MetroShorts

The fifth edition of our popular program of films from the vibrant, creative community of filmmakers in DC and the immediate Metro area.

Total running time: 105 minutes

Guests expected in person: Jon Gann, producer Miss Alma Thomas; Angela Garcia Combs, director and Asher Huey, writer American Dream; Joe Gentle, director No Safety With Surveillance; Ivan Kander, director Minyan Duty; Johnny Holder, director Sonora; and Sara T. Gama, director Miss Chelove.

Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color

Cheri Gaulke
USA, 2021, 20 minutes, documentary
This spirited documentary shines a light on trailblazing Black painter Alma Thomas from her early years in Washington D.C. through her national acclaim late in life.

American Dream

Angela Garcia Combs
USA, 2021, 21 minutes, narrative
A recovering addict suffers the dangers and indignities of gig work in the wealthy homes of the privileged few.

No Safety with Surveillance

Joe Gentle
USA, 2021, 11 minutes, documentary
Through the lens of their research and experience, three activists offer an incisive look into the fight against data collection and surveillance within the tech industry.

Minyan Duty

Ivan Kander
USA, 2021, 14 minutes, narrative
Hoping to say Kaddish after their mother's death, Leah and Ariel find themselves one person short of a Minyan—the quorum of ten Jewish adults required for evening prayer service. As a result, they turn to an unconventional solution.

Sonora

Johnny Holder & Pablo Camacho
Colombia, 2021, 24 minutes, documentary
Lushly filmed in the nature preserves of Colombia, South America, this documentary explores the human sensory connection to nature from the perspective of Juan Pablo Culasso, a blind birder who has collected recordings of the vocalizations of over 1100 different bird species.

Miss Chelove

Sara T. Gama
USA, 2021, 15 minutes, documentary
D.C. artist Cita Sadeli aka Miss Chelove reflects on her identity as a Javanese American as she pays tribute to her heritage through a new mural in a soon-to-open Indonesian coffeehouse.