CHINA / Veronica Wangshen  / 30min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 5:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 40

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Struggling with the professional stagnation, a young Chinese artist embarked on a 1,500-mile bike ride across China to searches for inspiration. Through the physical challenges, the sudden death of a friend, and the interactions with fellow travelers, he confessed another motivation behind this journey and confronted his deepest fear from the childhood traumas, hoping to find reconciliations.
 

25 Steps

USA / Steffan Tubbs  / 45min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 11:30 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 19

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Seventy-three years after being held as prisoners of war in the same POW camp in northern Germany, two Colorado WWII veterans discover they live just 25 steps from each other at a retirement community. Their lives follow remarkably similar paths - from their experiences at Stalag Luft I, their education, caregiving for their wives and ultimately their unexpected reunion.

'63 Boycott

USA / Gordon Quinn  / 31min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 11:30 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 2

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Chicago, 1963- more than 250,000 students boycotted the Chicago Public Schools to protest racial segregation. Many marched through the city calling for the resignation of School Superintendent Benjamin Willis, who placed trailers, dubbed ‘Willis Wagons,’ on playgrounds and parking lots of overcrowded black schools rather than let them enroll in nearby white schools.

9at38

USA, SOUTH KOREA / Catherine Lee  / 18min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERETues., April 2, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 46

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Hyungjoon Won, a Juilliard-trained violinist, is closer than ever to realizing his pursuit of the last seven years: a joint concert by North and South Korea.  Due to prohibitions in cross-border movement, musicians from the two sides would straddle the 38th Parallel, the most militarized border in the world.  It is where soldiers stand mere feet apart, ready to resume battle at a moment’s notice (the Korean War never officially ended).

In the week leading up to the concert, inspired musicians gather from around the world to Seoul to partake in the effort; however, military aggression, geopolitical paralysis, and apathy threaten to derail a dream that many called crazy to begin with.

A Place We Can Be Treated Fairly

USA / Eli Powers  / 18min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Thurs., April 4, 12:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 72

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A sensitive portrait focusing on individuals experiencing homelessness and the temporary asylum they find within The Cincinnati Public Library.
 

Al Imam

KUWAIT / Omar Al Dakheel / 19 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 6:30 pm, Camelot Theatres, PROGRAM 14

Despite controversy and threats, Muslim singer/songwriter turned spiritual leader Ani Zonneveld takes a stand for justice through activism and a progressive practice of Islam.

Alba: Not Everyone Will Be Taken Into The Future

UK / Tomas Leach / 10 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 2:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres), PROGRAM 50

An intense, intimate and beautiful journey into the mind of Alba, a 16 year old ballet dancer at the acclaimed Corella Dance Academy in Barcelona. Her inner thoughts start to question the life she is leading, her lost adolescence, and her place in the world.

Albatross

NORWAY / Sverre Kvamme / 26 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 23

A young director documents the last month of his grandfather’s daily life. The grandmother takes care of the grandfather in a affectionate and humorous way. The film deals with two major subjects: love and death.

All That Heaven Allows

USA / Mark Griffin / 46 min. REPRISAL Sun., March 31, 4:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 24

Iconic. Legendary. Timeless. Rock Hudson was the ultimate movie star and this documentary pays tribute to the matinee idol who was the embodiment of romantic masculinity in Americanfilm in the 1950’s and 1960’s. As an Oscar-nominated leading man, Hudson won acclaim for his performances in glossy melodramas (Magnificent Obsession), western epics (Giant) and blockbuster bedroom farces (Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back). In the 70’s and 80’s, Hudson successfully transitioned to television; his long-running series McMillan & Wife and a recurring role on Dynasty introduced him to a whole new generation of fans.

Almost Liam

ISRAEL / Sapir Rockach / 28 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 2:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 49

Before leaving for Germany where he will undergo irreversible surgery, Liam reflects on his previous female identity.

Alone In The Aftermath

PHILIPPINES / Pat Nabong / 8 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 4:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 11

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The drug war in the Philippines has claimed thousands of lives, but its casualties aren’t only the dead. For surviving families, especially those who witnessed the brutal murders of their relatives, the aftermath takes an intense emotional toll. And because there are multiple barriers to accessing mental health resources in the country, many find themselves alone in the aftermath. This film, which was ended by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, explores puts a human face to those issues.

Anas And The Giant

UK / Adrienne Collatos / 10 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 2:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres), PROGRAM 4

Anas Modamani arrived in Berlin in 2015 after making the trek from Syria and celebrated with a selfie he posted to Facebook. But his photo was quickly repurposed into a fake news story and went viral. Overnight, Anas found himself in the crosshairs of a geopolitical debate threatening everything he had built in his new home. Deciding to take matters into his own hands, he brought a lawsuit against Facebook, one of the most powerful companies of our time. But what happened on his day in court? In our new and rapidly evolving media ecosystem, the story of Anas Modamani offers an inside glimpse into the online fake news and hate speech scandals that have rocked the world over the last few years.

And Now We Rise: A Portrait Of Samuel Johns

CROATIA / Mary Katzke / 57 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 9

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Abandoned by his parents as a child and raised by numerous relatives, Samuel matured into a man who seeks to understand the roots of what happened within the larger context of historical trauma and loss of culture. He is an “everyman” who heals and grows by stepping up to help others, and becomes revered by the community. He is able to use his skills and talents for public speaking, writing hip hop music, and creating the Facebook Group, Forget Me Not, which connects those experiencing homelessness with far flung family members. This group has now grown to almost 25,000 members and as his success grows, Sam becomes emotionally drained, overwhelmed with facing so many heartaches and requests for help.

Anjelica Huston: A Tribute To James Joyce, Shout In The Street

IRELAND / Kieron Walsh / 59 min. WORLD PREMIERE Thurs., April 4, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 70

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James Joyce is widely regarded as one of the most influential and original of modern writers. His epic novel, 'Ulysses', is often cited as the greatest work of fiction produced in the whole of the twentieth century. In this film, the Oscar-winning actress, Anjelica Huston, explores Joyce's turbulent life and work. Anjelica is well-qualified to do so. She spne much of her childhood in Ireland, she has performed the famous soliloquy of Molly Bloom on stage, and she played the lead female role in her father's celebrated adaptation of Joyce's famous short story, 'The Dead'. This was her father's last movie before he died, and it is generally regarded as by far the most successful of any attempts to translate Joyce's work to the screen. In this film, Anjelica tells the remarkable story of Joyce's life and work. It began in Dublin - and a childhood dominated by an improvident and alcoholic father.

Anyone Can Create An Emoji

USA / Kolin Pope / 7 min. WORLD PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 12:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 34

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It might be tempting to assume that new emoji are flown in by stork, handed down from high atop a mountain or mined in caves below the Silicon Valley giants’ headquarters.

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The truth is even more surprising: Anyone can propose a new emoji. Yes, even you.

As We Watch Us Drown

USA / Elliot Blumberg / 7 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 9

A town must overcome climate change, corruption, and social inertia to deliver itself from catastrophe.

Atomkraftwerk Zwentendorf

AUSTRIA, USA / Hope Tucker / 17 min. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 12:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 47

Forty years ago Austrians voted against opening a nuclear power plant that had already been built. Atomkraftwerk Zwentendorf is a monument to the power of public protest and the potential of a democratic vote.

Australia Says "Yes!"

AUSTRALIA / Kirk Marcolina / 53 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIEREThurs., April 2, 2:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 49 (Screening Sponsored by Tom Jakway)

The story of the battle for marriage equality in Australia—told by those on the front-lines.

Away From Meaning

MEXICO / Olivia Luengas Magaña / 88 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIEREWeds., April 3, 5:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 65A

When they discover that something isn’t right in her head, Liliana and her family seek to
understand her emotional instability and frequent hospitalizations after suicide attempts. Facing a possible relapse—and unable to institutionalize her, since Liliana’s psychiatric hospital has closed—they resort to treatment at home.

B.A.M.

USA / Louisa Castrodale / 3 min. WORLD PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 11:30 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 59

BOYS ARTS MENTORING or BAM, is an arts program in the Palm Springs Unified School District.  A team of five artists-in-residence, under the direction of Arts Coordinator, Louisa Castrodale, work with one hundred and twenty boys of color, in the district’s six middle schools.  Their goal is to improve motivation and engagement with school, while at the same time reducing suspension and expulsion rates.

Balian (The Healer)

USA / Danile McGuire / 85 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 4:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 25 (ADULT SITUATIONS)

The rise and fall of a traditional Balinese healer after being 'discovered' by Western tourists.

Battle Of The Volcano

EL SALVADOR, MEXICO / Julio López Fernández / 102 min. UNITED STATES PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 7:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 68

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A group of veteran guerrilla men and soldiers face the hatred of the past and the pains from the present when after 25 years, they go back to the San Salvador neighbourhoods where they fought each other at the definitive battle of the Salvadorian civil war.

Beautiful Things

ITALY / Giorgio Ferrero & Federico Biasin / 96 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 2, 7:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 55 (Screening Sponsored by Dr. David Kaminski)

A film festival favorite and multiple award winner.

Work and alienation: Two things that have taken on a whole new meaning in the 21st century's fundamentally changing and increasingly abstract networks of economics, ecology and (un)natural raw materials.  We already live in the future without knowing it.  

Beneath The Ink

USA / Cy Dodson / 12 min. PALM SPRINGS REPRISAL Sat., March 30, 5:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 13

Shining a light on the resurgence of white supremacy, one Ohio tattoo artist Billy Joe White is challenging his community by saying “bring me your mistakes”.  A timely look at hate and racism in one Appalachian community that reveals heartfelt stories of change and redemption.

Better Man

USA / Chris Stanford / 14 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 19

A father and son's relationship is tested after a rodeo injury leaves the young cowboy in a hopeless situation.

Black, I Am

SPAIN / Laura Bermudez / 13 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:00 pm, Camelot   PROGRAM 9

Three women and a little girl symbolize their yearnings of the Garafuna community of Punta Gorda, Honduras.
 

Bradley Eros

USA / Teresa-Esmerelda Sanchez, Francesco Cardaro / 9 min.CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 1:30 pm, Camelot Theatres, Palm Springs, PROGRAM 48

Bradley Eros is at the forefront of the NYC underground and experimental cinema movement, blending the boundaries of experimental film, expanded cinema, and performance art. Whether it be by himself or through one of his many collaborative groups, Eros reutilizes the visual language we all know in a sensory engaging and thought provoking way. Experience Eros and the Optipus Group collaborate on a piece that celebrates the life

Breaking Point: The United States and Mexico at the Ballot Box

USA / Samuel George / 69 min. WEST COAST PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 2:00 pm, Camelot Theatres, Palm Springs, PROGRAM 22

Take an on the ground journey through two critical elections of 2018 - the Mexican general election, and the United States' mid-term elections. In West Virginia, Richard Ojeda, a former Major in the US Army, runs for congress as a Democrat in a deeply Republican district. Can he flip a red seat blue? Can a group of ex-coal miners learn computer coding and find employment in the new digital economy? And can a group of young woman band together following the depths of opioid addiction to successfully restart their lives? Meanwhile, on the other side of the border, Mexico has spent much of the last century dominated by the same political party. But in 2018, Andrés Manuel López Obrador began a shocking rise. What’s behind this new movement? And can it withstand the pressures of corruption and political violence? From the misty mountains of West Virginia to the indigenous villages of Oaxaca, this is what democracy looks like. And we are at a breaking point.

Call Her Ganda

USA / PJ Raval / 93 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 7:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 16

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When Jennifer Laude, a Filipina transwoman, is brutally murdered by a U.S. Marine, three women intimately invested in the case--an activist attorney (Virgie Suarez), a transgender journalist (Meredith Talusan) and Jennifer’s mother (Julita "Nanay" Laude) --galvanize a political uprising, pursuing justice and taking on hardened histories of U.S. imperialism.

Capturing The Flag

USA / Anne De Mare / 76 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 6:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 41

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A tight-knit group of friends travel to Cumberland County, NC - 2016 “posterchild” for voter suppression - intent on proving that the big idea of American democracy can be defended by small acts of individual citizens.  What they find at the polls serves as both a warning and a call to action for anyone interested in protecting the “One Person, One Vote” fundamental of our democracy. Dealing with themes that are constantly sensationalized and manipulated in the media - Left vs. Right, North vs. South, Black vs. White.  As we gear up for the coming elections in 2019 and 2020, the message contains the fierce urgency of now.

Celebrity Entrepreneur

USA  / Dick Thornton / 52 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 6:30 pm, Camelot Theatres  PROGRAM 27 & Thursday, April 4, 4:30 pm, Camelot Theatres, Program 77
 

Go behind the scenes as Clint Arthur transforms ordinary business people and experts into Celebrity Entrepreneurs.

Chamber Music Wonderland

AUSTRIA  / Emanuel Altenburger / 50 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIEREWeds., April 3, 4:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres)  PROGRAM 64

Accompany a group of musicians who set up the “OBERTÖNE” (Overtones) music festival, an event that follows its own rules. Not bound by any dogmatic adherence to a particular style or epoch, the festival covers some 500 years of musical tradition, from the baroque sonatas of Dietrich Buxtehude, to the passionate tango arrangements

Chicago's Youngest

USA  / MJ Butler, Alani Vargas / 40 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 4:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres)  PROGRAM 11

A look at some of the biggest problems Chicago is facing going into the 2019 mayoral election. Through all this, Ja'Mal Green — the youngest candidate to ever run for mayor of the city — is a 22-year-old activist stepping into this role, being one of the only candidates who can really identify with the people of Chicago.   

Child Of The Earth

SWITZERLAND / Claudio Faeh / 12 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERESat., March 30, 11:30 am, Camelot Theatres PROGRAM 6

The Overview Effect is the sensation described by astronauts looking back at the Earth from space: an overwhelming sense of the fragility of life on our planet, and a connection to the whole human race. Can Kevin, a young hospice patient in Los Angeles, experience the same effect through virtual reality?

Children Of The Soil

INDIA / RANADEEP BHATTACHARYYA & JUDHAJIT BAGCHI. / 4 min.WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres) PROGRAM 5

A thought provoking visual comment on events plaguing India's farmer community with its associated evils like starvation, debt trap, homelessness, deprivation, begging, suicides and urban migration to losing their very farmland that defines them.

Chin Up

UK / Joanne Salmon / 5 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 2:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres) PROGRAM 50

Throughout her childhood, JoAnne loved to draw herself as heroic characters to escape the insecurity and feeling of being different that came with her condition. However, JoAnne never drew her facial features any differently to fit the scene of a heroic warrior or mystical mermaid.

Cotton Plant

USA / Matthew Michaud / 6 min. WEST COAST PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 7:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 29

A deeply religious mayor looks to the medical marijuana industry as the last hope for his dying Southern town.

Cricket Liu

CHINA / Zhu Cheng / 18 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sun. March 31, 11:00 am,  Camelot  PROGRAM 18

He lives in a magical animal kingdom in the heart of Beijing. His closest friends are a fashion-conscious Pekinese who eats from chopsticks, a curious cockatoo, a thirsty lizard, a rabbit, a turtle and a mynah bird who, with just a little prompting, tells him to “Have a beer”. He is famous, far beyond Beijing, for the unlikeliest of reasons: for the past 20 years, he has been talking about crickets. He's one of the last masters of the 1,500-year-old Chinese art of cricket fighting. A steady stream of foreign tourists arrive at his house to watch him stage fearsome matches and listen to him regale them with tales of valor and victory. Grateful tour guides congratulate Cricket Liu on another great performance and press pretty red envelopes with wads of cash into his hands.  It’s a charmed existence, but the one thing he wants most in life remains forever just beyond his grasp.

Crosslin Smith, The Old Ways

USA / Kyle Bell / 7 min.  WORLD PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 7:30 pm, Camelot  PROGRAM 56

He's a Cherokee traditionalist and a bearer of knowledge and culture. Amid a backdrop of the elements important to traditional medicine and ceremonies, Crosslin Smith tells us about “the old ways” and shares a part of his life's story.

Dani

USA / Lizzy Hogensen / 9 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 37

Having cancer isn't always the hard part. On top of managing your own fears and expectations, you feel obliged to wear a brave face for your loved ones. Delivering bad news with a mixture of dry science and irrational optimism becomes second nature... Dani brings such a conversation to life, as 30-year old Danielle Hernandez delivers her grim breast cancer prognosis to her mother Violeta. A story that's as unique and personal as it is disturbingly universal. Using stop-motion animation, Dani shows us how a simple phone call can be a study of human courage, faith, and love.

Days Of Madness

CROATIA, SLOVENIA / Damian Nenadic / 74 min.  NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Thurs., April 4, 4:00 pm, Camelot Theatres, Palm Springs PROGRAM 76

Mladen and Maja told their final NO to their doctors and took care of themselves, finally ready to share their thorny odyssey with others. Through the filigree- caught moments of the two almost lost and forgotten lives, the question arises - who is actually crazy here?

Defend, Conserve, Protect

AUSTRALIA / Stephen Amis / 76 min.  NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERETues., April 2, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot Theatres), Palm Springs PROGRAM 45

A young, passionate group of eco-activists, faces off against the Japanese whaling fleet, in an epic battle to defend the majestic Minke whales of the Southern Ocean.

Deportation Nation

USA / Jeremy Raff /  17min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 10

“Maybe it is a concentration camp; I don’t want to make it look nice.” Joe Arpaio stands by his 2008 description of his infamous “tent city” jail. The former Arizona sheriff cultivates an image of toughness on immigration. In 2016, Donald Trump welcomed Arpaio’s support, rewarding him with a presidential pardon in 2017. Trump sent a clear message that the handcuffs were off Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Detroit's Rivera

USA/ Julio Ramos / 36 min. UNITED STATES PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:30 pm, CAMELOT, Palm Springs PROGRAM 10

A montage based on archival film footage and printed materials documenting the labor conditions under industrial capitalism during the Great Depression. Animation of Frida Kahlo´s Detroit paintings provide an alternative, critical view of the ecological and social effects of industrial production and Fordism. Sound design and original music.

Distant Constellation

USA, TURKEY, NETHERLANDS / Shevaun Mizrahi / 84 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 1:30 pm, Camelot, Palm Springs PROGRAM 61

This haunted reverie drops us inside an Istanbul retirement home, where the battle-scarred residents bask in the camera’s attention. A creaky- voiced woman confides her personal account of the Armenian genocide. A sweetly deluded pianist performs a composition before confessing his love. A blind photographer fiddles with his flash as he points his own camera back at us.
Shevaun Mizrahi’s playful, immaculately controlled film finds hypnotizing rhythms in the residents’ limbo-like state. Meanwhile, outside, ominous construction equipment transforms the land.

Ed Asner On Stage And Off

USA / Kurt Jacobsen / 87 min. WORLD PREMIERE Thur., April 3, 7:00 pm, Camelot, Palm Springs PROGRAM 67 (ED ASNER TO APPEAR on stage for Q&A)

A fascinating look at the iconic film and television actor from his youth to now.
 

Eva

USA / Ted Green / 88 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 7:30 pm, Camelot, Palm Springs PROGRAM 43

At 10, she survived experiments by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele. At 50, she helped launch the biggest manhunt in history.  Now 84, after decades of pain and anger, she travels the world to promote what her life journey has taught: 

HOPE. HEALING. HUMANITY.

Facing The Dragon

USA / Sedika Mojadidi / 82 min. WEST COAST PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 4:30 pm, Camelot, Palm Springs PROGRAM 39

Afghan-American filmmaker Sedika Mojadidi follows two extraordinary Afghan women, a politician and a journalist, to examine what is happening to women as American troops and international aid pull out of Afghanistan. Through Sedika’s perspective, we see how women on the front lines struggle to keep their rights and their families safe in a country where lawlessness and violence are only increasing.

Factory Of Lies

DENMARK / Jakob Gottschau /  59min. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 4:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 51

Russia has launched an information war - introducing a new weapon. Hundreds of young Russians are producing fake news from fake profiles. And the fake stories are spread in US and Europe, trying to impact the public opinion. But some brave Russian journalists are fighting back.

Fast Eddie

USA / Brenna Eckerson / 7 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 23

At the age of 93, WW II veteran and AMA Hall of Famer Ed Fisher still rides everyday, and even continues to race as an amateur. Fisher began his racing career as a factory rider for Indian Motorcycles, before representing Triumph as one of their first East Coast riders in 1952. The lore of his style and speed, in various racing disciplines, has without a doubt minted his status as a living racing legend. Fisher, known to most as simply Fast Eddie, continues to eat, sleep and breathe motorcycles in the rural hills of Sullivan County, Pa.

Father K

USA / Judd Ehrlich / 34 min. WEST COAST PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 2:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 36 (Program moderated by Geoff Kors.)

When Palestinian Lutheran Pastor Khader El-Yateem decides to run to become NYC’s first Arab American elected official in his conservative Brooklyn neighborhood, he does what no one thinks possible, igniting his marginalized community’s hopes and dreams. In the election’s aftermath, an unforeseeable blow threatens the foundation of the movement they started, and the community finds their newfound optimism tested to its limit. Father K must face the realities of what it takes to build lasting power in a divided America, but through it all, his voice emerges as funny, bold, and defiantly hopeful — a bridge-builder in a polarized time.

Fighters

USA/ Benjamin Ades, Eli Zuzovsky / 6 min. U.S. PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 12:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 2

A boxing club in Somerville becomes a refuge for former drug addicts and alcoholics trying to alleviate the pain of their recovery.

Flip The Switch

USA/ Dave Moutray / 29 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 6:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 14

From villages that live in darkness at night to villages that have just discovered how solar power can change their lives, Flip the Switch tells the story of Solar Mamas, women from developing countries who have been trained as solar engineers. Starting in India and making their way to Central America and Africa, this film shows how Hogan Lovells, one of the largest law firms in the world, and Barefoot College, the world’s largest NGO, came together to empower women and girls as change agents. Their shared journey illustrates that a global effort to inspire similar committed partnerships is needed to make measurable progress toward the UN SDGs -- one woman at a time, one village at a time.

For Your Consideration

USA / Patrick Green / 20 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 12:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 34

A pop culture provocateur and Naked Trump sculptor team up to take down Harvey Weinstein, creating a statue of the disgraced movie producer that goes viral and incites further conversation.

Forward Progress

USA / Rachel Roderman / 14 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 6:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 14

Alexandria Buchanan was the only active female varsity starting high school quarterback in America before a late season game injury. Follow her on the field and off as she tackles the burden and celebrity that comes with breaking gender barriers in the sport of football.

Futbol Fever

SPAIN / Savva Svet / 4 min. WEST COAST PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 59

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Follow Gerson Ramirez Garcia, a 12-year old boy living with his family on the outskirts of Puerto Maldonado. A jungle city with nothing much to offer, Gerson dreams of one day playing soccer internationally for his hometown and country, Peru. This is his story, a day in the life of Gerson Garcia.

Girl In The Hallway

CANADA / Valerie Barnhart / 10 min. WORLD PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 37

Why does 'Little Red Riding hood' give Jamie nightmares? It's been 15 years, and the girl in the hallway haunts him still. This is a testament to locked doors. A lullaby sung by wolves with duct tape and polaroids. Not all girls make it out of the forest. Some stories children shouldn't hear.
 

Gloria's Call

USA / Cheri Gaulke / 17 min.  CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 4:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 38

From the cafés of Paris to the mountaintops of Samiland, a scholar’s life is forever changed through her friendships with the women artists of Surrealism.

Gods From Space

USA / Annalise Pasztor / 5 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 6

In 1955, taxi driver and earthling Dr. George King was contacted by extraterrestrials with an urgent message: Earth is on the brink of nuclear and spiritual catastrophe. Thus was born The Aetherius Society, a religion with over 35 centers worldwide that look to cosmic teachings for a kinder, more peaceful universe. This documentary enters the surreal world of the North American headquarters, where prayer can be stored in a battery, Jesus was an alien, and an unusual but kind-hearted community works towards the betterment of humanity by finding the things that unite us.

Going Forward

USA / Tim Harris / 16 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Fri. March 29, 2:30 pm, Camelot  PROGRAM 4

Malcolm Kenyatta is a third-generation activist from North Philadelphia. On Election Day 2018,  Malcolm is campaigning to become a Pennsylvania State Representative in the the 181st District - a district with a 26% deep poverty rate. Additionally, he hopes to make history by becoming the first openly LGBT candidate of color elected to state office in Pennsylvania.

Malcolm’s day includes a 5am wakeup call, lots of driving, and a couple of failed attempts to pick up his dry cleaning. Malcolm faces tough but fair questions from his neighbors and community members, which force him to face the realities of the pressures he'll face if elected.

Good Dog: Building Community One Dog At A Time

USA / Scott Campbell / 12 min. WORLD PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 1:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 3

One family's desire to create a more normal life for their autistic sons turns into a mission to help other families faced with the same adversity. 

Grands Canons

FRANCE / Luce Grosjean / 11 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 37

Superimposed, condensed, multiplied, thousands of documentary drawings in successive series come to life on the screen, composing a veritable visual symphony of everyday objects.

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Hard On

SWEDEN / Johanna Rytel / 20 min. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Sun., March 31, 7:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 29  (ADULTS ONLY)

Secretly, she films everything.   In a surreal apartment a cougar, a guest, a child and promises of a dog if the child plays along. 

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Havana, From On High

CANADA / Pedro Ruiz / 80 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sun.., March 31, 5:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 26

The chronic shortage of housing in Central Havana has pushed the city upwards, where life spills out onto the rooftops. Resilient and remarkable, these rooftop dwellers have a privileged point of view on a society in the process of major transformation.

Hearts Of Glass

USA / Jennifer Tennican / 68 min. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERESat.,  March 30, 11:00 am, Camelot Theatres, PROGRAM 5

Follow the tumultuous first 15 months of operation of Vertical Harvest (VH), a multi-story, state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that provides meaningful employment for people with disabilities. The film weaves the story of VH’s launch with the personal journeys of employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Plants and people grow together in this intimate portrait of innovation, inclusion and community.

Heroin Hearse

USA / Ryan Buckley / 12 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 12:00 pm, Camelot Theatre, PROGRAM 2A

In the overdose capital of America, Dwayne Woods turns a vintage hearse into a mobile pulpit, preaching a message of life through the imagery of death. When he opens a detox center at ground zero for heroin use, Dwayne hopes sheer compassion trumps experience when recruiting his first client.

Hidden

KOREA / Heejoo Kim / 6 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 5:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 53

While physical abuse is the most talked about type of abuse in elder abuse, this portrait demonstrates more subtle forms of caregiver neglect and self-abuse due to fear or loss of confidence. It also goes beyond the symptoms of the problem to include a happy ending, when the main character discovers that her friendships and experiences are more important than her belongings or her memory loss.

Homeless Street Artists

USA / Tysen Knight / 33 min. WORLD PREMIERE Thurs., April 4, 12:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 72

Follow the lives of three homeless artists as they create art to survive. With the odds stacked against them. See how they heal thru art.

I Am No Bird

UK / Andrew Cagle / 23 min.  WORLD PREMIERE Mon, April 1, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 32

Samer Saem El Dahr is an electronic musician from Aleppo navigating his new life in America. He launched his music career as a Syrian exile in Beirut, pioneering a genre of electronic dance music he calls “electro-tarab”.

I, Douglas Fairbanks

FRANCE / Clara Kuperberg, Julia Kuperberg / 53 min.  WEST COAST PREMIERE Thurs, April 4, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 70 (Peter Facinelli scheduled to appear)

The dashing, dazzling and debonair Douglas Fairbanks was the movie star who “swash buckled in Zoro, dueled exuberantly in Robin Hood and soared magnificently in The Thief of Bagdad”. He was the “First King of Hollywood”. His life story unfolds with American history and the emergence of the film industry as backdrop. His films crossed all borders. His physique and style made him the perfect American icon. At a time when the country did not have any self-doubt, he represented America like no one else: strong, confident, heroic, smiling and conquering. He was “Everybody ́s Hero”.

In The Dark Room

SPAIN / Luigi Abanto Varese / 10 min. U.S. PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 12:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 60

A meeting with the famous Spanish photographer, Cristina Garcia Rodero, member of the Magnum Photos Agency. A conversation rescued from the box of all those visual memories that come to mind while processing my photos in the solitude of the Dark Room.

In The Land Of My Ancestors

USA / Rucha Chitnis / 9 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 9

The Ohlone people are not federally recognized as indigenous nations in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the Gold Rush, there were bounties on the heads of California Natives. This government sanctioned killing and diseases killed nearly 90% of California Natives.

Inmate

USA / Nicole Jones / 12 min. WORLD PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 12:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 2A

The story of how incarceration as a result of drug addiction can change the lives of two people forever.

Insecure

USA / Cayman Grant / 15 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 10

An undocumented family struggling to make ends meet, takes matters into its own 

hands to create their own American dream.

iRony

AUSTRALIA / Radheya Jegatheva / 12 min. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 33

Variously described as an Animation, an Experimental Film, a Narrative, a Documentary or a Film-Poem depending on who you speak to, this hand drawn animated film is based on the poem 'Seven Billion' written by the film director that won 2 National poetry awards: The Young Australian Writer’s National Award for Poetry, selected out of a field of 30,000 and the Karen W Treanor Poetry Award (Youth).

Inner - The Student's Home

MEXICO / Jonathan Yadir Barojas Quezada / 15 min. NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 2:30 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 63

A meditative view of a student shelter in Mexico through its architecture, where the residents coexist and adapt to the space. 

Is the Dinosaur-Apocalypse Story Wrong?

USA / Caitlin Cadieux / 3 min. UNITED STATES PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 11:30 am, Camelot PROGRAM 6

It’s a story we all learned as children: 66 million years ago, a six-mile-wide asteroid slammed
into Earth with the force of 10 billion atomic bombs, unleashing giant fireballs, crushing
tsunamis, continent-shaking earthquakes, and suffocating darkness—and driving dinosaurs
extinct almost overnight. But is it true?

It's Going To Be Beautiful

MEXICO, USA / Luis Gutiérrez Arias, John Henry Theisen / 9 min.CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Thurs., April 4, 12:00 pm, CAMELOT PROGRAM 72

Eight prototypes for a border wall stand on the US-Mexico border. To choose a winning design, Border Patrol officers and the military will attempt to climb, dig under, or breach the structures using techniques employed by immigrants and drug dealers.

Jesus Loves Bikers Too

USA / Will Garofalo / 8 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 1:30 p.m. Camelot Program 8

Follow motorcycle enthusiast and spiritual guru, Jonny, as he opens his yellow curry truck in the lush hillside town of Biei, Japan.

Just Another Memory

Qatar / Mariam Al-Dhubhani / 14 min. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 4:30 p.m. Camelot Program 11

Amidst the ongoing war in Yemen; torn between being “safe” and “away”, weighed down by the ever-present mental and emotional baggage that still holds you back. How does one move forward and heal? How to deal with so much suppressed pain? In this profoundly affecting documentary, we investigate these questions and explore what it feels like to be suddenly uprooted and displaced by war.

Katie And The Black Robin Hood

USA / John Richie, Alessandra Giordano / 24 min. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 2:30 p.m. Camelot Program 4

Katie Carter is a Public Defender in New Orleans who makes sentencing films on behalf of her clients. When she screens her short documentaries during sentencing at trials, even the harshest judges showed leniency. One client, Christopher Simms has spent most of his life since age thirteen incarcerated. After being repeatedly failed by the criminal justice system, Simms, who calls himself “The Black Robin Hood,” robbed 10 banks in 5 States with then intention of going to Federal Prison.

Kifaru

USA / DAVID HAMBRIDGE / 81 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 4:30 p.m. Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) Program 52 (Screening Sponsored By Bonnie Englund In Honor Of George Englund) & Program 75, Thursday, April 4, 2:30 p.m. Camelot

Follow the lives of two young, Kenyan recruits that join Ol Pejeta Conservancy's rhino caretaker unit - a small group of rangers that care for and protect Sudan, the last male northern white rhino or kifaru in Swahili. Spanning over the course of the caretakers first four years on the job, experience the joys and pitfalls of conservation firsthand through the lens of these men and view extinction in real-time.

King Of Beasts

ISRAEL, USA / Tomer Almagor, Nadav Harel / 106 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Weds., April 3, 11:00 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 58

Aaron, an American hunter, enters the dark heart of the African bush, on a surreal neo-colonial expedition, emulating 1000s of years of indigenous rite of passage rituals, as he hunts the ultimate trophy - the king of beasts.  Many hunters consider themselves conservationists, and animal lovers. They justify their right to hunt as central to the preservation of the species and defend the benefits of their concession fees.

La Loche

CANADA / Les Stroud / 56 min. UNITED STATES PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 7:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 56

From the grip of violent tragedy there is a panacea for us all. It lies just beyond the borders of major cities, busy towns and remote villages. It is nature. It is wilderness.

Landing On Airwaves

USA / Jonathan Napolitano / 14 min. WORLD PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 11:30 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 6

On July 20, 1969, an estimated 600 million people from around the world watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on television.

Lefty - Story Of A Liverpool Football Player

NORWAY / Even Evensen / 56 min. WORLD PREMIERE Weds, April 3, 11:30 am, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot)  PROGRAM 59

From a childhood of being bullied, called ugly and spent much of his time alone. Liverpool-player John Arne Riise litterly kicked his way out of small town Norway and into the legendary stardom of sucsess for one of the worlds biggest brands regardless of any sports.

Leonora Carrington: The Lost Surrealist

UK / Teresa Griffiths / 60 min. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 4:00 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot) PROGRAM 38

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Dali, Miro, Breton - we know their names so well and yet an artist they all held in the highest esteem remains a shadowy and little-known figure. Leonora Carrington has been like a secret club – membership is select but those in the know are passionate about her vision. But now her following is growing beyond a few art world insiders.

Lifeboat

USA / Skye Fitzgerald / 35 min. CALIFORNIA PREMIERE Sat., March 30, 2:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot), PROGRAM 10

In a political environment increasingly hostile to immigrants and refugees, documenting and showcasing the real-life predicament of those fleeing war and oppression is more vital and important than ever. In a real-life context with dire consequences, the LIFEBOAT puts a human face on one of the world’s greatest contemporary, global crises and provides a spark of hope surrounding how civil society can intervene in the refugee crisis in a meaningful way.

Line

NORWAY / Fabian Greenberg, Bard Kjoge Ronning / 28 min.INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 1:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot), PROGRAM 3

Line is 17 years old and has Down syndrome. She has always had one big dream: To make her own film. Now she gets the chance to do it: For real. We follow Line from idea to premiere of her short film "In the name of Love", using exclusively her Downs syndrome friends, in front of, and behind the camera. 

Long Way

POLAND / Weronika Mliczewska / 57 min. INTERNATIONAL PREMIEREThurs., April 4, 1:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot), PROGRAM 74

One meeting with a stranger. Love at first sight from the soul of one to another. One photo taken. Is it enough to guide the way across India in a search of the mysterious woman without knowing her name? In this densely populated country where all religions meet, a young filmmaker follows a path of spiritual discovery finding a woman who changed her life six years prior. Lead by ups and downs of misbelief and magical meetings, she wants to find out what is beyond the borders of rational possibility. What happens if you cross that border? Some people leave her with no hope, some say the woman is enlightened and it is her who searches for people to fulfill her mission. In the swirls of emotional twists and turns along the way, an unpredictable course of action begins to unfold.

Look Closer: The Rise And Fall Of Robert Benfer

USA / Cruz Moore / 46 min. WORLD PREMIERE Tues., April 2, 1:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (Camelot), PROGRAM 48

In 2013, online clay animator Robert Benfer scammed hundreds of his fans out of thousands of dollars and has continued to become less of the independent film icon he used to be, though his influence on video creators remains to this day. This film not only sheds light on how Benfer's films impacted young filmmakers, but also how a talented independent artist can fall from grace no matter how obscure they are.

Lost In Carranza

FRANCE/ Marin Troude / 23 min. WORLD PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 12:00 pm, Camelot PROGRAM 2A

In the night of october 12th 2015, Pablo Carranza falls back into hard drugs, despite his sobriety and battle against his addictions for many years. Alone in his apartment, eaten by regrets and guilt, he decides to confess himself by leaving a last voice message to his first love.

Love & Loss

CHINA / Nikki Li / 22 min. PALM SPRINGS PREMIERE Fri., March 29, 1:30 pm, Palm Springs Cultural Center (CAMELOT) PROGRAM 3

Follow two surprisingly strong women: Karen Crespo & Nicole Evans. Both women are vibrantly physically disabled; however, Nicole was born disabled while Karen became disabled later in life. There is a tremendous difference between being born with a disability and becoming disabled later. Nicole has had the past 30 years to cope with and learn to embrace her disability while Karen had deal with both the physical and emotional trauma almost overnight. Despite their trials, these women are taking steps to find love in their lives. Through the observation of the dating lives of theirs, this film explores the challenging and often unconventional intimate relationships of physically-impaired individuals, as well as how those individuals define and live their lives within the context of their disabilities.

Lovebirds

USA / Ashley Mosher / 8 min. WORLD PREMIERE Mon., April 1, 11:00 am, Camelot PROGRAM 32

Ashley, a middle-aged American woman, is sick of the city...and tired of waiting for her workaholic husband to notice he’s pissing their life away. She’s ready to live life to the fullest, so she hops a plane to the most unlikely, and different environment she could...the Amazon jungle. She befriends Noe, an adventure guide and painter, who takes her deep into the jungle to explore, not only the biodiversity, but ultimately, herself. They spend 6 intimate days together where each reveals a hidden self neither of them show to the outside world. In their sharing, they find understanding, companionship and Truth: that real belonging is found in being-in-our-longing...together.