Professional Motion Picture Production and Distribution NEWS

Seven Short Films Comment on the Modern-Day Nature of War

�There is only one way to be born, but because of mankind, there are hundreds of ways to die. I think about that a lot.� This thought-provoking observation from an adolescent boy is just one of the many captured by seven promising UCLA film students in �Images of War in the 21st Century,� a compilation of short films that premieres on SHOWTIME the eve of the Presidential election Monday, November 1st from 8-10pm (ET/PT) and encores throughout the month.

The seven films that make up "Images of War in the 21st Century" showcase some of the industry�s best up-and-coming talent from graduate students of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television and explore the politically charged topics of terrorism and nuclear weapons. The films were partially funded by a $125,000 donation from the network.

"SHOWTIME believes in creating opportunities that encourage and foster young talent," stated Matthew C. Blank, Showtime President and CEO. "We are proud to give these students a platform to explore an issue so pertinent not only to our times, but also to their generation."

Eligible graduate students were asked to submit proposals and budgets for prospective narrative, animated, and documentary films up to 20 minutes in length. The winning films, which were selected by a faculty committee at UCLA and SHOWTIME executives, include: WAR ON THEIR MINDS: VOICES OF AMERICAN KIDS - Jennifer W. Glos; WINNING THE PEACE - Eli Akira Kaufman; OUTSIDE - Jenn Kao; ATTENTION - Brad Sample; THE INVISIBLE MAN - Angela Mrema; ELEGY - Kristina Malsberger; and DOMINANCE AND TERROR: A DISCUSSION WITH NOAM CHOMSKY - Roberto S. Oregel.

"With SHOWTIME'S extraordinary gift, we encouraged our emerging talent to deal with--not avoid--difficult issues of conflicting ideologies, terrorism, and the threat of nuclear war," said Barbara Boyle, Chair of the UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media. "For Showtime to broadcast this program on November 1st is simply perfect."

SHOWTIME has continually demonstrated a commitment to films that enter into the current political dialogue with acquisitions such as "Fahrenheit 9/11," which will air in June of 2005, and original films such as "DC 9/11," recently released on DVD.

UCLA boasts one of the world�s premier programs, offering a multi-disciplined, comprehensive approach to animation, film, television and new media. Each year, an elite group of students are selected from hundreds of applicants. Student projects have won top awards at practically every prestigious film festival in the world, including Cannes, Sundance and Berlin. UCLA has produced such notable filmmakers as Allison Anders, Charles Burnett, Alex Cox, Moctesuma Esparza, Francis Ford Coppola, Colin Higgins, Justin Lin, Gregory Nava, Alexander Payne, Gina Price-Bythewood, Tim Robbins, Paul Schrader, Penelope Spheeris, Audrey Wells and Catherine Hardwicke.

Winning The Peace

War On Their Minds: Voices of American Kids

Winning The Peace

DESCRIPTION OF SHORTS

War on their Minds: Voices of American Kids (8PM ET/PT)
Children, ages 4 to 18, speak out passionately on war in this documentary. The film features surprisingly thought-provoking observations from America�s youngest generation.

Winning the Peace (8:25PM ET/PT)
This war drama creates a fictional backstory to an emotional photograph that the New York Times ran on its front page in June 2003 of an American soldier kneeling and embracing a fellow Marine. In the film, an Iraqi-American Marine returns to Iraq to redeem his place of birth, only to destroy the very people he hoped to save.

Outside (8:45PM ET/PT)
This sci-fi film depicts a future society that protects its citizens by shutting them away from the outside world. One woman contemplates re-entering the unknown when she forms a relationship with an outsider.

Attention (9:10PM ET/PT)
Two of the world�s top historians discuss the war in Iraq amidst a growing deluge of media coverage. The information overload ultimately becomes a blur, creating merely a background for images that depict the unrelenting violence of war and terrorism.

The Invisible Man (9:15PM ET/PT)
In this dark comedy about a news crawl writer, an underappreciated employee begins creating his own version of the news. His slanderous inventions result in his arrest.

Elegy (9:35PM ET/PT)
In this computer-animated film, an alien spacecraft deep in outer space discovers a time capsule. The capsule, which contains poignant footage of mankind�s triumphs and tribulations, reveals the last remnants of a species wiped out by nuclear warfare.

Dominance and Terror: A Discussion with Noam Chomsky (9:40PM ET/PT)
This film is a visual and audio journey into the theories of Noam Chomsky, one of American�s most prominent political dissidents. The skillfully edited piece explores Chomsky�s perception that the U.S.�s �War on Terror� is an act of terrorism in itself.

War On Their Minds: Voices of American Kids

Elegy

War On Their Minds: Voices of American Kids

Photos courtesy of Showtime Networks

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