Saturday - April 7, 2007
Doors Open for Complimentary Refreshments at 9:00 AM
Film Begins Promptly at 9:30 AM
Camelot Theatres
2300 Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA
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Special Guests:
Veronica Diaferia, (Writer, Director, Producer)
Michael Slavens, (Editor)
“CLOSING TIME: storia di un negozio” (The Story of a Store)
West Coast Premiere

Marcos Efron; Writer, Director, Editor & Producer
“COMMON PRACTICE”
Coachella Valley Premiere

“ANGRY UNPAID HOOKER”
A young man wakes up with a cranky prostitute in his apartment. He can’t pay her, and he can’t explain to his girlfriend how she got there.
 
Writer/Director:  Steve Dildarian
Animated, USA, English, Runtime 7 minutes
Best Animation, U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Aspen 2006
www.ifilm.com/video/2723074
 
 
“BLEACH”
The elderly and slightly delusional Mrs.Gita Geier is terrified of the illegal African immigrant who cleans her small apartment. Lack of communication and the claustrophobic environment contribute to a strange day.
 
Director/Producer:  Alon Benari
Drama, Israel, Hebrew w/English subtitles, Runtime 12 minutes
Wolgin Award, Best Short Film, Jerusalem Film Festival 2005
www.dragomanfilms.com
 
   
“81 YEAR OLD SWEETHEART”
An 81-year-old man named Jack flies across the country to meet his high school sweetheart, Betty, who he hasn't seen in 62 years.
 
Writer/Director/Producer:  Danielle Lurie (In the Morning)
Documentary, USA, English, Runtime 6 minutes
 
 
“COMMON PRACTICE”
A young Mexican-American boy brings his working class Latino neighborhood together in ways he never thought possible.
 
Writer/Director:  Marcos Efron
Drama, USA, English, Runtime 10 minutes
Award Winner:  2006 Houston Worldfest; 2006 Beverly Hills Shorts Film Festival; 2006 Harry M. Warner Short Film Festival; 2006 Coeur d'Alene Film Festival
www.MarcosEfron.com
 
   
“NEO-NOIR”
It looks like a classic case of Soviet Roulette (Russian Roulette in which one cheats), but the insurance investigators suspect that there’s more to an accidental death than meets the eye.
 
Writer/Director:  Chase Palmer
Drama, USA, English, Runtime 10 min
Awards: Nominated Best Short Film, Deauville Film Festival; Short Jury Award, Austin Film Festival
 
   
“MR. MERGLER’S GIFT”
The girl sits at the piano and plays the opening bars of Für Elise. Daniel Mergler has heard the Beethoven bagatelle countless times over the decades, but this is different. He listens with surprise, and delight lights up the old man's eyes.
 
Writer/Director:  Beverly Shaffer
Documentary, Canada, English, Runtime 31 minutes
Award Winner:  Reel World Film Festival. Toronto, Canada; International Children's Film Festival, Chicago
www.nfb.ca/mrmerglersgift
 
   
“CLOSING TIME: storia di un negozio”
At the corner of Mulberry and Grand St., Ernesto Rossi & Co is one of the oldest and most famous stores in Little Italy.  However, the NY real estate market has forced it to shut its’ historic doors and, together with it, a piece of Italy.  “Closing Time” documents the last month of business.
 
Writer/Director/Producer:  Veronica Diaferia
Editor:  Michael Slavens
Documentary, USA, English, Runtime 30 minutes
Winner Best Short Documentary, Atlanta Film Festival 2006, Winner Best Short Documentary Big Apples Film Festival, November 2006
www.closingtime-doc.com/home.html