ECSTASY(1999, 27 minutes, dramatic short) - Mark Wihak's fascinating dramatic short about the making of a modern saint, "Stacey of Suburbia."  A Scarborough rave girl has a close encounter with the Almighty on the way home from an all-night dance party, and begins a spiritual journey, which leads to an extraordinary and unexpected conclusion.

THE ENDLESS SUMMER (1966, 92 minutes, documentary feature) - Bruce Brown's documentary classic follows a pair of surfers on their quest around the world in pursuit of the "perfect wave."  More than 30 years later, THE ENDLESS SUMMER remains a gorgeous, affecting evocation of a much simpler time and world - a Huck Finn/Tom Sawyer adventure odyssey, with neither personal angst nor political histrionics.  The episodes in West Africa are particularly charming, while facing the monster surf of Oahu's North Coast is still terrifying.  And yes, they do find the "perfect wave" - after crossing several miles of desert on foot - at the pristine beach of St. Francis, in South Africa.

ESTHER, BABY AND ME (1999, 23 minutes, documentary short) - Louis Taylor's hilarious, insightful, witty and ultimately moving documentary on the joys and terrors of impending fatherhood, race relations, sexual politics and... finally growing up.

FIRST PERSON PLURAL (1999, 60 minutes, documentary) - Deann Borshay Liem's riveting confessional journey of self-discovery.  A Korean "orphan" raised by Americans in California, as an adult Deann learns that her biological mother is in fact still alive.  She embarks on a quest to find her mother, and re-connect with her ethnic and cultural roots.  Ultimately, she learns deeply moving lessons about the nature of family, and the extraordinary power of love.

FLIGHT OF THE STONE (1999, 15 minutes, dramatic short) - Susanne Horizon-Fränzel's exuberant, imaginative tale of actions and consequences:  a young man pries a stone from the street and hurls it at his enemy.  The stone misses its target, and flies around the world, taking the audience on a tour of human interaction - until at last the stone approaches the man who threw it, from behind.  Utilizing pixilation techniques, the filmmakers reproduce the "stone's P.O.V." during its flight, visiting every continent on the planet.  It's like National Geographic on speed!

GROW OLD ALONG WITH ME (2000, 71 minutes, documentary) - Richard Kiley and Julie Harris co-host this compelling exploration on aging in America, which was produced by Anne Macksoud and John Ankele for Maryland Public Television.  Our youth-obsessed culture is challenged to consider the continuing vibrancy, capability, and contributions of its older citizens, represented by famed actors, artists and singers.  Particularly today, as the world seems to evolve ever faster, we need to respect the wisdom and experience of the generations which go before us.

HANDS ON A HARD BODY (1996, 97 minutes, documentary feature) - Two dozen small-town Texans battle their minds, bodies and each other in an endurance contest at a local car dealership:  whoever can remain standing longest with one hand on a brand-new truck, will drive it home free and clear.  A remarkable study of competition, desire, camaraderie, spiritual faith and just plain determination - as well as an interesting examination of what makes people test their limits, in a society where meeting basic survival needs is not an issue in daily life.

THE HIDDEN GIFT (1999, 90 minutes, documentary) - David Tlapek's stirring, distressing account of the brutal civil war in Sudan, and the courageous efforts of Bishop Gassis to protect the Nuba people in the south from the genocidal campaign of the regime in Khartoum.  The closing celebration, in which Christians and Muslims enjoy a tribal dance together, offers a thrilling glimmer of future hope.  Discussion with filmmaker DAVID TLAPEK to follow the screening.

IN GOD WE TRUST (2000, 16 minutes, comedic short) - Jason Reitman's delightfully whimsical fable about a young man who is fatally struck by a car and enters Purgatory, where he is informed by an officious bureaucrat that he's headed for eternal damnation.  When the smug official turns his back, our hero escapes back to earth and tries to erase the "negative balance" in his soul ledger by doing good deeds.  Filmmaker Jason Reitman was inspired to create this film by another film in this year's City of the Angels Film Festival, "Run Lola Run."  Discussion with filimmaker JASON REITMAN to follow the screening.

MARY OVER MOJAVE (2000, 19 minutes, documentary) - Alex MacInnis and his video camera follow the crowd of pilgrims who trek outside Los Angeles to Mojave on the 13th of each month, to observe the extraordinary apparitions of the Queen Mother in the desert sky. 

MY MOTHER DREAMS THE SATAN'S DISCIPLES IN NEW YORK (1999, 30 minutes, comedic short) - Academy Award-winning short, written by Rex Pickett and directed by Barbara Shock.  This brilliantly conceived, superbly realized comic fable chronicles the journey of an elderly widow from her beautiful but isolated farm in South Dakota to New York City for the first time.  Her youngest daughter lives in the East Village - directly across the street from the headquarters of the Satan's Disciples Motorcycle Club.  The initially terrified oldster eventually establishes a uniquely humorous and quite moving relationship with the bikers.  This charming tale is a miniature gem, a model for the possibilities of the short film format.  Discussion with writer REX PICKETT to follow the screening.

PARADISE (2000, 10 minutes, dramatic short) - Jonathan Flora's hallucinatory tale of a convenience store robbery gone tragically awry.  A fascinating, thematically-ambitious meditation on the choices we make in life, and the consequences of those decisions.

POP AND ME - (1999, 92 minutes, documentary feature) - When Chris Rowe's father Richard invites him on a trip around the world, Chris intends to document the journey by making a film about it.  En route, they expand their focus by interviewing fathers and sons in every place they touch down.  What begins as part travelogue, part confessional home movie, quickly grows into something much larger and more powerful - though no less personal.  It is amazing and deeply moving to see and hear the testimonials of fathers and sons across the globe, as they connect - and miss connections - in surprising, satisfying ways.  This is an important, award-winning film which has touched a nerve in audiences everywhere it has been seen.  Discussion with filmmakers CHRIS and RICHARD ROWE to follow the screening.

THÉRÈSE:  LIVING ON LOVE (2000, 55 minutes, documentary) - Frank Frost produced and directed this fascinating look at the continuing impact of St. Thérèse de Lisieux in the modern world.  The film chronicles the famed "Rolling Bones" world tour of Thérèse's relics, which attracted enormous crowds and intense media attention around the globe.  It also explores the life of this humble, joyful and loving young woman - and why her message continues to resonate today.  Discussion with filmmaker FRANK FROST to follow the screening.