Dir.: Ilan Ziv
Icarus Films
After fighting as an Israeli soldier in the 1973 war, and troubled by the nation's obsessive mixing of the Bible with politics, filmmaker Ilan Ziv left for America, which he considered a "safe haven" because of its separation between church and state. Thirty-five years later, alarmed by the prominent role of religion in the 2008 American presidential campaign, Ziv decides to make a road trip, to try and understand the phenomenon.
Jesus Politics explores themes including the social role of the church in the African-American community, the religious rhetoric of the candidates and their sometimes controversial associations with religious leaders, how moral issues such as abortion became political weapons, and how biblical interpretation is used to validate political beliefs.
Filmed across 4,000 miles and 17 states, Jesus Politics weaves an historically informed but thoroughly contemporary cinematic essay, a probing look at how deeply religious faith shapes 21st century American politics.

Dir.: Gini Reticker; Prod.: Abigail Disney
Balcony Releasing
Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the gripping account of a group of brave and visionary women who demanded peace for Liberia, a nation torn by a decades-old civil war. The women's historic, yet unsung achievement finds voice in a narrative that intersperses contemporary interviews, archival images and scenes of present-day Liberia together to recount the experiences and memories of the women who were instrumental in bringing lasting peace to their country.

Dir.: Steve Kroschel
Cinema Libre

Garrett is a 15-year old boy living in the Alaskan wilderness with a menagerie of orphaned animals. Growing up close with nature has given him a deep understanding of nutritional needs required by diet sensitive animals on the reserve. Unfortunately, the untimely and tragic death of his mother propelled him into a downward spiral and he risked flunking out of school. This led to his father's decision to home-school Garrett. His first assignment was to study a controversial book written by Dr. Max Gerson.

Written over 50 years ago, Dr. Gerson found that diet could, and did, cure cancer. Controversial at the time (and even today), Garrett took on the challenge of researching this amazing therapy, which drew the interest of his neighbors in the small Alaskan community. With the help of Dr. Gerson's daughter, Charlotte Gerson, and grandson, Howard Strauss, they gave him the ammunition needed to go in search for the truth - a truth that would affect not only him, but his entire Alaskan village - all of whom wanted to know if these claims were true.

After a number of cancer patients, who were diagnosed as terminal, shared their stories and their medical records with Garrett, it became abundantly clear that, contrary to the disinformation campaign spearheaded by the multi-billion dollar medical and pharmaceutical industry, a cure for virtually all cancers and chronic diseases does exist - and has existed for over 80 years! Garrett's mission now is to tell the world.

Dir.: Josh Koury; Prod.: Gerald Lewis

"There is a raging Wizard Rock scene in this country, and I had no idea until watching the film We Are Wizards. The documentary profiles some of the power players in the underground Harry Potter creative community. I'm not talking sinister meetings in the woods about the Dark Arts. Instead, the film offers us a seven-year-old rock star and his teen pop idols, hilarious audio-commentary set to the movie and online creative writing sites waging war with corporate agents.

The books' themes of good versus evil and using inner strength to overcome challenges serve as a catalyst for many to face personal obstacles, or just to meet like-minded folk and have fun. It is staggering to learn of the different ways people touched by J.K. Rowling's book series are honoring the characters and story with their own ideas, passion and talents. The Harry Potter mythos allows the nerdy, the average, the young, the downtrodden and the bored a chance to borrow a little inspiration and step out of their respective worlds to be a part of something BIG. Not to say the aforementioned groups are lacking in talent. The fan arena is simply a staging ground for sharpening skills and surprising oneself with the results - much like the epic story of a boy wizard."
- Adrienne O'Keefe (courtesy of the SXSW Film Festival)

Hailing from a small town in Alaska, 15-year-old Garrett sets out to investigate the direct link between diet and disease, and in the process he learns about world's simplest cure for cancer.   An inspirational journey of a boy who learns about the dangers of the toxic materials that surround us, THE BEAUTIFUL TRUTH, written and directed by Steve Kroschel, will premiere at The Quad Cinema in New York City (34 West 13th Street, NY, NY 10011, (212) 255-8800) on November 14.

Showtimes:  Daily at 1:00 2:50** 5:00 7:00* 9:25

Q&A with author and health expert Howard Straus on Fri. and Sat. following the 7:00 shows and Sun. following the 2:50.

**IDA members can get $2 off the normal ticket price on opening weekend (Fri. 11/14, Sat 11/15 and Sunday 11/16) by printing of this coupon and presenting it at the box office.

Distributed by Cinema Libre Studio - more at:www.thebeautifultruthmovie.com

Location Name:  The Quad Cinema

Address: , New York

Dir.: Tara Wray; Prods.: Michel Negroponte, Alan Oxman

Manhattan, Kansas is a personal documentary about a daughter coping with her mentally unstable mother. It delves into the complicated ways people care for one another, and offers insight into the mind of a parent struggling for physical and emotional survival, and the effects this has on those who love her. Plus: a surprise ending...

Dir.: Ellen Kuras; Co-Dir.: Thavisouk Phrasavath; Prod.: Flora Fernandez-Marengo
The Cinema Guild

Filmed over the course of 23 years, The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) is the epic story of a Lao soldier family's journey from war-torn Laos to the mean streets of New York. Thavisouk Phrasavath tells his own deeply personal story as a young man struggling to survive a war and the later hardships of immigrant life, counterpointed by his mother's astonishing tale of perseverance. Renowned cinematographer Ellen Kuras' directorial debut is a remarkable collaboration with Phrasavath-a poetic, cinematically resonant film about the hidden, human face of war's "collateral damage."

THE ATOM SMASHERS
by Clayton Brown, Monica Ross and Andrew Suprenant

Fermilab is a premier U.S. government research laboratory focusing on particle physics. However with a growing national deficit, made worse by costly military conflicts and natural disasters, the lab struggles to survive. THE ATOM SMASHERS chronicles three years in a decades-long international race to find one of the most elusive sub-atomic particles ever theorized: the Higgs boson. 

Location Name:  PBS

THE HUGO CHAVEZ SHOW
Airs Tuesday, November 25 from 9 to 10:30 P.M. ET (check local listings)

FRONTLINE presents in English and Spanish

Prerelease online Wednesday, November 19 at
www.pbs.org/frontline/hugochavez
FRONTLINE looks at Venezuela's controversial and outspoken president Hugo Chavez and the revolution he claims is turning his country into an anti-capitalist beacon for Latin America and the world. Through the lens of his unique weekly program "Aló Presidente" and the eyes of the Venezuelans who know him well, FRONTLINE producer Ofra Bikel digs below the surface of his presidency and his personality to try to understand the mercurial leader.
FRONTLINE will produce a Spanish-language audio track of "The Hugo Chavez Show." Viewers can access the Spanish version through the SAP button on their TV remote control. The English and Spanish version will also be available online at www.pbs.org/frontline/hugochavez beginning Wednesday, November 19.