and is ready to collect on by force? This is the story of one boy's adolescence, the story of what happens to young people who fall between the cracks. Based on one of the most important works of contemporary Eastern European literature, I Was Here marks a career breakthrough for longtime director Rene Vilbre.

Preceded by: Omelette (Nadedja Koseva, 2009, 5 minutes, Bulgaria) As a Bulgarian woman makes an omelette, we learn how hard it is to make ends meet.

Borgate (Lotte Schreiber, 2008, 15 minutes, Austria) is a filmic examinations of architecture and urban spaces.

Witness some of the sun's finest unseen moments in Brilliant Noise (semiconductor, 2006, 10 minutes, United Kingdom).

Six-hundred-five film clips are assembled and used to create a piece of electronic music in Cantata in C Major (Ronnie Cramer, 2008, 8 minutes, USA)

Hallelujuah! Gorrial Revival (Jason LaRay Keener, Jeremiah Ledbetter, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) is a bit of cinematic prattle.

In I Hear Your Scream (Pablo Lamar, 2008, 12 minutes, Argentina) we witness the man, the hill, and the shack.

Spinning black-and-white pictures take us back to the days before special effects were In the Mix (Jan Machaeck, 2008, 4 minutes, Austria).

Jolanda 23 (Pim Zwier, 2008 10 minutes, Netherlands) is a short observational documentary - a report of all the actions that lead to achieving ideal bea

Frank Zappa once said, 'Writing about music is like is like dancing about architecture?' But what of talking about music? Many of today's top artists and scholars do just that in this cinematic look at a uniquely human obsession. Celebrities as diverse as the Flaming Lips, the Dandy Warhols, Guns N' Roses, George Clinton, Elijah Wood, Juliette Lewis, and Tool offer their answers to the seemingly simple but ultimately complex question: What is music? When you unleash more than 100 people to answer the question, you begin to capture the diversity that is music ? and humanity. The Heart is a Drum Machine, from the producers who brought us the brilliant Moog, does just that with its contagious and surprisingly moving energy. If music be the food of life, then this is the ultimate life-affirming documentary.

For a hundred years, virtually the entire history of American movies, film critics have championed this medium they so unabashedly love. Their reviews illuminate the film-going experience, suggesting paths for readers to enter cinema more deeply, thoughtfully, appreciatively. For the Love of Movies is the first documentary to dramatize the rich, fascinating history of American film criticism. From the raw beginnings of criticism before The Birth of a Nation to Bosley Crowther's 27-year reign at 'The New York Times,' from the incendiary Kael-Sarris debates of the 1960s and 70s to the battle for audience between youthful on-liners and the print establishment, Gerald Peary's affectionate documentary tells all ? featuring interviews with Roger Ebert, A.O. Scott, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Kenneth Turan, and 2009 NaFF Narrative Feature juror, Elvis Mitchell.

Returning home to a Helena, Montana for her 20-year high school reunion, debut filmmaker Kimberly Reed hopes to rebuild her relationship with her adopted brother - and to capture the experience on camera. Instead of a simple tale of estrangement and reconciliation, Prodigal Sons offers deep questions of identity ? gender identity, genetic identity, and the how traumatic brain injury can completely alter a loved one. Reed's access and her family's relative ease around the camera create an intimate portrait of a family who seems so simultaneously ordinary ? and yet utterly extraordinary. Let's just say that if Kimberly Reed had attempted to fictionalize her family's story and sell it as a screenplay, she would have been laughed out of every studio. Instead, we're given the gift of this raw, emotional, personal ? and ultimately beautiful - examination of one family's attempts to reconcile past with present.

This collection of shorts explores contemporary and traditional religion and its impact on daily life ? in both provocative, touching, and occasionally humorous ways.

Gone Fishing (Chris Jones, 2008, 13 minutes, UK) is the touching story of a boy and old man coming to terms with bereavement through their shared love of fishing, and the legend of the biggest pike ever caught.

The Hungu (Nicolas Brault, 2008, 9 minutes, Canada) is an African musical instrument and this is the legend that surrounds its playing.

Lost Paradise (Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun, 2008, 10 minutes, Israel) is a present-day Adam and Eve story.

An epic battle for religious and personal freedom is fought over a painting in the Academy Award-nominated short film The Pig (Dorthe Warno Hogh, 2008, 23 minutes, Denmark).

A young girl comes to an understanding of death and her familiy's traditions in Rain (Thomas Takemoto-Chock, 2008, 15 mi

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers. The film's central protagonist is Girl Talk, a mash-up musician topping the charts with his sample-based songs. But is Girl Talk a paragon of people power or the Pied Piper of piracy? Creative Commons founder, Lawrence Lessig, Brazil's Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil and pop culture critic Cory Doctorow are also along for the ride. A participatory media experiment, from day one, Brett shares his raw footage at opensourcecinema.org, for anyone to remix. This movie-as-mash-up method allows these remixes to become an integral part of the film. With RiP: A remix manifesto, Gaylor and Girl Talk sound an urgent alarm and draw the lines of battle.

Preceded by: Hero, Wings are Not Necessary to Fly (Angel Loza, 200

At the center of 24-year-old director Antonio Campos's debut feature, Afterschool, is the 21st Century media technology. With the advent of You Tube and cell-phone video cameras, everything from giggling babies to impromptu acts of violence has become internet entertainment. In such a world, can young people engage in reality without the distance the screen creates? Robert is a sophomore at an east coast prep school, assigned to capture stock footage for the video yearbook. When his assignment leads him to inadvertently filming the gruesome deaths of two of his classmates, Robert's world is altered forever. Campos manages to keep the social criticism to a minimum (though that criticism sears), instead he focuses on storytelling ? the ever-shifting allegiances of high school, the generational misunderstandings, and the difficulties of growing up. As a result, Afterschool is one of the most assured debut features in some time.

Athena and Lilith are two women in love. As with most couples, they dream of having a child that is a true biological combination of them both. Although Mother Nature doesn’t work that way, modern science has found a way to make one plus one equal two. With the help of Jim, a trusted lab technician, they use sperm made from Lilith’s stem cells to inseminate Athena. And it works! Athena is pregnant with Lilith’s child. Lilith is happy to be an expectant mother, but secretly wishes she was the pregnant one. She goes behind Athena’s back and convinces Jim from the lab to help her with the same process. That causes some friction, but the couple works it out, and everything is running smoothly, until their families get involved. Told in “mockumentary” fashion, The Baby Formula takes a unique, hilarious, honest, and touching look at the ever-changing definition of family and the commonalities and humanity as its center.

The Empress Hotel, a project of the San Francisco Department of Health, is home to a rarified clientele?sufferers of mental illness or addiction who have lived on the streets. Not every person can stay on meds or get clean, yet out of chaos and hopelessness, a community is formed. The tenants are vulnerable and stubbornly irascible. Some are honest, some duplicitous and all--including the therapists, nurses and doctors who serve them? understand how deep addiction is and how hard it is to give up. As Roberta Goodman, hotel manager says, 'I don't have anything to offer that's better than the feeling you get from, what I'm told, the first time you smoke crack. And everybody's trying to get back to that first time.' Empress Hotel tells the stories of ten residents, their interactions, celebrations, successes, and setbacks.

Preceded by: Victoria (Charles Sommer, 2007, 12 minutes, USA) is a documentary about a disheveled piano locat

On the evening of April 23, 2006, Emmy Award winning TV anchor and news reporter Reed Cowan was on call for his Salt Lake City employer. He was paged to the scene of the accidental hanging death of a child. Arriving on the scene, Cowan discovered that every parent's nightmare ? the loss of a child ? was his own. The reporter became the news. The Other Side of the Lens is Reed Cowan's first film and it follows Cowan and his journey of self-examination, liberation, and activism that would assist him through his grief. The juxtaposition of the necessity for personal healing the sensationalism of present-day television news becomes jarring when the person leading us on this journey has truly seen both sides. On his journey, Cowan meets the Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Kenyan grandmother of Barack Obama, and others whose worldviews remind us that from great tragedy comes great hope.

On 13 January 1968, Johnny Cash recorded his legendary live album at Folsom State Prison in California. 40 years later, the album hasn't lost a bit of its power. His children, former colleagues, and even some ex-prisoners and guards look back. Archive footage of life in the prison back then is interspersed with footage of how it is now, as well as still photography of the performance. The son of a poor cotton farmer in Arkansas, Cash often ended up in trouble because of his excessive drug use, so he'd been through the metaphorical mill and felt a clear connection to the men behind bars. And the feeling was mutual. By performing for society's outcasts, for those whom the state had reduced to a number, he wanted to make a contribution to reforming the American prison system and bringing the lives of the condemned out into the open.

Make-out with Violence is a genre-bending tale of a boy trying to fulfill his unrequited love for a girl who has risen from the dead. It tells the story of twin brothers Patrick and Carol Darling, newly graduated from high school and struggling to come to terms with the mysterious disappearance of their friend, the bright and beautiful Wendy Hearst. When a drive through the countryside surrounding their suburban community leads to the discovery of Wendy's mysteriously animated corpse, the boys secretly transport the un-dead Wendy to an empty house in hopes of somehow bringing her back to life.

Don't Ask Don't Tell remains one of the most blatant forms of government discrimination existing as law. Director Johnny Symons' Ask Not is a rare and compelling exploration of the effects of the US military's policy against openly gay service members. A provocative portrait of bravery amidst exclusion, the film reveals the personal stories of Americans willing to risk their lives for a country that criminalizes the act of coming out of the closet. Current and veteran gay soldiers reveal how 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' affects them and their loved ones during their tours of duty, as they struggle to maintain a life of required secrecy, and powerfully provokes thoughtful dialogue about the merits of banning those who are honest about their identities from serving their country.

Preceded by: Appassionata (Mirko Echghi-Ghamasari, 2008, 16 minutes, Germany) A German soldier awaiting his doom spots a piano in the no-man's land between

Think your job sucks? This program should make you feel better.

Andheri (Sushrut Jain, 2009, 20 minutes, India) is a live-in maid, who after years of living a quiet lonely existence, finds the courage to run away in search of a better life.

In Baghdad Express (Nimer Rashed, 2008, 11 minutes, United Kingdom) A young girl working in her father's Arabic restaurant is forced to decide between her dreams and her family.

DJ Qualls is Guy, an alienated twenty-something searching for identity and self-worth in the halls of a monolithic corporation in The Company Man (Andrew Zappin, 2008, 15 minutes, USA).

The Crooked Eye (DC Douglas, 2008, 19 minutes, USA) is the story of Sharon. Sharon is told she is good. Sharon wants to be the person others think she is.

No one really knows how it started, but one day Jack woke in The Funk (Chris Jones, 2008, 7 minutes, Australia).

In Our Neck of the Woods (Rob Con

Baghdad Diary is a documentary on the Iraq War and its aftermath told from two unique perspectives. Beginning in March 2003, Iraqi taxi driver Fadil Kadom's video diary includes his family's preparations for war, the days of bombs and missiles and Baghdad's fall. Kadom's camera unmasks the horrors of Saddam's torture houses and mass graves, celebrates the return of religious freedom in Karbala, and reveals the mounting fear as Iraqi streets turn increasingly deadly with the horrific explosion of insurgent and sectarian violence. NBC News cameraman Craig White, embedded with the US Army, brings the war into American living rooms. In nine dangerous trips to Iraq, White's camera chronicles everything ? from the disintergration of Iraqi civil society to the death of his colleague, correspondent David Bloom. Baghdad Diary is a cautionary tale of war's human toll.

Preceded by Crew 54 (Nedelcho Bogdanov, 2008, 15 minutes, Bulgaria) is

Adam Stein (Jeff Goldblum) was a top Jewish entertainer in pre World War II Berlin - cabaret impresario, circus owner, magician, musician--loved by audiences of all backgrounds - until he finds himself in a concentration camp, run by Commandant Klein. Adam survives the camp by becoming the Commandant's "dog", entertaining him while his own wife and daughter are sent off to die. Years later Adam is in a mental institution for survivors of Holocaust. One day, Adam smells something, hears a sound. "Who brought a dog in here?" he asks Dr. Gross. Gross denies there is a dog but Adam finds him--a young boy raised in a basement on a chain. Adam and the boy see and recognize each other as dogs--and their journey begins. Adam Resurrected is the story of a man who once was a dog who meets a dog who once was a boy.

Preceded by: Lessons from a Tailor (Galen Summer, 2009, 8 minutes) The story of how one man survived the Holocaust and then the fashion

The film originally premiered at Sinking Creek in 1996. Viewers were engrossed in the groundbreaking investigation on film that documents the aftermath of a gruesome triple murder in West Memphis, Arkansas and the subsequent trials of three suspects, takes a hard look at both the occult and the American justice system in 'small-town' America. Convicted on rumor and suspicion rather than evidence, the three boys remain in jail, victims of their non-conformist attitudes. Berlinger and Sinofsky explore the combination of misguided moral panic and fear of the unknown, concluding that the 'West Memphis Three' are victims of an overzealous justice system, inspiring a movement to free them in their wake.

Isabel Moreno crosses the border into the United States, thinking only of raising enough money to save her deathly ill mother. In Philadelphia, she finds comfort in her cousin Martin and is embraced by his neighbors, Gloria and Maurice. She is surprised to find a new family far from home, but even more surprised to fall in love with the one man that could put her right back where she started, Christopher Fox, an immigration agent. Faced with an ultimatum, Isabel is forced to question her loyalties and choose between her freedom and the love of her life.

According to 80s pop music love either "lifts us up where we belong" or it "bites". These shorts run the gamut.

On Aphrodite's Farm (Adam Strange, 2008, 15 minutes, New Zealand) they produce the world's most magical milk. Here's the story of how that came to be.

Damaged Goods (Barnaby Barford, 2008, 10 minutes, United Kingdom) is a classic boy meets girl tale ? with shattering consequences.
Two elderly individuals find much needed hope in their lives in The Fireflies (Roberto Minervini, 2006, 13 minutes, Dominican Republic).

Max is on a second date with Emily when she asks if they can stop by her ex-boyfriend's a retrieve some of her things ? like his dog, and his new girlfriend ? in Kidnapping Caitlynn (Katherine Cunningham-Eves, 2009, 10 minutes, USA).

Two Palestinian lovers try to navigate their socially conservative Israeli-controlled neighborhood in Lesh Sabreen? (Muayad Alayan, 2008, 10 minutes, Pa

Charles - whom we met in Redmon & Sabin's previous film Kamp Katrina - is madly in love with his girlfriend, Joan of Arc. So, he hops on his bike and leaves Monroe, LA for New Orleans, hoping to find her embodiment behind a Mardi Gras bar. Along the way he encounters a farmer, a witch, and a man who honors the dead. Sumptuous cinematography counters the desperation in Charles's story and the textures of the South are practically a character. Though Charles suffers from schizophrenia, his obsession reminds us of the human characteristics of devotion and the things we will put ourselves through to realize a dream.

Preceded by: Butterfly (Cecilia McAllister, 2008, 13 minutes, Northern Ireland) A daughter and her mother, a relationship in freefall. A fair day, a fun day, a day that doesn't go as planned.

Who is Jack Sheldon? You may remember him as Merv Griffin's trumpet-wielding sidekick, or the indelible voice of School House Rock ('I'm just a bill. Yes I'm only a bill'), but musicians know him as a jazz giant. Unlike his close friend and collaborator, Chet Baker, Jack Sheldon survived the demons of drugs, alcohol and unspeakable personal tragedy. As friend Billy Crystal puts it, Jack Sheldon is the, 'last cat standing' from the bebop generation. Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon features on-camera interviews with Clint Eastwood, Billy Crystal, Merv Griffin, Chris Botti, and Johnny Mandel among others, along with historic footage with Benny Goodman, Stan Kenton and other legends. Penny Peyser and Doug McIntyre's award-winning Trying to Get Good examines the eternally dissatisfied soul of a musical perfectionist and his quest to just 'figure things out' ? both musically and personally.

Michael Phelps set the world on fire this past summer with his speed and dominance at the Olympics, but there's another swimmer who holds some might impressive records ? and he drinks two bottles of wine day and swims the lengths of the world's longest rivers. His name is Marin Strel, a Slovenian endurance swimmer who has conquered the Mississippi, the Danube, and the Yangtze ? highlighting pollution in the world. Now in his fifties, he attempts his greatest feat yet ? the Amazon. Part sports documentary, part environmental documentary (Strel is highlighting the deforestation of the Amazon River basin), and part quirky character study, John Maringouin's Big River Man is roller coaster of emotions that highlights man's relationship to the natural world around him. Produced in part by Nashville native Kevin Ragsdale with a score from his brother, Rich Ragsdale, Big River Man is a documentary experience not to be missed. Big River Man

A collection of shorts for an ever-shrinking international community and the difficulty of getting through it safely.
In Cargo (Jennifer Harrington, 2008, 14 minutes, USA) a Colombian woman's efforts to make it into the US takes a frightening turn.
When his visa is denied, a young man faces deportation and a misunderstanding with the Mexican girl he's attracted to in The Loneliness of the Short Order Cook (Marcel Sawicki, 2008, 22 minutes, Poland/USA).
A Chinese man comes to America for the first time to visit his son, but his trip goes awry when he finds his son has been arrested in No Wind, No Waves (Julian Anthony Higgins, 2008, 22 minutes, USA).
Stereotypes are put to the test under the reality of living in the midst of war and terror On the Road to Tel-Aviv (Khen Shalem, 2008, 15 minutes, Israel).
In Pokerface (Denize Karabuda, 2008, 15 minutes, Sweden) an Iranian mail-order bride learns to play internet poker ? and

When Quentin Tarantino attended a Sydney Screening of Kill Bill, Vol. 1 he startled audiences by referencing The Man from Hong Kong (a Dirty Harry-esque martial arts romp) as his favorite Australian work of cinema. Many of us think of Australian cinema and we think of Nicole Kidman and the peppy films of Baz Luhrmann or the stately arthouse works like Picnic at Hanging Rock or My Brilliant Career. But in the 1970s and 80s, Australian cinema was about bad-ass cars, ax-wielding psychopaths, and gratuitous boob shots. Not Quite Hollywood is a celebration of those days when the movies shocked the censors and titillated audiences with blood and bodies, violence and vixens. Director Mark Hartley takes us on a two-decade romp through this outrageous world ? with Tarantino, Dennis Hopper (who was pronounced dead on the set of Mad Dog Morgan), Jamie Lee Curtis, and Stacey Keach along for the ride.

Oh those awkward years between childhood and adulthood...captured on film.

One son must decide how far he is willing to go to earn his father's approval when he's pitted against his twin brother in Doppelganger (Katherine O'Brien, 2009, 9 minutes, USA).

Cass struggles to come to terms with her sister's illness when she's sent away to camp with her cousins in Five Miles Out (Andrew Haigh, 2008, 18 minutes, United Kingdom).

It's the early 80s, and with tape recorder in hand, ten-year-old Rasmus leaves a message for his unborn brother on how to navigate the world their parents have set up for them in Good Advice (Andreas Tibblin, 2008, 15 minutes, Sweden).

Five bored kids with nothing to do decide to blow things up in Jerrycan (Julius Avery, 2008, 14 minutes, Australia).

In the summer of 1978, two teenagers are drawn together by the Buzzcocks' song Love You More (Sam Taylor Wood, 2008, 15 minutes, United

Basketball had Hoop Dreams, spelling bees had Spellbound. Now competitive cooking has Pressure Cooker. Wilma Stephenson is the dynamic force behind the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program at Philadelphia's Frankford High School. On the first day of class Stephenson tell her students, 'Everything you've heard about me is true, only it's 500 times worse.' She's tough, but she knows that if she isn't, her students are likely to repeat the mistakes of their parents ? leaving them impoverished and trapped in the inner-city. Three of those students become the focus of Mark Becker and Jennifer Grausman's camera: Tyree ? who faces the pressures of the locker room from his fellow athletes; Erica, who has to help care for her disabled younger sister, and Fatoumata, the African immigrant whose family doesn't support her aspirations. With Mrs. Stephenson's leadership, they will try to win scholarships to some of the most prestigious cookin

Arguably America's foremost humorist and commentator, Garrison Keillor, takes his skits and jokes, music and monologues across the country in his traveling radio show, spinning his stories into American gold. This free form, intimate look at the private man in the public spotlight goes behind the scenes of America's most popular radio show, A Prairie Home Companion, and inside the imagination of the man who created it. Compared to James Thurber, Will Rogers, and Mark Twain, Garrison Keillor is a weekly tradition for millions of Americans in that most old-fashioned of mediums ? radio. Where TV shows see their ratings dipping, Keillor's radio ratings remain among the highest for any program of its type in the nation ? some 30+ years on. Peter Rosen's off-the-cuff documentary, Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes gives us insight into how all of that happened.

Prince of Broadway is the story of Lucky and Levon, two men whose lives converge in the underbelly of New York's wholesale fashion district. Lucky, an illegal immigrant from Ghana, makes ends meet by soliciting shoppers on the street with knock-off brand merchandise. Levon, a Armenian-Lebanese immigrant, operates an illegal storefront with a concealed back room where counterfeit goods are showcased to interested shoppers. Lucky's world is suddenly turned upside down when a child is thrust into his life by a woman who insists the toddler is his son. While Lucky copes with his new domestic dilemma, Levon struggles to save a marriage that is falling apart.

Preceded by: Memphis Calling (Colin Mitchell, 2009, 12 minutes, US) A mistaken collect phone call from an inmate will change two people's lives.

Three years in the making, this cin?ma-v?rit? feature from acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper, Paradise Lost ? screening in the Sinking Creek retrospective ? and , Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) is the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion 'Amazon Chernobyl' case, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures. Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints, the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines a complicated situation from all angles while bringing an important story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. Crude is a nominee for the Al Gore REEL Current Award.

El-Khader is an idealist who dreams of being an actor. Rabia has studied law at university but the employment situation looks bleak and she makes ends meet working as a seamstress. Youseff is a petty drug dealer who can't afford the medical treatment that would offer him a greater degree of mobility. His brother is missing, thought to be in Afghanistan, but Youseff's search to try and discover more specific information about his whereabouts appears to be leading nowhere. Shot in Jamaa Mezwak of T?touan, northern Morocco, where five of the terrorists responsible for Spain's 11 March 2004 bombings were born and bred, the film looks behind the myths that now taint the area to examine the particular situation of three young people all having to make key decisions about their lives.

Preceded by: Karim vs. Karachi (Robin Ruggiero, 2009, 16 minutes, Pakistan) Since his father's death, Karim has not felt safe in Karachi.
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According to 80s pop music love either "lifts us up where we belong" or it "bites". These shorts run the gamut.

On Aphrodite's Farm (Adam Strange, 2008, 15 minutes, New Zealand) they produce the world's most magical milk. Here's the story of how that came to be.

Damaged Goods (Barnaby Barford, 2008, 10 minutes, United Kingdom) is a classic boy meets girl tale ? with shattering consequences.
Two elderly individuals find much needed hope in their lives in The Fireflies (Roberto Minervini, 2006, 13 minutes, Dominican Republic).

Max is on a second date with Emily when she asks if they can stop by her ex-boyfriend's a retrieve some of her things ? like his dog, and his new girlfriend ? in Kidnapping Caitlynn (Katherine Cunningham-Eves, 2009, 10 minutes, USA).

Two Palestinian lovers try to navigate their socially conservative Israeli-controlled neighborhood in Lesh Sabreen? (Muayad Alayan, 2008, 10 minutes, Pa

A wry comedy about Art, a frustrated musician, undergoing what he sees as a quarter life crisis. This is not helped when his girlfriend dumps him and he has to move back in with his middle class parents ? who are far from thrilled with the idea. Art discovers self-help guru, DR LEVI ELLINGTON, author of It's Not Your Fault. Using inheritance money, Art pays for Dr Ellington to move in with him and his parents becoming Art's full-time life coach, shadowing him wherever he goes. Art's painfully funny journey to define his existence brings to the fore the dysfunctional relationship he has with his parents and the importance in his life of his oddball friends. Rich in detail and dark yet affectionate humor, How to Be is a timely look at the increasingly common phenomena of grown-up children living at home, frustrated creativity and self-help.

The American Dream is both a blessing and a curse in Tze Chun's Children of Invention. Single mother Elaine Cheng struggles to support her two children ? Raymond and Tina - by juggling various jobs and selling various products freelance. When one too many of these products turns out to be nothing more than a pyramid scheme, the family finds itself homeless, and Elaine ? in the US illegally ? finds herself at risk of deportation. Meanwhile, Raymond dreams of various inventions hoping that, one day, one of them will make him rich enough to care for the whole family. Chun (whose short film Windowbreaker played NaFF in 2007) weaves a gentle tale of lives on the brink, but by telling it largely from the point of view of the children gives the audience a sense of wonder and hope. And isn't that what the American Dream is truly about?

Preceded by: 3 Wheels (Tony Wei, 2009, 16 minutes, USA / China) A rickshaw driver and an America

Kira is just out of a lengthy relationship and is feeling adrift. She meets Max (Dazed and Confused's Wiley Wiggins) one night and the two of them hook up. A fling is just the thing she needs to get over the ex, right? A few nights later, she runs into Max ? and his long-time girlfriend - at a bar. That's not right. Kira continues to drift, both professionally and romantically while Max develops two obsessions ? one with Kira, and one with the nagging thought they he may very well be an asshole. Director Dia Sokol worked as a producer on Joe Swanberg's Nights & Weekends and Andrew Bujalski's Mutual Appreciation (Bujalski appears here as one of Max's friends) and with Sorry, Thanks she steps confidently into the director's role bringing a feminine perspective to the 'mumblecore' movement. And she has created the 'unromantic comedy' for the quarter-life crisis crowd.

Preceded by: I'm In Away from Here (Catriona McInnes, 200

Winner of the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Film and Best Actor prizes at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Buick Rivera is the story of two men from the ex-Yugoslavian nation of Bosnia - one a muslim and the other an Orthodox Christian. Both have emigrated to America and on one fateful night they meet and change each other's lives forever in the middle of the snow-covered plains. Part road movie, part psychological drama, Buick Riviera is an examination of the loneliness two men face in the process of adjusting to new lives in a foreign country, and the question if such a process could erase the inevitable nostalgia for home. It's also an examination of whether the move to a new nation can eliminate the differences created by a war a continent away.

Michael Phelps set the world on fire this past summer with his speed and dominance at the Olympics, but there's another swimmer who holds some might impressive records ? and he drinks two bottles of wine day and swims the lengths of the world's longest rivers. His name is Marin Strel, a Slovenian endurance swimmer who has conquered the Mississippi, the Danube, and the Yangtze ? highlighting pollution in the world. Now in his fifties, he attempts his greatest feat yet ? the Amazon. Part sports documentary, part environmental documentary (Strel is highlighting the deforestation of the Amazon River basin), and part quirky character study, John Maringouin's Big River Man is roller coaster of emotions that highlights man's relationship to the natural world around him. Produced in part by Nashville native Kevin Ragsdale with a score from his brother, Rich Ragsdale, Big River Man is a documentary experience not to be missed. Big River Man

Four short documentaries that celebrate the people and places that make Middle Tennessee better.

Baeder: Pleasant Journeys and Good Eats Along the Way (Curt Hahn, 2009, 30 minutes, USA) explores Tennessee painter John Baeder's passionate interest in diners that has led him to become the preeminent chronicler of a uniquely American form of roadside architecture. As New York Times art critic John Russell noted, "John lives, dreams, and paints diners. He loves diners, and it shows."

The Book Lady (Natasha Ryan, 2008, 22 minutes, Canada) is a short documentary chronicling the launch of Parton's Imagination Library in Canada and includes interviews with goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Keith Urban, Robert Munsch and Parton herself.

In the short documentary, Jennifer, (Stewart Copeland, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) the filmmaker explores his relationship with his mother through the recorded conversations of her former Tullahoma middle

Garbage Dreams follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade and growing up in the world's largest garbage village, on the outskirts of Cairo. It is the home to 60,000 Zaballeen, Arabic for "garbage people." Far ahead of any modern "Green" initiatives, the Zaballeen survive by recycling 80 percent of the garbage they collect. When their community is suddenly faced with the globalization of its trade, each of the teenage boys is forced to make choices that will impact his future and the survival of his community. Garbage Dreams is nominated for the Al Gore Reel Current Award and received the Media that Matters Sustainability Award.

More than a decade ago, Director S.R. Bindler and his Executive Producer and hometown friend, Matthew McConaughey got lost at the Opryland Hotel while visiting Nashville to Hands on a Hardbody for Sinking Creek. The film exemplifies what is possible with a great story, characters and a small budget. As contests go, this sounds easy: just compete with two-dozen other folks to see who can keep his hand on a pickup truck the longest. A yearly endurance contest in Longview, Texas, contestants compete to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. Featuring the 1995 contest, which lasted 77 hours, filmmaker S.R. Bindler explores the desperation and desire, transcending the limited scope of a mere contest or marketing gimmick and delving into universal truths of human nature.

Preceded by: Sour Death Balls (Jessica Yu, 1993, 5 minutes, USA) Originally shown at Sinking Creek in 1993, this hilarious short takes the expression 'bad taste in

Arguably the most successful African pop artist in history, Youssou Ndour's distinctive voice became known internationally through a string of popular tracks, including collaborations with Peter Gabriel and Neneh Cherry. Not resting on fame, Ndour used his popularity to shed light on issues important to him. In 2007, he was listed as one of Time Magazine's one hundred most influential people in the world. Years in the making, I Bring What I Love follows Ndour as he releases Egypt ? a call to his fellow Muslims for peace in a post-9/11 world. While receiving praise in the West, Ndour becomes the centre of controversy when religious conservatives in his home nation of Senegal deem the album blasphemous. Director Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and her crew film in Africa, Europe, the US, and the Middle East to tell the story of how Ndour rises to these challenges and eventually wins over audiences at home and abroad.

Preceded by: Kno

Following his acclaimed second film Drama/Mex, Gerardo Naranjo returns with I'm Gonna Explode (Voy a Explotar), the scrappy love story of two 15-year-old outsiders. Roman is the son of a well-respected but corrupt member of the Mexican government. After being expelled from yet another private school, his family is forced to place in public schools. There, he meets Manu, the bored daughter of a struggling single mother. Meeting in detention, the two make their plans to disappear. Where they go is a surprise to everyone but themselves. With energetic editing and sumptuous cinematography, I'm Gonna Explode is reminiscent of the film of the French New Wave in its free-wheeling, scene interrupting ways. Grounded by two remarkable lead performances by Cacho and Deschamps, the film becomes one of the most thrilling entries in the ever-expanding repertoire of contemporary Mexican cinema.

Two-time Academy Award nominee Bill Plympton has been putting pen to paper and creating his unique animations for decades now. Idiots & Angels is a darkly comic film-noir-meets-fairy-tale about a dastardly fellow - the type who drinks too much and would beat someone down just because of the look on his face ? who awakens one morning to discover that he's growing a pair of wings. Worse, he's developed a compulsion to do nice things for people. Will his heathen ways return, or will he become the do-gooder his new physicality suggests? Will those he previously wronged forgive him, or will they take advantage of his newly nice ways? Over the years, Plympton has definitely developed his own unique style and it's on display in Idiots and Angels. Few animators are as distinctive and inventive. Idiots and Angels is a rare treat from one of the medium's masters.

Preceded by: Hot Dog (Bill Plympton, 2008, 6 minutes, USA) and Sant

You cannot call yourself a cineaste without having seen Carl Theodore Dreyer's 1928 masterpiece The Passion of Joan of Arc. Created at the height of German Expressionism and French Avant-garde, The Passion of Joan of Arc is an extraordinary experience. Each shot, of the more than 1,500, is seemingly disconnected from the previous, and though the set was built in one piece, you'd never know because there isn't a single establishing shot in the entire film. Instead, Dreyer uses medium shots and close-ups only. Audiences used to emotion being communicated through dialogue will be awed to see what a face can communicate. Maria Falconetti gives what the great Pauline Kael called,'the finest performance ever recorded on film,' and her eyes will burn into you. This special film will be presented at the Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Nashville with a live pipe organ score performed by UNC Chapel Hill organist Joseph Roenbeck.

It's Christmas Eve on the outskirts of Dublin. Youngsters Dylan and Kylie are neighbors, each struggling with the pressures of a dysfunctional family. So when yet another row with Dylan's father erupts, the young boy decides to run away, with Kylie right behind him. They set off for the city, looking for Dylan's brother, who made his own escape two years before. During the day they wander around the friendly, generous streets of Dublin, trying to forget their troubles and to take courage as they meet up with people who can help them. But when night falls, the city changes face, and the children are plunged into a dark and murky world full of bogeymen. Lance Daly offers an urban road movie from the perspective of his child protagonists. Driven by the two young actors, whose first screen performances hit all the right notes, Kisses is a cry of hope amidst the soulless Irish landscapes.

Preceded by: Martin (Sean Branigan, 2008, 18

A potpourri of shorts from Tennessee Filmmakers, celebrating the creativity of filmmakers from around the state.

Conrad Atwood, distraught with guilt concerning his estranged son, find himself approaching the end of his will to live ? when a ray of hope shines down on him in Alius Primoris (Erik Hollander, 2008, 15 minutes, USA).

In Bluff Point (Scott W. Lee, 2008, 9 minutes, USA) an off-duty police officer is driving the family babysitter home when she gives him a disturbing ultimatum.

A lonely plant lover stumbles upon a mystical root said to bring good luck to its wearer in Devil's Shoestring (Ryan Smith, 2009, 23 minutes, USA).

Two Mennonite sisters travel through the South with the body of their dead grandmother in their truck bed in The Dirty Ones (Brent Stewart, 2009, 11 minutes, USA).

Leto (Luke Dye, 2009, 29 minutes, USA) is a motel manager who lives his life vicariously through his guests.

Some foolishly have the belief that 'improvising' is simply 'making things up'. To a degree, that's true. To be able to do that and have the the New York Times describe you as, '?masters of long form improv" means you're going a little further than simply making a few off the cuff jokes. TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have become living legends in their field. Their performances of entirely improvised, character-driven, often hilarious and wholly original one-hour plays have mesmerized audiences worldwide. Exploring the folds of faith that underlie their relationship and the transcendental forces that govern their improvisation, Trust Us This is All Made Up features an unforgettable live performance recorded at New York's Barrow Street Theater. Students and appreciators of improvisational performance will be astounded. Those less experienced with improvised theater will find this to be the perfect primer. Regardless, you'll be

Yes, they are animated. No, they are not for children.

A toon hating executive has a hare raising experience when he meets an out of work toon rabbit in Animated American (James Baker, Joe Haidar, 2008, 15 minutes, USA)


These cutecutecute (Clemens Kogler, 2008, 2 minutes, Austria) little critters will give you guidance to navigate this #*%ed up world.

A dog...An electric collar...And plenty to bark at...Sparks will fly in Dog with Electric Collar (Steve Baker, 2008, 5 minutes, Australia)!

Two asymmetric men compete for a woman's attention through shameless and shameful acts in E1even Roses (Pedram Goshtasbpour, 2008, 5 minutes, USA).

Dark family secrets cast a shadow over Bill's recovery, in I Am So Proud of You (Don Hertzfeldt, 2009, 22 minutes, USA), the sequel to Don Hertzfeldt's Everything Will be OK.

In Sebastian's Voodoo (Joaquin Baldwin, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) a voodoo doll must find the...

"Any Day Now is an enlightening performance documentary that tracks the 'Ten out of Tenn' tour in the summer of 2008. Not unlike the 'cinema verité' style of the 60's, the ten singer/songwriters allow us a brief glimpse into the lives of musicians today. While traveling on Willie Nelson's old beat up 1984 tour bus, the musicians leave their mark on every city both literally and figuratively. Together the musicians reveal an era of music and define the age of their time while savoring the experience and sense of family that was created.
Performances by: Andy Davis, Butterfly Boucher, Erin McCarley, Griffin House, Jeremy Lister, KS Rhoads, Katie Herzig, Matthew Perryman Jones, Trent Dabbs, Tyler James, and Will Sayles."


Preceded by Fingers (Danny Mooney, 2008, 22 minutes, USA) Why do you do what you do?

Psychology major, Eric Peterson has just landed the opportunity of a lifetime. To secure his dream job, Eric needs only provide a last minute paper to appease his superiors. As he prepares for graduation, he encounters a mysterious find left behind by a roommate; a gothic book called, The Ceremony. The book is too difficult to ignore for the intellectual Peterson who believes he has found the perfect case study for his report. However, his curiosity soon builds from initial interest to precarious obsession as the book's contents create a world where reality has begun to fade. As night falls, Eric finds himself imprisoned within a mental state of confusion as his home seems to have been overcome by a seemingly malevolent force.A film that dares to challenge traditional thrillers, The Ceremony creates a vivid mystery surrounding a young man's circumstances as he struggles to identify what is happening around him, or what could be happenin

Borgate (Lotte Schreiber, 2008, 15 minutes, Austria) is a filmic examinations of architecture and urban spaces.

Witness some of the sun's finest unseen moments in Brilliant Noise (semiconductor, 2006, 10 minutes, United Kingdom).

Six-hundred-five film clips are assembled and used to create a piece of electronic music in Cantata in C Major (Ronnie Cramer, 2008, 8 minutes, USA)

Hallelujuah! Gorrial Revival (Jason LaRay Keener, Jeremiah Ledbetter, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) is a bit of cinematic prattle.

In I Hear Your Scream (Pablo Lamar, 2008, 12 minutes, Argentina) we witness the man, the hill, and the shack.

Spinning black-and-white pictures take us back to the days before special effects were In the Mix (Jan Machaeck, 2008, 4 minutes, Austria).

Jolanda 23 (Pim Zwier, 2008 10 minutes, Netherlands) is a short observational documentary - a report of all the actions that lead to achieving ideal bea

Academy Award nominee Kathleen Quinlan leads a perfectly-selected cast in this heartfelt comedy drama about a family on the verge of disintegration in 1980’s Buffalo. It’s the day before Thanksgiving and Cliff and Carol Morgan have called their adult children – late-night DJ Robby, hypochondriac Charlie, and their adopted sister Brooke – to gather at the Golden Buddha to let them know that they are divorcing and that this will be their last Thanksgiving together as a family. It’s the rare film that can deliver gut-busting laughter and honest emotion, but director Rafael Monserrate and writers Troy Hall and Kevin Logie (who star as the two brothers) manage that delicate balance perfectly. Cap it off with wonderful performances (Quinlan reminds us why she got her Oscar nomination) and a rockin’ 80s soundtrack and you have a heartfelt and hilarious tribute to the rise and decline of the American family.div>

Three years in the making, this cin?ma-v?rit? feature from acclaimed filmmaker Joe Berlinger (Brother's Keeper, Paradise Lost ? screening in the Sinking Creek retrospective ? and , Metallica: Some Kind of Monster) is the epic story of one of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion 'Amazon Chernobyl' case, Crude is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures. Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints, the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines a complicated situation from all angles while bringing an important story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus. Crude is a nominee for the Al Gore REEL Current Award.

Basketball had Hoop Dreams, spelling bees had Spellbound. Now competitive cooking has Pressure Cooker. Wilma Stephenson is the dynamic force behind the Careers Through Culinary Arts Program at Philadelphia's Frankford High School. On the first day of class Stephenson tell her students, 'Everything you've heard about me is true, only it's 500 times worse.' She's tough, but she knows that if she isn't, her students are likely to repeat the mistakes of their parents ? leaving them impoverished and trapped in the inner-city. Three of those students become the focus of Mark Becker and Jennifer Grausman's camera: Tyree ? who faces the pressures of the locker room from his fellow athletes; Erica, who has to help care for her disabled younger sister, and Fatoumata, the African immigrant whose family doesn't support her aspirations. With Mrs. Stephenson's leadership, they will try to win scholarships to some of the most prestigious cookin

"Any Day Now is an enlightening performance documentary that tracks the 'Ten out of Tenn' tour in the summer of 2008. Not unlike the 'cinema verité' style of the 60's, the ten singer/songwriters allow us a brief glimpse into the lives of musicians today. While traveling on Willie Nelson's old beat up 1984 tour bus, the musicians leave their mark on every city both literally and figuratively. Together the musicians reveal an era of music and define the age of their time while savoring the experience and sense of family that was created. Performances by: Andy Davis, Butterfly Boucher, Erin McCarley, Griffin House, Jeremy Lister, KS Rhoads, Katie Herzig, Matthew Perryman Jones, Trent Dabbs, Tyler James, and Will Sayles.".

Preceded by Fingers (Danny Mooney, 2008, 22 minutes, USA) Why do you do what you do?

Garbage Dreams follows three teenage boys born into the trash trade and growing up in the world's largest garbage village, on the outskirts of Cairo. It is the home to 60,000 Zaballeen, Arabic for "garbage people." Far ahead of any modern "Green" initiatives, the Zaballeen survive by recycling 80 percent of the garbage they collect. When their community is suddenly faced with the globalization of its trade, each of the teenage boys is forced to make choices that will impact his future and the survival of his community. Garbage Dreams is nominated for the Al Gore Reel Current Award and received the Media that Matters Sustainability Award.

Mike Manadoro (Transamerica's Kevin Zegers) has a choice to make - between the world he knows and the world that is promised to him. Mike lives in Brooklyn with his disabled father (Vincent D'Onofrio) who runs numbers on the side. On those trips, Mike takes pictures of the locals and begins to develop a keen eye for the perfect image. When he submits his photos to an arts program in Manhattan, he is offered a partial scholarship, but his father is too proud to borrow the rest of the money necessary to pay Mike's tuition. Thus, Mike take's a job delivering packages for the local 'boss'. With Brooklyn basically a character in the film, Francois A. Velle's The Narrows has an energy - and an authenticity - to it that is not frequently seen. Based on the novel, Heart of the Old Country, The Narrows also features Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill).

At the intersection of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo Streets in Mexico City sits Rosa Elena Carbajal's lodging house. Her granddaughter, Yulene Olaizola takes her camera to delve into a mystery that occurred in her grandmother's residence. That mystery involves a former tenant, Jorge Riosse ? who became fast friends with Rosa Elena. He was a bright, artistic, friendly man who was also deeply ashamed of his homosexuality and suffered schizophrenia. During the period that he lived in the house (until his death in 1993) 13 women fell victim to a mysterious serial killer in Mexico City. In some hands, the mystery may have played like a simple anecdote. In the deft hands of this debut feature director, though, the story has far-reaching implications about family, identity, and our ability to view a world that is filled with surprises.

Some foolishly have the belief that 'improvising' is simply 'making things up'. To a degree, that's true. To be able to do that and have the the New York Times describe you as, '?masters of long form improv" means you're going a little further than simply making a few off the cuff jokes. TJ Jagodowski and David Pasquesi have become living legends in their field. Their performances of entirely improvised, character-driven, often hilarious and wholly original one-hour plays have mesmerized audiences worldwide. Exploring the folds of faith that underlie their relationship and the transcendental forces that govern their improvisation, Trust Us This is All Made Up features an unforgettable live performance recorded at New York's Barrow Street Theater. Students and appreciators of improvisational performance will be astounded. Those less experienced with improvised theater will find this to be the perfect primer. Regardless, you'll be

Three short films that paint a picture of the diverse journeys in Black American life.

Ink (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, 2009, 21 minutes, USA) is the tale of a talented tattoo artist and single mother dying of AIDS and determined to do so with grace.
Redemption Stone ? The Life and Times of Tom Lewis (Tom Dziedzic, 2008, 30 minutes, USA) is the journey of one African-American storyteller who, after a life as a soldier and riot cop, opens The Fishing School where he helps young DC children turn hardship into hope.
In Witness ? From the Balcony of Room 306 (Adam Petrofsky, 2008, 32 minutes, USA) we meet the Reverend Samuel Kyles ? who stood next to Dr. Martin Luthur King Jr. on that terrible day in 1968 when a murderer's bullet took him from this earth.

Psychology major, Eric Peterson has just landed the opportunity of a lifetime. To secure his dream job, Eric needs only provide a last minute paper to appease his superiors. As he prepares for graduation, he encounters a mysterious find left behind by a roommate; a gothic book called, The Ceremony. The book is too difficult to ignore for the intellectual Peterson who believes he has found the perfect case study for his report. However, his curiosity soon builds from initial interest to precarious obsession as the book's contents create a world where reality has begun to fade. As night falls, Eric finds himself imprisoned within a mental state of confusion as his home seems to have been overcome by a seemingly malevolent force.A film that dares to challenge traditional thrillers, The Ceremony creates a vivid mystery surrounding a young man's circumstances as he struggles to identify what is happening around him, or what could be happenin

Charles - whom we met in Redmon & Sabin's previous film Kamp Katrina - is madly in love with his girlfriend, Joan of Arc. So, he hops on his bike and leaves Monroe, LA for New Orleans, hoping to find her embodiment behind a Mardi Gras bar. Along the way he encounters a farmer, a witch, and a man who honors the dead. Sumptuous cinematography counters the desperation in Charles's story and the textures of the South are practically a character. Though Charles suffers from schizophrenia, his obsession reminds us of the human characteristics of devotion and the things we will put ourselves through to realize a dream.

Preceded by: Butterfly (Cecilia McAllister, 2008, 13 minutes, Northern Ireland) A daughter and her mother, a relationship in freefall. A fair day, a fun day, a day that doesn't go as planned.

Frank Zappa once said, 'Writing about music is like is like dancing about architecture?' But what of talking about music? Many of today's top artists and scholars do just that in this cinematic look at a uniquely human obsession. Celebrities as diverse as the Flaming Lips, the Dandy Warhols, Guns N' Roses, George Clinton, Elijah Wood, Juliette Lewis, and Tool offer their answers to the seemingly simple but ultimately complex question: What is music? When you unleash more than 100 people to answer the question, you begin to capture the diversity that is music ? and humanity. The Heart is a Drum Machine, from the producers who brought us the brilliant Moog, does just that with its contagious and surprisingly moving energy. If music be the food of life, then this is the ultimate life-affirming documentary.

Oh those awkward years between childhood and adulthood...captured on film.

One son must decide how far he is willing to go to earn his father's approval when he's pitted against his twin brother in Doppelganger (Katherine O'Brien, 2009, 9 minutes, USA).

Cass struggles to come to terms with her sister's illness when she's sent away to camp with her cousins in Five Miles Out (Andrew Haigh, 2008, 18 minutes, United Kingdom).

It's the early 80s, and with tape recorder in hand, ten-year-old Rasmus leaves a message for his unborn brother on how to navigate the world their parents have set up for them in Good Advice (Andreas Tibblin, 2008, 15 minutes, Sweden).

Five bored kids with nothing to do decide to blow things up in Jerrycan (Julius Avery, 2008, 14 minutes, Australia).

In the summer of 1978, two teenagers are drawn together by the Buzzcocks' song Love You More (Sam Taylor Wood, 2008, 15 minutes, United

Directed by critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Stacy Peralta and Executive Produced by NBA star Baron Davis and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Stephen Luczo, Crips and Bloods: Made in America tells the story of the Crips and Bloods, Los Angeles' most infamous African-American gangs. From the genesis of LA's gang culture to the shocking reality of daily life in the South L.A., the film chronicles the rise of the Crips and Bloods, tracing the origins of their bloody four-decades-long feud. Contemporary and former gang members offer their street-level testimony that provides the film with a stark portrait of modern-day gang life: the territorialism, the inter-gang hierarchy, the rules of behavior, the culture of guns, death and dishonor, and ultimately their enduring dream for a better life. They provide Made in America with its ultimate statement: a message of hope and a cautionary tale of redemption aimed at saving the lives of a

Eddie Adams photographed 13 wars, six American Presidents, and every major film star of the last 50 years. History would be changed through his lens. But the person Eddie found hardest to impress was himself. In 1968, in 1/500th of a second Eddie Adams photographed a Saigon police chief, General Nygoc Loan, shooting a Vietcong guerilla point black. Some say that photograph ended the Vietnam War. The photo brought Eddie fame and a Pulitzer, but he was haunted by the man he had vilified. He would say, 'Two lives were destroyed that day, the victim's and the general.' Others would say three lives were destroyed. Featuring narration by Kiefer Sutherland and a score by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens (Letters from Iwo Jima).

Preceded by: Summer '79 (Rodrigo Oviedo, 2007, 19 minutes, Mexico). Rogelio and Chepo, are best friends with different interests. Yet something unexpected happens when they are reunited as adults with a score

A collection of shorts that celebrate the best of the past 40 years of the Nashville Film Festival - focusing especially on the earliest years, when Sinking Creek was a haven for independently produced experimental, non-fiction, and animated short films.

Every year thousands compete in the world's greatest singing competition ... that you've never heard of. American Harmony journeys deep into the obsessive, zany, heartfelt world of competitive barbershop singing, where passion is equaled only by talent, and the reward is not fame or fortune, but simply victory. The film focuses on four quartets vying to win the International Championships of Barbershop Singing, in what turns out to be the closest and most controversial victory in its 70 year history. Max Q is the heavy favorite - a superstar quartet comprised of former Champions. Looking to upset them is OC Times (The Heart-Throbs), Vocal Spectrum (The Rookies) and Reveille, an aging foursome who that has been together for 30 years.

Preceded by: Pickin' & Trimmin' (Matt Morris, 2008, 11 minutes, USA) drops by The Barbershop in Drexel, North Carolina, where the atmosphere is laid back and the music is a cut above the rest.

A coalition of Native Americans battle to force the removal of dams owned by billionaire Warren Buffett that have devastated the salmon population on California's Klamath River. The hydro-power dams contributed to one of the worst fish die-offs in U.S. history and continues to turn the water into a toxic soup. 'If the fish are sick, we're sick,' says Merv George of the Hoopa Tribe. To confront their opponents, Merv and his combatants first travel to Scotland, then to the second-richest man in the United States. The dam owners praise hydro power as a low-cost, climate-friendly source of energy, a valuable resource they say they couldn't afford to lose. Yet, the tribes may soon trigger the largest dam removal project in history. A long-term documentary with incredible access to tribal members, utility managers, and farmers in the basin -- all fighting for water.

Preceded by: Hatemail (Frazer Churchill, 2008, 10 minutes, UK) A se

Weather Girl is a classic comedy with a strong female vibe. Tricia O'Kelley (The New Adventures of Old Christine) produces and stars as Sylvia Miller, a Seattle morning show weather girl who, after finding out that her anchor/boyfriend has been cheating on her with his co-host, has an expletive-laden meltdown on live television (her bosses can likely look for some FCC fines). In the wake of that episode, she has a hard time finding a job on Seattle television and moves in with her little brother and takes a job as a waitress for a hard-ass restaurateur. She also has a hard time finding adjusting to single life, eventually taking up a no-strings-attached, sex-only partnership with her brother's best friend and next-door neighbor. Thoroughly engaging and seemingly effortless, O'Kelley leads a cast that includes Mark Harmon, Blair Underwood, Jon Cryer, and Jane Lynch.

Preceded by Struck (Taron Lexton, 2008, 7 minutes, USA) Joe

Our families can make us...or break us in this collection of shorts.

A terminally ill woman and her mentally challenged son go to their lake house to discuss their futures in Gilles (Constant Mentzas, 2008, 14 minutes, Canada).

Hyung-sup agrees to stop by his grandmother's house to fix her bathroom light but gets more than he bargained for when she presses him to stay for dinner in Grandma & Wrestling (Hyung-sup Lim, 2008, 18 minutes, South Korea).

In Make My Day (Pelle Moller, 2008, 8 minutes, Denmark), a father and son face down their bullies.

Today is Martin's 12th birthday and, as always, uncle Helmer arrives first to the party with a gift of something yellow in My Uncle Loved the Color Yellow (Mats Olof Olsson, 2008 9 minutes, Sweden).

Home is where the hurt is when 8-year-old Robin (Hanno Olderdissen, 2008 20 minutes, Germany) comes back to his family after three months in foster care.

In

'Had these Boston bad boys stuck it out beyond their 1966 debut, we might today be calling them--and not the Stones--the World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band. As it is, The Remains most certainly are America's greatest lost band,' - Mark Kemp, June 2007 Paste Magazine.

The Remains appeared on Ed Sullivan, opened for the Beatles, and then broke up just on the brink of fame. America's Lost Band is a documentary of The Remains' return to Los Angeles for the first time in 40 years - since opening for the Beatles - a film that follows a group of 60-year-old musicians back together pursuing their passion. It's the story of what happens when a band reaches the cusp of rock greatness, but doesn't make it over the final hurdle ? and what happens when they put the past aside to renew the pursuit for greatness.

Preceded by: Electric Revolution, (Mark Moorman, 11 minutes, USA) which documents Gage Brewer's world premiere performan

Hirai is a middle-aged prison guard. Despite being surrounded by colleagues, his work days are lonely ? he attends the strict schedule of Kaneda ? death row's model inmate. When his prisoner's execution orders are signed, Hirai has an unusual opportunity for vacation ? a chance to travel with his fianc? and to improve the relationship with his soon-to-be stepson. This opportunity comes with a caveat, however: he must agree to be by Kaneda's side at the moment of death. What could have been a didactic polemic against the death penalty becomes instead a compassionate portrait of human lives at difficult crossroads, thanks to the subtle directing hand of Hajime Kadoi in only his second feature film. Vacation was a surprise hit in Japan upon its theatrical release ? a strong statement of support for thoughtful drama in a marketplace that is glutted with action epics and anime.

Some might be scary, some funny, all of 'em - definitely a little weird...and that's why we love 'em.

When his truck and chainsaw breaks down, Junior (in his human skin mask) struggles to keep his family together amidst the horrifying kindness of suburban strangers in The Auburn Hill Breakdown (Geoff Redknap, 2008, 16 minutes, Canada).

The sudden appearance of an exotic flower spawns an unprecedented epidemic in Dear Beautiful (Roland Becerra, 2009, 15 minutes, USA).

DVD (Ciro Altabas, 2007, 18 minutes, Spain) includes scene selection / trailer / alternate ending / deleted scenes and geek-meets-girl story.

A small family is gathered for The Funeral (Peter Baekkel, 2009, 15 minutes, Denmark) of the prematurely dead Jesper, but the ceremony is interrupted by a knock?from inside the coffin?

In Glock (Tom Everett Scott, 2008, 12 minutes, USA) A new spy is given a cell phone and told to wait for his first m

Moments before his death, Stevie Ray Vaughn talked to Robert M. Knight, legendary rock photographer, one last time. 'If anything ever happens to me,' he said, 'you'll know me when you hear me.' In the wake of tragedy, Knight would remember those haunting words, as they fueled his unyielding passion to find the next great guitarist. Smart, hip, and funny, Rock Prophecies is a backstage pass into the eccentric world of rock 'n roll from the vantage point of an obsessive photographer. Barely 18, Robert M. Knight stalked, captured and befriended Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin well before they become iconic. Years later, he snapped the controversial last photograph of Stevie Ray Vaughan. During photo assignments, mysteries about the creative process are explored as Knight revisits his life long guitar heroes. In the end, Knight finds and mentors a new guitar prodigy, Tyler Bryan, that unravels the meaning behind his final and foreshadowing

Recent Japanese cinema has certainly seen its share of oddities, but none quite as odd as Big Man Japan. Dai Soto is a strangely-dressed, oddly obsessive, 40-something who complains that he doesn't get to see enough of his daughter. There seems to be little remarkable about him. So why is a TV crew interviewing him at the outset of Hitosi Matumoto's head trip of a movie? Oh, that's because when the Defense Department calls, he expands (through some great CGI) to a skyscraper tall giant in purple underpants who fights off the many monsters that attack Japan (don't they always?). The film is a series of clashes ? each more outrageous than the previous ? with a finale evoking the six-nation negotiations to disarm North Korea. What could have been repetitive remains constantly fresh (and hilarious) thanks to Matumoto's seemingly endless imagination. Sure to become a cult classic!

Winner of the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Film and Best Actor prizes at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Buick Rivera is the story of two men from the ex-Yugoslavian nation of Bosnia - one a muslim and the other an Orthodox Christian. Both have emigrated to America and on one fateful night they meet and change each other's lives forever in the middle of the snow-covered plains. Part road movie, part psychological drama, Buick Riviera is an examination of the loneliness two men face in the process of adjusting to new lives in a foreign country, and the question if such a process could erase the inevitable nostalgia for home. It's also an examination of whether the move to a new nation can eliminate the differences created by a war a continent away.

About Face (Chad Maker, 2008, 7 minutes, Canada) imagines a day in the life of an office worker who signs up for an 'interactive reality' version of his social networking site.

A simple teenage girl attempts to survive her overbearing mother's exuberant plans for a prom she would rather not attend in Boutonniere (Coley Sohn, 2009, 10 minutes, USA).

In The Confession (Thomas Hefferon, 2008, 4 minutse, Ireland), Johnny Smith goes to church to confess his sins, but the priest seems more interested in latest gossip.

After trying a new ED drug, Peter finds himself with an erection lasting more than four hours in First Time Long Time (James Demo, 2009, 14 minutes, USA).

Thomas, a 25-year-old professional magician still living with his parents, turns on his awkward charms when a beautiful nurse moves in next door in Instead of Abracadabra (Patrik Eklund, 2008, 22 minutes, Sweden).

Transporting a dead dog on t

A coalition of Native Americans battle to force the removal of dams owned by billionaire Warren Buffett that have devastated the salmon population on California's Klamath River. The hydro-power dams contributed to one of the worst fish die-offs in U.S. history and continues to turn the water into a toxic soup. 'If the fish are sick, we're sick,' says Merv George of the Hoopa Tribe. To confront their opponents, Merv and his combatants first travel to Scotland, then to the second-richest man in the United States. The dam owners praise hydro power as a low-cost, climate-friendly source of energy, a valuable resource they say they couldn't afford to lose. Yet, the tribes may soon trigger the largest dam removal project in history. A long-term documentary with incredible access to tribal members, utility managers, and farmers in the basin -- all fighting for water.

Preceded by: Hatemail (Frazer Churchill, 2008, 10 minutes, UK) A se

Nashville filmmaker Brent Leung was born in 1980, just as the HIV/AIDS epidemic became headline news. Over the past eight years, he has gained access to and insight from some of the field's top researchers and most influential policy-makers. What his film, House of Numbers, reveals is we understand a lot less about the epidemic than we are led to believe ? conventional wisdom be damned. Among those captured by Leung's camera: the co-discoverers of the HIV virus, presidential advisors on the illness, Nobel laureates, as well as survivors and activists who helped shape public perception and policy. Traveling the world with camera in tow, Leung's film offers an opening salvo in the battle to bring clarity to an epidemic politicized to the point of insanity.

Weather Girl is a classic comedy with a strong female vibe. Tricia O'Kelley (The New Adventures of Old Christine) produces and stars as Sylvia Miller, a Seattle morning show weather girl who, after finding out that her anchor/boyfriend has been cheating on her with his co-host, has an expletive-laden meltdown on live television (her bosses can likely look for some FCC fines). In the wake of that episode, she has a hard time finding a job on Seattle television and moves in with her little brother and takes a job as a waitress for a hard-ass restaurateur. She also has a hard time finding adjusting to single life, eventually taking up a no-strings-attached, sex-only partnership with her brother's best friend and next-door neighbor. Thoroughly engaging and seemingly effortless, O'Kelley leads a cast that includes Mark Harmon, Blair Underwood, Jon Cryer, and Jane Lynch.

Preceded by Struck (Taron Lexton, 2008, 7 minutes, USA) Joe

Danny Glover headlines an all-star cast in the Directorial debut of actor Giancarlo Esposito, Gospel Hill. Glover is John Malcolm, the brother of a slain civil rights leader (Samuel L. Jackson. Thirty years after the murder, John has withdrawn from the community, uninterested in interacting with his neighbors. This threatens his relationship with his wife Sarah (Angela Bassett) ? a community activist attempting to prevent the destruction of their historic neighborhood by those wishing to build a golf course in its place. Sarah enlists the support of a newly transplanted teacher Rosie (Julia Stiles), whose relationship with the son of the local sheriff ? who refused to properly investigate the murder of John Malcolm's brother ? puts her squarely in the center of the town's strained racial relations. Gospel Hill is about not only race, but about the battle between cynicism and hope ? a timeless struggle in the quest for the American

Eddie Adams photographed 13 wars, six American Presidents, and every major film star of the last 50 years. History would be changed through his lens. But the person Eddie found hardest to impress was himself. In 1968, in 1/500th of a second Eddie Adams photographed a Saigon police chief, General Nygoc Loan, shooting a Vietcong guerilla point black. Some say that photograph ended the Vietnam War. The photo brought Eddie fame and a Pulitzer, but he was haunted by the man he had vilified. He would say, 'Two lives were destroyed that day, the victim's and the general.' Others would say three lives were destroyed. Featuring narration by Kiefer Sutherland and a score by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens (Letters from Iwo Jima).

Preceded by: Summer '79 (Rodrigo Oviedo, 2007, 19 minutes, Mexico). Rogelio and Chepo, are best friends with different interests. Yet something unexpected happens when they are reunited as adults with a score

Returning home to a Helena, Montana for her 20-year high school reunion, debut filmmaker Kimberly Reed hopes to rebuild her relationship with her adopted brother - and to capture the experience on camera. Instead of a simple tale of estrangement and reconciliation, Prodigal Sons offers deep questions of identity ? gender identity, genetic identity, and the how traumatic brain injury can completely alter a loved one. Reed's access and her family's relative ease around the camera create an intimate portrait of a family who seems so simultaneously ordinary ? and yet utterly extraordinary. Let's just say that if Kimberly Reed had attempted to fictionalize her family's story and sell it as a screenplay, she would have been laughed out of every studio. Instead, we're given the gift of this raw, emotional, personal ? and ultimately beautiful - examination of one family's attempts to reconcile past with present.

In the war-zones of Liberia and Congo, four volunteers (including Nashville resident), Dr. TC Krueger) with Doctors Without Borders struggle to provide emergency medical care under extreme conditions. With different levels of experience, each volunteer must find his own way to face the challenges, the tough choices, and the limits of their idealism. Living in Emergency: Stories of Doctors without Borders is a window into the seldom portrayed and less-than glamorous side of humanitarian aid work. It explores a world that is challenging, complex, and fraught with dilemmas - the struggles, both internal and external, that aid workers face when working in war zones and other difficult contexts.
Preceded by: Acholiland (Dean Israelite, 2008, 20 minutes, USA): A small UN contingent is faced with a terrible decision: play by the rules and watch children die, or risk the lives of an entire refugee camp in order to save them.

Hirai is a middle-aged prison guard. Despite being surrounded by colleagues, his work days are lonely ? he attends the strict schedule of Kaneda ? death row's model inmate. When his prisoner's execution orders are signed, Hirai has an unusual opportunity for vacation ? a chance to travel with his fianc? and to improve the relationship with his soon-to-be stepson. This opportunity comes with a caveat, however: he must agree to be by Kaneda's side at the moment of death. What could have been a didactic polemic against the death penalty becomes instead a compassionate portrait of human lives at difficult crossroads, thanks to the subtle directing hand of Hajime Kadoi in only his second feature film. Vacation was a surprise hit in Japan upon its theatrical release ? a strong statement of support for thoughtful drama in a marketplace that is glutted with action epics and anime.

Jimmy Wayne Collins was well on his way to becoming a country music star but after failing to break through he finds himself back in Blackwater, Texas with a terminally ill father and an older brother, Kyle, in trouble with the law. Jimmy, Kyle and their gang of loyal friends are prone to pushing the envelope in a quest for high-risk thrills, but when the boys push too far, the bonds of family, friendship, and loyalty are tested. Featuring Michael Parks (Grindhouse), Ryan Hurst (Remember the Titans), Brett Moses (Beautiful Dreamers), Dominique Swain (Alpha Dog, Lolita), and country stars Lee Ann Womack and Tracy Byrd, Noble Things combines the elements of Texas noir and domestic pot-boiler and delivers both thrills and emotion in equal parts.

Indie sensation Mark Duplass (Baghead, Humpday) stars as Sam Bryant, an aging Seattle rocker with no 'real job', no record deal, and ? after his girlfriend dumps him ? no place to stay except with his suburban aunt Sharon (a delightful Melissa Leo, Academy Award-nominee for Frozen River). Sam is not the kind of guy who would be your first choice to chaperone two young teens (Sam's cousin and his cousin's best friend) on a camping trip, but he's the only choice, so camping they go. And it's all kicks and giggles until one of the boys ends up separated and lost in the woods. Director Craig Johnson, who premiered his short film Maui with NaFF in 2005, returns with his debut feature, a fast and funny story about realizing ? even if that realization comes later in life ? that it's time to grow up and start behaving like a man?whatever that might mean.

Preceded by Tender as Hellfire (Jason Stone, 2009, 18 minutes, USA) Four years f

'Had these Boston bad boys stuck it out beyond their 1966 debut, we might today be calling them--and not the Stones--the World's Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band. As it is, The Remains most certainly are America's greatest lost band,' - Mark Kemp, June 2007 Paste Magazine.

The Remains appeared on Ed Sullivan, opened for the Beatles, and then broke up just on the brink of fame. America's Lost Band is a documentary of The Remains' return to Los Angeles for the first time in 40 years - since opening for the Beatles - a film that follows a group of 60-year-old musicians back together pursuing their passion. It's the story of what happens when a band reaches the cusp of rock greatness, but doesn't make it over the final hurdle ? and what happens when they put the past aside to renew the pursuit for greatness.

Preceded by: Electric Revolution, (Mark Moorman, 11 minutes, USA) which documents Gage Brewer's world premiere performan

Three short films that paint a picture of the diverse journeys in Black American life.

Ink (Marianne Jean-Baptiste, 2009, 21 minutes, USA) is the tale of a talented tattoo artist and single mother dying of AIDS and determined to do so with grace.
Redemption Stone ? The Life and Times of Tom Lewis (Tom Dziedzic, 2008, 30 minutes, USA) is the journey of one African-American storyteller who, after a life as a soldier and riot cop, opens The Fishing School where he helps young DC children turn hardship into hope.
In Witness ? From the Balcony of Room 306 (Adam Petrofsky, 2008, 32 minutes, USA) we meet the Reverend Samuel Kyles ? who stood next to Dr. Martin Luthur King Jr. on that terrible day in 1968 when a murderer's bullet took him from this earth.

A potpourri of shorts from Tennessee Filmmakers, celebrating the creativity of filmmakers from around the state.

Conrad Atwood, distraught with guilt concerning his estranged son, find himself approaching the end of his will to live ? when a ray of hope shines down on him in Alius Primoris (Erik Hollander, 2008, 15 minutes, USA).

In Bluff Point (Scott W. Lee, 2008, 9 minutes, USA) an off-duty police officer is driving the family babysitter home when she gives him a disturbing ultimatum.

A lonely plant lover stumbles upon a mystical root said to bring good luck to its wearer in Devil's Shoestring (Ryan Smith, 2009, 23 minutes, USA).

Two Mennonite sisters travel through the South with the body of their dead grandmother in their truck bed in The Dirty Ones (Brent Stewart, 2009, 11 minutes, USA).

Leto (Luke Dye, 2009, 29 minutes, USA) is a motel manager who lives his life vicariously through his guests.

In Crafty (Erik Gernand, 2008, 9 minutes, USA) a crafty politically activist lesbian tries to get a petition signature from a conservative crafty housewife.

Two antique dolls confront their secret feelings for each other after a night of unforgettable passion in Operated by Invisible Hands (Nicole Brending, 2007, 7 minutes, USA).

The Other War (Tamar Glezerman, 2008, 44 minutes, Israel) is the internal strain Eli feels between her loyalty to her family, her love for her girlfriend, and her beliefs about her nation.

Rope Burn (Melvin J. Montalban, 2008, 8 minutes, Australia) is the tale of a love triangle set above the stage of a sexy trapeze circus.

As Alison waits for her new girlfriend at a posh restaurant she bumps into her first love, who desperately wants her back in Say That You Love Me (Dina Jacobson, 2008, 9 minutes, United Kingdom).

Terry wants to ask Allison to marry her, but she can't affor

Coming off her win for Best Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, documentarian Ondi Timoner returns to NaFF (she was here last year with Join Us). In her latest film, she follows internet pioneer Josh Harris as he launches his art experiment 'Quiet: We Live in Public'. 100-plus artists moved into pods under 24-hour surveillance. They literally lived their lives under constant watch. After only 30 days the project was shut down (FEMA declared the group a millennial cult), so Harris convinced his girlfriend to allow him to rig their apartment with 32 motion-sensor cameras to record every waking (and non-waking) moments of their lives. Not long after, their relationship buckles under the weight of the project and Harris becomes mentally unstable. Timoner deftly combines her own footage with the footage Harris captured himself and creates a disturbing, yet fascinating story of the effects of our new-media infatuated cultur

Along with Bonnie & Clyde and The Graduate, Easy Rider ushered in a new era in American cinema. Dennis Hopper's tale of drug-dealing, bike-riding hippies pursuing their share of the American dream was selected for the 40th Anniversary for the vital marks it left on the American landscape.

A retrospective screening of EASY RIDER, also celebrating its 40th Anniversary, will close the festival on Thursday, April 23, and be followed by a party at the Cannery Ballroom with Nashville institution The Long Players, who will pay tribute to the music from EASY RIDER. Gain entry by wearing your laminate, or by purchasing a party only ticket for $35 under the event "Closing Night Celebration."


The trio of Hopper, Fonda,

When Kopple came to Sinking Creek in 1977 with her moving portrait of one of America's most dangerous and deep-rooted trades, she told a crowded theater that being a woman was an advantage when going to the coal mines of the Appalachain Mountains. This Academy Award-winning documentary explores the efforts of 180 coal miners on strike against the Duke Power Company in Harlan County, Kentucky. Long an advocate of workers' rights, Kopple chooses to let the words and actions of these people speak for themselves. Her bold and emotionally charged film holds nothing back and remains a remarkable testament to the class war that continues to exist in America. Don't miss seeing one of America's most bold and everlasting tributes to the American independent spirit and cinema.

Most American cinephiles will know Eugene Hutz for his role as Elijah Wood's Ukrainian tour guide in Everything is Illuminated. Thanks to Margarita Jimeno's documentary Gogol Bordello Non-Stop, American cinephiles - and the music fans who knew better - will get to see his band, hear their music, and appreciate their socio-political messages. More than just a concert film, Gogol Bordello Non-Stop explores the roots of the band (indeed, they come from five different nations) and how global identity and politics can shape music. But if all you are looking for is a rocking good time, the frenetic energy of Gogol Bordello's gypsy punk jams will more than satisfy your need and Jimeno's brilliant and intimate camera work will make you feel like you're in the pit with their fans. And if you're not one already, you'll likely find yourself becoming one.

A young boy, verging on adolescence, isn't quite ready to let go of his Dolls (Randy Caspersen, 2007, 10 minutes, USA).

When James (Connor Clements, 2008, 17 minutes, Northern Ireland) realizes that buried secrets can lead to poor family relations, he decides to reveal his secret to his only friend.

In Non-love Song (Erik Gernand, 2009, 8 minutes, USA) two best friends getting ready to head off to college attempt to connect as adults.

In Scene 3: Daniel & Alex (Andrea Ostlund, 2008, 12 minutes, Sweden), two friends have a dinner conversation that about friendship, boundaries, and longing.

Tommy (Tora Martens, 2008, 18 minutes, Cuba / Sweden) - once a celebrated dancer with the Cuban national ballet ? discusses love, desire, and his status as an HIV-positive man in Cuba.

In The Watch (Marco Berger, 2008, 15 minutes, Argentina) Pablo meets Javier when his watch stops working. They share a cab, some dri

A special preview screening of selections from $5 COVER, a multiplatform series by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Black Snake Moan).


Emerging musicians from Memphis, Tennessee, play themselves as they fight for love, inspiration, and money to pay the rent.

Four short documentaries that celebrate the people and places that make Middle Tennessee better.

Baeder: Pleasant Journeys and Good Eats Along the Way (Curt Hahn, 2009, 30 minutes, USA) explores Tennessee painter John Baeder's passionate interest in diners that has led him to become the preeminent chronicler of a uniquely American form of roadside architecture. As New York Times art critic John Russell noted, "John lives, dreams, and paints diners. He loves diners, and it shows."

The Book Lady (Natasha Ryan, 2008, 22 minutes, Canada) is a short documentary chronicling the launch of Parton's Imagination Library in Canada and includes interviews with goddaughter Miley Cyrus, Keith Urban, Robert Munsch and Parton herself.

In the short documentary, Jennifer, (Stewart Copeland, 2008, 5 minutes, USA) the filmmaker explores his relationship with his mother through the recorded conversations of her former Tullahoma middle

It's been eight days filled with fabulous films and special events and now it's time to celebrate. Starting with The Remains and followed by Bill Lloyd and the Long Players, we couldn't imagine a better ending to celebrate 1969 and the beginning of our 40 years. Catering by Whole Foods. Admission: Laminate Holders and party ticket holders.