Made in the USA - Documentary Features

Presented by Radiology Associates

AFTER THE STORM
Three Broadway actors bring the healing powers of musical theatre to a flood-ravaged New Orleans neighborhood.

You will stand and cheer at the end of this triumphant film which chronicles the amazing journey of three Broadway actors who travel to New Orleans to help revive a community center in the heart of a badly ravaged neighborhood, and the 12 local youth who come together to perform the Tony-award-winning musical Once on this Island. From auditions through performances, we hear the stories of each young actor’s life since Katrina, and witness the ongoing struggles they face in this forgotten area. We also feel their pride and growth through this experience. After the Storm is a testament to the healing power of art and how it can be used as a tool to reunite a broken community. In competition. 89 min. afterthestormfoundation.org

Thursday, March 18, 7:00pm
Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo

Presented by Garden Street Inn

BICYCLE DREAMS
Seekers, madmen, and angels are hell-bent on riding across America on a bicycle in less than ten days.

Following the road bike endurance race known as Ride Across America (RAAM), this film explores the passions, motivations, heartaches and triumphs of a group of competitors challenging themselves and the elements in this cross-country contest of both physical and mental strength. RAAM is the Mount Everest for road racing enthusiasts who leave San Diego and compete to see who can reach Atlantic City the fastest – without mandatory breaks or stopovers – these riders go 36 or more hours without sleeping in their attempt to master the race and their own demons. This film is a must see for anyone who has ridden a bike or felt the desire to take on a life-changing challenge. 104 min. bicycledreamsmovie.com

Friday, March 19, 4:00pm Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo
Friday, March 19, 7:00pm La Perla Del Mar, Shell Beach

Presented by One Way Boardshop

WORLD PREMIERE
BOARDHEADS
Riders around the world demonstrate the many ways to "board".

Board riders around the world share their 'stoke' with others, dramatically changing lives, empowering minds, building healthy bodies and freeing the spirit. Street kids feel empowered as their boards take them to new places. Paralyzed riders and amputees inspire others to get out and live. Communities grow stronger through activism. A Cuban who liberated himself from communism on his board, autistic kids and ex-gang members see hope where there once was darkness. Whether you realize it or not...there's a growing tribe of BoardHeads making our world a cooler place! Great action footage, interviews with sports legends, Boardheads covers a wide variety of board sports, people and locations, including San Luis Obispo County's Lake Lopez, and eleven different countries around the world. In competition. 85 min. www.boardheads.net

Saturday, March 13, 4:00pm Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo
Thursday, March 18 4:00pm Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo

Presented by First Bank of San Luis Obispo

BREATH MADE VISIBLE
A cinematic portrait of the avant-garde dancer/choreographer, Anna Halprin.

Now in her late 80's, Anna Halprin defies nature and dances like a woman half her age. This fascinating documentary examines the life and career of an American dance pioneer who has helped redefine our notion of modern art with her belief in dance's power to teach, heal, and transform at all ages of life. This cinematic portrait blends recent interviews with counterparts such as Merce Cunningham, archival footage, including her establishment of the first multiracial dance company in the U.S., and excerpts of current performances such as 'Parades and Changes' at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris, to weave a stunning, inspiring account of one of the most important cultural icons of modern dance. In competition. 80 min. www.breathmadevisible.com

Monday, March 15, 7:00pm
Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo

Presented by California Wine Advisors

BROADCAST BLUES
A fascinating, eye-opening exposé about corporate media and the power it wields in the United States.

Clear Channel neglects its emergency system, disaster strikes, and people die. Pentagon pundits profit from the same war they promote. Fox News gets a court ruling that news does not have to be true. We the People have lost control and access to a vital piece of our democracy - the airwaves - that threatens our health, safety and basic rights as citizens of the United States of America. BROADCAST BLUES exposes this insidious erosion of the media and our access to the facts, due to changes made to the laws and practices that protected and insured that the airwaves, first and foremost, act in the best interest of the public. Is time to take the media back? In competition. 76 min. USA. www.broadcastblues.tv

Saturday, March 13, 7:00pm, Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo
Saturday, March 20, 3:00pm, Park Cinemas Paso Robles

Presented by Ultra Stereo Labs

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE: BURZYNSKI
The story of a groundbreaking cancer cure and the endless fight to have it approved by the FDA.

This is the riveting story of medical doctor and Ph.D biochemist, Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski, who won the largest and possibly most intriguing legal battle against the Food & Drug Administration in American history. His victorious battles with the United States government were centered around Dr. Burzynski's belief in and commitment to gene-targeted cancer medicines he discovered in the 1970's called Antineoplastons, which have just completed Phase II FDA-supervised clinical trials in 2009 and will begin the final phase of testing in 2010. BURZYNSKI takes the audience through his treacherous, yet victorious, 14-year journey both he and his patients have had to endure in order to obtain FDA-approved clinical trials of Antineoplastons, a non-toxic cancer cure. 108 min. In competition. www.burzynskimovie.com

Saturday, March 20, 12:00pm
Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo

Presented by Paul G. Metchik, Attorney at Law

CRAIGSLIST JOE
Work in Progress - Sneak Preview

Is it possible to live off Craigslist for a month? Joe Garner decides to find out.

In search for proof that there is still compassion and community possible in America, 29-year old filmmaker Joe Garner sets out to see if he can survive for 31 days relying only on the kindness of the strangers he meets through the virtual community and phenomenon that is Craigslist. From transportation to food, from shelter to companionship, Joe depends on the goodwill of people who have never laid eyes on him. Along the way Joe is overwhelmed with the generosity, care and a lively group of real-life characters, who turn his journey into one of incredible optimism and discovery. This film will leave you filled with a renewed sense of hope for America and an overwhelming desire to login and discover your own Craigslist community. 93 min. www.craigslistjoe.com

Friday, March 19, 9:00pm
Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo

Presented by John and Kirsten Swift and Amtrak

THE GARDEN
The gripping true story of the battle to save a mid-city community garden.

This is the amazing story of the fourteen-acre community garden at 41st and Alameda in South Central Los Angeles - the largest of its kind in the United States. Started as a form of healing after the devastating L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farmers created a miracle in one of the country’s most blighted neighborhoods by growing their own food, feeding their families and creating a community. Suddenly, bulldozers threatened to level their 14-acre oasis, and the battle involving a wealthy developer, politicians and immigrant farmers became headline news. Mostly immigrants from Latin America, they learned to organize, fight back, and demand answers. Nominated for an Academy Award in 2009, THE GARDEN is inspirational, eye opening and thoroughly engrossing. 80 min. www.thegardenmovie.com

Saturday, March 13, 1:00pm
La Perla Del Mar, Shell Beach

Presented by Cellular One and the Madonna Inn

HANDMADE NATION
A new generation of craftmakers are weaving together old and new techniques to create a modern handmade nation.

Featuring interviews and the work of eighty crafters in fifteen cities across the country, this interesting film by Faythe Levine documents a movement of artists, crafters and designers that recognize a marriage between historical techniques, punk and DIY (do it yourself) ethos while being influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art. Fueled by the common thread of creating, HANDMADE NATION explores a burgeoning art community that is based on creativity, determination and networking. 65 min. www.handmadenationmovie.com

Wednesday, March 17, 4:00pm Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo
Thursday, March 18, 7:00pm, Pavilion on the Lake, Atascadero

Presented by Heritage Oaks and SLO City News

JESSE'S STORY
The inspiring story of Jesse Billauer, a paraplegic surfer who refuses to give up.

At 17, surfing prodigy Jesse Billauer experienced a tragic surfing accident that left him a C-6 quadriplegic. Now paralyzed from mid-chest down, he miraculously still surfs big waves. Seven years ago, filmmaker Mark Jacobs set out to document Jesse's childhood success as a sponsored athlete, the accident, who inspires him, and how he has learned to surf as a spinal cord injured person with no use of his hands or body except from the shoulders up. His will to 'live life to the fullest' has helped him find the strength and determination to get back to what used to be simple pleasures – surfing and a love of the ocean. The film also features Jesse's fans, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Bob Hurley, Christopher Reeve and a host of friends and family. In competition. 74 min. www.jessesstory.com

Thursday, March 18, 4:00pm
Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo

Presented by Downtown Brewing Company

THE LAST CUP: ROAD TO THE WORLD SERIES OF BEER PONG
It is a sport. It just happens to involve alcohol.

Outrageous but true, this entertaining documentary chronicles America’s wooziest subculture and follows participants as they compete to conquer the fun and frothy sport of competitive beer pong. Beer pong practitioners from across the US meet in Nevada for the second annual World Series of Beer Pong where the team with the sharpest accuracy (and highest tolerance) stands to walk away with $20,000. THE LAST CUP cuts through the drunken revelry and sets its cameras on four very different teams, culminating in a sobering, nail-biter of a conclusion. And what better place to watch it than Downtown Brewing Company? Sip on a brewski as you enjoy the film and then stay for a few games of beer pong after the movie! lastcupmovie.com/

Monday, March 15, 8:00pm
Downtown Brewing Company, San Luis Obispo

Presented by Jennings Aeronautics Inc.

THE LEGEND OF PANCHO BARNES AND THE HAPPY BOTTOM RIDING CLUB
The charismatic Florence 'Pancho' Barnes was one of the most important women in 20th Century aviation.

A tough and fearless pilot, Pancho flew on Amelia Earhart's wingtip, performed as a barnstormer throughout California, and made a name for herself as Hollywood's first female stunt pilot in the 1920's and 30's. Just before WWII she opened a ranch near Edwards Air Force Base that became a famous (some would say notorious) hangout for test pilots and movie stars. The 'Happy Bottom Riding Club' became the epicenter of the aviation world during the early jet age. Chuck Yeager celebrated breaking the sound barrier there in 1947, and famous pilots like Howard Hughes and Jimmy Doolittle caroused in the bar. In the same fashion, Pancho herself has become something of a legend, a fascinating yet enigmatic icon whose story is largely unknown. Until now. In competition. 66 min. www.legendofpanchobarnes.com
(Photo courtesy of the Pancho Barnes Trust Estate)

Saturday, March 13, 1:00pm Park Cinemas, Paso Robles
Sunday, March 14, 4:00pm Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo

Presented by the Law Office of Jan Howell Marx & Patty and Ken Andreen

THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
The inside story of the brave man and pivotal event that changed history and transformed our nation's political discourse.

In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg shook America to its foundations when he smuggled a top-secret Pentagon study to the New York Times. The documents showed how five Presidents consistently lied to the American people about the Vietnam War that was tearing America apart. President Nixon's National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger called Ellsberg, facing 115 years in prison on espionage and conspiracy charges, "the most dangerous man in America." Ensuing events led directly to Watergate and the downfall of President Nixon, and hastened the end of the Vietnam War. Daniel Ellsberg has inspired Americans of all walks of life to forever question the previously unchallenged pronouncements of its leaders. Recently nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary. Daniel Ellsberg and co-director/producer, Judith Ehrlich will attend. 92 min. www.mostdangerousman.org/

Friday, March 19, 7:00pm
Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo

Presented by Gus's Grocery and Amtrak

SPEAKING IN TONGUES
What would it be like if your parents put you in a school where the teacher spoke a foreign language?

Taking us beyond rote arguments and stereotypes, this intimate film witnesses the joys and challenges of four diverse children in the Bay Area on their journey to become global citizens. Enter their world and ask, today, is knowing one language enough? We follow Durrell, an African American kindergartener learning Mandarin; Jason, a fifth grader who spoke only Spanish when he started school, and now reads, writes and speaks in two languages; Kelly, a spirited third grader, reclaiming the Cantonese her parents lost; and Julian, a Caucasian eighth grader, who speaks unaccented Cantonese and Mandarin. Against a landscape where most U.S. states declare themselves “English only,” these stories force us to explore the provocative notion that being bilingual can be a national asset. In competition. 60 min. www.speakingintonguesfilm.com

Saturday, March 13, 1:00pm Downtown Cinemas, San Luis Obispo
Sunday, March 14, 1:00pm La Perla Del Mar, Shell Beach

Presented by Cambria Pines Lodge

WHITE WASH
Find out why fair skin and blue eyes have dominated modern surf culture for so long.

This fascinating film explores the complexity of race in America through the struggle and triumph of the history of black surfers. The story is narrated by Grammy Award® winner Ben Harper with Tariq "Blackthought" Trotter of the Roots and told through the eyes of black surfers from Hawaii, Jamaica, Florida, and California. This controversial and probing film looks deep into America′s painful and pervasive legacy of slavery and exclusion. From the "discovery" of surfing by Captain James Cook in Hawaii in 1778 through the explosion of surf culture during the days of segregated Jim Crow America in the 1960′s, this film explores the myths that black surfers have overcome in their search for waves and equality. In competition. 69 min. www.whitewashmovie.com

Sunday, March 14, 4:00pm
La Perla Del Mar, Shell Beach

Presented by the Holiday Inn Express, San Luis Obispo

WILLIAM KUNSTLER: DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE
Filmmakers Emily and Sarah Kunstler explore the life of their father, the late radical civil rights lawyer.

In the 1960s and 70s, attorney William Kunstler fought for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr. He represented the famed "Chicago 8" activists who protested the Vietnam War. When the inmates took over Attica prison, and when American Indians took on the federal government at Wounded Knee, they asked Kunstler to be their lawyer. To his young daughters, he seemed to be at the center of everything important. But their dad also represented some of the most reviled members of society, including rapists and assassins. This powerful film not only recounts the historic causes that Kunstler fought for; it also reveals a man who risked public outrage and the safety of his family so that justice could serve all. 87 min. www.disturbingtheuniverse.com/

Monday, March 15, 4:00pm Palm Theatre, San Luis Obispo
Friday, March 19, 7:00pm Pavilion on the Lake, Atascadero