On February 26 2011 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hosted a symposium featuring all the nominees for Oscar Award in the Short Documentary category.

Michael Apted interviewed the nominees as they talked about their extraordinary films and future plans.

The event took place at the Goldwyn Mayer Theatre in Los Angeles.

MyETVmedia was there to cover the event and the set up week.

Featured films:

‘Poster Girl’

Dir. Sara Nesson

Prod Mitchell W. Block

‘Poster Girl is the story of Robynn Murray, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girls” for women in combat, distinguished by “Army” Magazine’s cover shot. Now home from Iraq, her tough-as-nails exterior begins to crack, leaving Robynn struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

‘Sun Come Up’

Dir. Jennifer Redfearn

Prod. Tim Metzger and Jennifer Redfearn

‘Sun Come Up follows the relocation of some of the world’s first environmental refugees, the Carteret Islanders, a community living on a remote island chain in the South Pacific Ocean. When rising seas threaten the survival, the islanders face a pinful decision: they must leave their beloved land in search of a new place to call home.’

‘Strangers No More’

Dir. Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon

Prod. Karen Goodman and Kirk Simon

‘For most children, going to school is as going around the block. For others, it’s the end of a long and dangerous journey. In the heart of Tel Aviv, they find refuge at an exceptional school where children from forty-eight countries and of many religions come together to learn in peace. Having fled poverty, political adversity and even genocide, the students struggle to forget the past.’

‘The Warriors of Qiugang’

Dir. Ruby Yang

Prod. Thomas Lennon and Ruby Yang

‘Villagers in central China take on a chemical company that is poisoning their air, water and land. For five years they fight to transform their environment and as they do, they find themselves transformed as well.’

(Symposium photos and film descriptions courtesy of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.)

Mat Kolodziejski

Podcast Editing: Mat Kolodziejski