High school dropouts, a blind painter, arm wrestlers, firefighting and the tango are the subjects of the five short documentaries selected for this year’s Bethesda Film Festival.
The event, organized by the Bethesda Urban Partnership, will run on two nights this year after last year’s inaugural Film Fest attracted a sellout crowd.
Tickets are $10 each. The films will screen starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 at Imagination Stage (4908 Auburn Ave.).
The documentaries are all from local filmmakers, including one — Isabelle Carbonell — who participated in last year’s event:
Doing it for Me (24:12 minutes)
Film by Precious Lambert and Leah Edwards, students in the youth documentary program at Sitar Arts Center, Washington, D.C.; Connor Drake, Producer; Brandon Kramer and Lance Kramer, Executive Producers
Jessica and Victoria are young women in Washington, D.C. who dropped out of high school for personal and family reasons. Doing it for Me offers an intimate and compassionate glimpse into the real experiences of high school dropouts.
Line of Sight (6:40 minutes)
Film by Stephen Menick, three-time Emmy-nominated Writer-Producer-Director based in DC.
John Bramblitt is a painter. He is also blind. He is also a genius. Personal despair is turned into an inspiring vision of beauty and life as John Bramblitt learns to express his talent for painting – without sight.
Smackdown for Charity (12:00 minutes)
Film by Scott Sowers, Director; Misty Ray, Producer
Competition, charity and characters crash together as the DC Lady Arm Wrestlers battle each other in a test of strength. The competition is real, the characters are over the top and the proceeds go to charities that benefit women and children.
The Bottom Line (10:04 minutes)
Film by Mark Burchick, Thesis Film, Towson University; Joe Brown and Brian Plow, Producers
The Bottom Line documents the preparations taken by a Howard County-based firefighter as he prepares for his first child and reflects on his high-risk career.
When She Dances with Me (6:00 minutes)
Film by Isabelle Carbonell, Director/Cinematographer; Sarah Cannon, Editor
Nadim and Mira love tango, and Nadim and Mira love each other. This Lebanese couple discovers Argentine Tango in the Middle East: an unusual marriage of passion, dance, geography and joy.
For more information and tickets, visit the event page.
Photo from “Line of Sight,” via Bethesda Urban Partnership
