Hello Film Festival Fans,

Building on the success of our first two film festivals, we welcome you to our third festival that brings together ten enlightening and entertaining films that celebrate quality filmmaking and imaginative storytelling. Following a limited theatrical run, FOLLOWING SEAN (pg. 4) recalls Michael Apted's 7 Up series and takes a look back at San Francisco in the late '60s, when budding filmmaker Ralph Arlyck befriended a hippie family and their precocious four-year-old son Sean. Another recent theatrical standout MUSIC FROM THE INSIDE OUT (pg. 7) from Academy Award® nominee Daniel Anker is a cinematic exploration of music through the stories, the passions, and the artistry of the musicians of The Philadelphia Orchestra. To our delight we also have an extraordinary film, DARK CIRCLE (pg. 3), by award-winning director Judy Irving (The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill) which takes a controversial look at life and death in the nuclear age. On a lighter note, STAGEDOOR (pg. 9) is a lively portrait of a group of talented teenagers who head off to theater camp and let their inner divas shine. Next up, the evocative and utterly unforgettable Sundance Film Festival hit WELL-FOUNDED FEAR (pg. 10) candidly explores the proceedings behind the American political asylum system, while the critically acclaimed classic OF CIVIL WRONGS AND RIGHTS: THE FRED KOREMATSU STORY (pg. 8) tells the striking story of Korematsu's fight for his exoneration after spending years in a Japanese internment camp. Recently airing on HBO, YELLOW BRICK ROAD (pg. 11) chronicles the heartwarming and enthusiastic efforts of a group of mentally and physically handicapped men, women, and children as they mount a performance of The Wizard of Oz. And a controversial but very timely film, LEONA'S SISTER GERRI (pg. 6), tells the story of the anonymous woman behind the famous photo now used as a potent symbol in the struggle for a woman's right to choose. Meanwhile, our festival's international selection is the fascinating GITMO (pg. 5), a film that was awarded the Special Grand Jury Mention at the Miami Film Festival "for the filmmakers' courage to pursue the truth in the face of the authority power." This much-talked-about documentary follows filmmakers Erik Gandini and Tarik Saleh on a journey to Guantanamo Bay Cuba, in search of the truth.

For our special retrospective, we have selected Arlenne Donnelley's humorous and provocative NAKED STATES (pg. 12) that examines one artist's dynamic work and its relevance within the cultural biography of America. Donnelly follows the artist Spencer Tunick as he travels to each of the 50 states and asks Americans of all races, shapes and body sizes to take off their clothes and pose in public before the camera. Exposing more than our bodies, the film reveals America's current attitude towards nudity, sexuality, body image, and all the other baggage that comes up when we take off our clothes.