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August 12 - September 1 at IFC Center

August 19 - September 8 at Laemmle Sunset 5

A Marine Corps cover-up of one of the worst water contamination incidents in US history, the glaring reality of the media's objectification of women, as well as portraits of assassinated journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the man behind Elmo are all part of the lineup of outstanding films that will be presented in the International Documentary Association's 15th Annual DocuWeeks™ Theatrical Documentary Showcase.

Download the DocuWeeks™ 2011 press release. All publicity and credential requests please contact Ashley Mariner at Dish Communications.

DocuWeeks™ Los Angeles Program & Schedule - Download
DocuWeeks™ New York Program & Schedule - Download

Plan your DocuWeeks™ Los Angeles and New York screenings with the FilmFest DocuWeeks iPhone App - Download

FEATURES (Los Angeles Week 3)

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey  More Info Director/ Producer: Constance Marks
Beloved by children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon. Few people know his creator, Kevin Clash, who dreamed of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Displaying his creativity and talent at a young age, Kevin ultimately found a home on Sesame Street. Narrated by Whoopi Goldberg, this documentary includes rare archival footage, interviews with Frank Oz, Rosie O'Donnell, Cheryl Henson, Joan Ganz Cooney and others, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at Sesame Street and the Jim Henson Workshop.

Producers: James Miller, Corinne LaPook
Writers: Philip Shane, Justin Weinstein
Constance Marks Productions, Inc.
76 min. USA
Website/Trailer | Filmmaker Q&A

Dying to do Letterman  More Info Directors/Producers/Executive Producers: Joke Fincioen, Biagio Messina
This award-winning documentary follows funny man Steve Mazan as he chases a larger-than-life dream: performing stand-up comedy on David Letterman's show. However, his quest becomes far more urgent when he learns he may only have five years to live. With long odds stacked against him, and time ticking away, Steve faces a universal question: Should one persevere in the face of every obstacle? Or is there finally a time to give up? A funny, inspiring, emotional film that proves it's never too late to chase your dream.

Executive Producers: Steve Mazan, Denise Mazan
Joke Productions, Inc.
80 min. USA
Website/Trailer

Hell and Back Again  More Info Director: Danfung Dennis
From his embed with US Marines Echo Company in Afghanistan, photojournalist and filmmaker Danfung Dennis reveals the devastating impact a Taliban machine-gun bullet has on the life of 25-year-old Sergeant Nathan Harris. The film seamlessly transitions from stunning war reportage to an intimate, visceral portrait of one man's personal struggle at home in North Carolina, where Harris confronts the physical and emotional difficulties of re-adjusting to civilian life with the love and support of his wife, Ashley. Masterfully contrasting the intensity of the frontline with the unsettling normalcy of home, Hell and Back Again lays bare the true cost of war.

Producers: Martin Herring, Mike Lerner
Executive Producers: Executive Producers: Dan Cogan, Karol Martesko-Fenster, Gernot Schaffler, Thomas Brunner, Maxyne Franklin
Roast Beef Productions
88 min. UK/USA
Website/Trailer

The Mexican Suitcase  More Info Director/Producer/Writer: Trisha Ziff
The Mexican Suitcase tells the story of the recovery of 4,500 negatives taken by photographers Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David Seymour during the Spanish Civil War. The film follows the journey of these negatives to Mexico – images as exiles, recovered seventy years later. The Mexican Suitcase brings together three narratives: the suitcase, the exile story, and looks at how people in Spain today address their own past, 30 years after transition. The Mexican Suitcase addresses the power of memory and asks who owns our histories?

Producers: Eamon O'Farrill, Paco Poch
212 Berlin/Mallerrich Films Paco Poch
86 min. Mexico/Spain
Website/Trailer

Semper Fi: Always Faithful  More Info Directors/Producers: Rachel Libert, Tony Hardmon
As a devoted Marine for nearly 25 years, Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger lived and breathed the "Corps." When his 9-year-old daughter dies from a rare type of leukemia, Jerry wants to know why. His search for answers leads him to a shocking discovery: a Marine Corps cover-up of one of the worst water contamination incidents in US history. With relentless determination, he spearheads a decades-long battle to make this information public and hold the Marine Corps accountable. Semper Fi: Always Faithful is a searing look at the military's betrayal of its soldiers and an emotional story of one man's transformation into the activist he never imagined he'd become.

Producers: Jedd Wider, Todd Wider
Executive Producers: Wendy Ettinger, Judith Helfand, Julia Parker Benello
Tied to the Tracks Films, Inc
76 min. USA
Website/Trailer

The Tiniest Place (El Lugar Más Pequeño)  More Info Director/Writer: Tatiana Huezo
This is a story about mankind's ability to arise, to rebuild and reinvent itself after surviving a tragedy. It is also a story about a people that have learned to live with their sorrow; of an annihilated town that re-emerges through the strength and deep love of its inhabitants for the land and the people. A tiny place nestled in the mountains amidst the humid Salvadorian jungle.

Producer: Nicolás Celis
Executive Producers: Liliana Pardo, Henner Hofmann
Centro de Capacitación Cinematográfica/Foprocine
104 min. Mexico/El Salvador
Website/Trailer