Program I - Afternoon Video – Narrative 15 min. by Randy Yang, New York, NY Two teenage African-American girls capture a woman’s racist remarks on video. The woman, concerned for her reputation, bargains with the two girls to delete the incriminating footage. Animal Landscape – Animation 4 min. by Shelley Dodson, Chicago, IL African animals survive by being invisible within their natural environment and appear and disappear as relationships between predator and prey unfold. The Lost Mariner – Experimental 6 min. by Tess Martin, Rotterdam, The Netherlands What sort of self is left when you've lost the greater part of your past, and your moorings in time? This animated short uses photographs and cut-outs to describe the life of Jimmie, an ex-Navy man afflicted with a rare neurological disorder. Jimmie experiences life in minute-long segments, unable to form new memories since the onset of his affliction, which erased his previous two decades of memory. Tess Martin’s film is based on the chapter “The Lost Mariner,” in Dr. Oliver Sacks' book “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat.” Signwriter – Documentary 5 min. by Paul Zinder, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, UK Graham Brown has his dream job. He’s painted signs and narrowboats - a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of the United Kingdom - for sixty years. His life is exactly what he wants it to be. teeth – Animation 6 min. by Tom Brown and Daniel Gray, Brooklyn, NY Things of worth are often neglected in favor of that which might be more immediately gratifying. Unfortunately, the things that are neglected are often lost forever, irreplaceable. This is the story of a man with a misguided and intense focus – one that started in his youth and carried on to old age. His life events are chronicled through the loss of his teeth – and how his obsessive efforts to amend what was damaged bring on further destruction. Laps – Documentary 17 min. by R. J. Lozada, Stanford, CA A small group of lifers and serious offenders at California’s San Quentin State Prison have found peace through long distance running. The 50 inmates of the San Quentin 1000 Mile Running Club train daily, running a 400-meter lap within the prison walls. “Laps” documents a typical training day in preparation for their annual 26.2-mile marathon, and several runners express the value of the running experience despite their current standing in society. On Beat – Documentary 7 min. by Reid Davenport and Cheng Zhang, Washington, DC A look inside the life of a family of deaf parents, their hearing kids, and the music that unites them. The Gift – Narrative 10 min. by Tarique Qayumi, Woodland Hills, CA On her birthday Sadaf, an Afghan teenager, is given the gift of a burqa by her mother. This means that her life as a child is over. Her family has arranged a marriage for her. As she settles into her new life, books and toys are cast aside for domestic duties. Years later, when Sadaf is a grown woman with a teenage daughter of her own she is faced with the decision of what gift to give to her daughter. Will she follow tradition and give her the gift of the burqa or will she send her daughter on a different path? Two Landscapes – Experimental 4 min by Neil Needleman, Katonah, NY A clash between the landscape the eye perceives and the one that’s deeply embedded in the mind. The Making of a Mensch – Documentary 11 min. by Tiffany Shlain, Mill Valley, CA “The Making of a Mensch” explores ancient Jewish ideas about being a “mensch” - aka being a good person, thinking of the bigger picture, and living a meaningful, purposeful life - through a vibrant 21st century lens. The Goodbye – Narrative 17 min. by Daniel Markowitz, St. Paul, MN Hounded by his agent, a forlorn writer struggles to re-ignite his creative mojo, all but extinguished since the death of his muse, his one true love. Tappety-tap, the keyboard brings to life silent assassins creeping through lush and misty jungles in search of their prey. Masked shadows face each other in the ultimate showdown. Swords clash and she appears - The Girl. Can the writer face his lost love, finish their story and write his career-saving ninja script?