Fresh Farm Markets (7 min 30 sec) -Best Mini Documentary

Producers: Video Takes

They are hard to miss.  They take over the streets.  Attract thousands every week and usually cause a scene. 

They are DC's farmer markets and as this documentary explains, they are just as rich in history and culture as their organic

vegetables are in flavor and color. These grower-only community markets have been instrumental in restoring or, in some cases,

creating an intimate sense of community in the District by providing a forum for supporting local businesses.  In a time when local is

the way to go for our bodies and our economy, this documentary showcases one of DC's hottest attractions. 

Not a Distant Beast (10 min)

Dir. Douglas F. Williamson

While many environmental films focus on animals in wild habitats, many people, filmmakers included, forget that the human

habitat is also a part of nature and a part of the environment.  This short documentary focuses on Carl Cole, a lifetime Washingtonian,

and his relationship with the ever changing and ever polluted Anacostia River. 

The Real McCoys (21 min)

Dir. Melissa Thompson

Meet Nina and Mickey McCoy, shcool teachers from Inez, KY, as they take their fight against King Coal to Washington.  This short

documentary documents some of the disastrous impacts of coal mining on Central Applachia all the while reminding us that Washington, DC

is the final destination for all good activists.   

Midnight Snack (10 min)

Dir. Jeremy Diamond

It's two o'clock in the morning and college students, Jeremy Diamond and Mike Marshall are hungry.  Craving more than the standard

24-hour-chain restaurant, they grab a camera and head out on the town looking for fun and calories.  This light-hearted short showcases some

of the more popular local fair amongst party-animals and food-critics alike.

9:30: Our Scene (2 min, 30 sec)

Dir. Mark Colegrove

A hilarious mock trailor for a pretentious drama film set at the famous Washington, DC rockhouse, the 9:30 club.

At 9th & S (10 min)-Best Mini Documentary

Dirs. Kaveh Rezaei & Peggy Fleming

If you think checkers is a kids' game, we dare you to tell that to the men playing at 9th and S, NW.  The members of the Capital Pool Checkers

Men's Club have been playing competitively since 1985 and they mean business.  Men ranging in age from 40 to 80, gather nearly every day to

not just play the game, but win.  No kids allowed...unless that is, they are there to beat dad or grandpa. 

Lens and Pens: Art in an Unexpected Place (30 min)

Producer: Deborah Schull

This captivating documentary tells the story of a transformative poetry, painting, and photography workshop for persons in the

maximum-security John Howard Pavilion of Washington's St. Elizabeths Hospital.  The film follows Ed Washington, the workshop's founder,

as he introduces us to patients who have not just participated in the program, but thrived from it.  From its initiation in 1989, the program has

served to bridge the divide between the forgotten treatment population and the outside community, to give a sense of self-worth to the

participants and raise their value in the eyes of the public.  Recently screened at WHUT and on PBS.  A WHUT/PBS Production.

Next Stop: Silver Spring- Best Outside DC Documentary (90 min)

Dir. Walter Gottlieb

This feature-length documentary tellse the fascinating story of the B&O Railroad Station in Silver Spring, MD. 

It's a round-trip ticket to the golden days of passenger railroading, and tale of historic preservation agains the odds.

Nora! (25 min)

Producers: Videotakes

As a young Austrian immigrant, Nora Pouillon was surprised by the lack of knowledge Americans had about their food, so she set out to try

to educate the public by revealing the simple secrets of her delicious cuisine.  Three decades after opening Restaruant Nora, the nation's

first certified oranic restaurant, Nora continues to advocate a holistic organic lifestyle that is the foundation for both her cuisine and her

commitment to living and eating sustainably. 

 FL324 (10 min)-Best Narrative Short

Dir. Yi Chen

Aspiring Asian artist Mike asks his boyfriend Sam to move out upon his estranged father's unexpected visit.  But nothing turns out as

expected for Mike and he finds himself trapped in a clash of deceptions.  Filmed entirely in Washington, DC, with familiar shots of

DC neighborhoods and every day sites, FL324 brings drama to DC.

415M (8min 30 sec)

Dir. Stephanie Slewka

Built as a home for a merchant in the 1860's, this Victorian house located at 415 M St, NW, has sheltered many tenants from different walks of

life and faiths.  It was DC's first YMHA, then its first Hebrew Home for the Aged.  It was an Orthadox Synagogue, then a Baptist Church, a gay,

lesbian Community Church, and now a home once again.  415M is a true celebration of the rich history and wealth of cultures our city holds.

Shepherd Park: Past and Present (26 min)

Dir. Walter Gottlieb

This short documentary tells the story of a once exclusively white DC community that became one of, if not the, city's first truly integrated

suburbs.  Childhood resident, Walter Gottlieb, explores how its unique past shapes its diverse present.

The Old Days: Jewish Life in Washington, DC (26 min)-Best Short Documentary

Dir. Esther McBride

Imagine a city where the watermelon man, the iceman, and the horse-driven fire engine are common sights.  There is a sandlot baseball game

and a swimming race at the beach where the Jefferson Memorial now stands.  This world comes to life through pictures and stories from eleven

older Jewish Washingtonians as we hear their stories about life in the Washington, DC as a Jew in the late 1800s, early 1900s. 

Straight Up Go-Go (1 hour)

Dirs. Shuaib Mitchell, Sowande Tichawonna & Fred Brown, Jr.

Returning to the public-eye after years of being in the vault, this classic film is documentary on the history, sociology, and culture of DC's own Go-Go Music made in the 1990s.  Featuring interviews

and performance footage of some of DC's legendary Go-Go bands including The Junkyard Band, Pleasure, E.U. and of course, Chuck Brown and The Soul Searchers.