DocuWeeks 2012 Shorts Program 2

Friday, August 17 - Thursday, August 23, 2012

THE A-WORD

Director/Writer/Executive Producer: Lindsay Ellis, Producers: Kaveh Taherian, Clarinda Morales, University of Southern California, 27 min. USA

In the fall of 2009, Lindsay Ellis, a 25-year-old graduate student, made the decision to terminate her first and only pregnancy, finding the decision much more difficult than she anticipated. In this film, she attempts to humanize the experience by exploring both her own and others’ by asking, is there even such a thing as the “right” choice?

OPEN HEART

Director/Producer/Writer: Kief Davidson, Producer: Cori Stern, Executive Producers: Geralyn Dreyfous, Rick Rosenthal, Damon Lindelof, Heidi Lindelof, Sean Mewshaw, Desi Van Til, Eric Dobkin, Barbara Dobkin, Cara Mertes, Nancy Stephens, Urban Landscapes Productions/Whitewater Films/Believe Media/Sundance Institute in association with Skoll Stories of Change, 39 min. USA/Republic of Rwanda/Republic of the Sudan

Eight Rwandan children leave their families behind to embark on a life-or-death journey seeking high-risk heart surgery in Sudan. Their hearts ravaged by a treatable disease from childhood strep throat, they have only months left to live. Open Heart reveals the intertwined endeavors of Dr. Emmanuel, Rwanda’s lone government cardiologist fighting to save the lives of his young patients, and Dr. Gino, the Salam Center’s head surgeon, who is fighting to save his hospital, Africa’s only link to life-saving free cardiac surgery for the millions who need it.

THE RECORD BREAKER

Director/Writer: Brian McGinn, Producer/Executive Producer: Mette Heide, Plus Pictures, 25 min. Denmark/USA

Ashrita Furman holds the official record for the most Guinness World Records by one individual, including marks for “Largest Hula Hoop,” “Most Apples Sliced in Mid-Air with a Samurai Sword”, and “Longest Distance Bicycling Underwater.” A health food store owner and devotee of meditation, Furman travels the world creating new categories for record achievement. We meet Furman, a singularly driven character, and his merry band of compatriots (including Champ the dog) as he’s about to attempt to climb Machu Picchu on stilts.

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.