Media Film Festival 2012 Line Up Announced

The Media Arts Council announced its official selections for the 5th Annual Media Film Festival.

The three-night event will run Feb. 23-25 at the Media Borough Community Center from 7 to 10:30 p.m. This year's films include; narrative, documentary, animated and experimental films with local, national and international entries.

For tickets and more details visit: www.mediafilmfestival.org.

Below is a list and schedule for all of the films.

Thursday, Feb. 23

Desperate Crossing: A funny, animated short about a misunderstanding between an urgent criminal and a rookie policeman. 

Oscillating Garrett: Mourning the sudden loss of his wife a man becomes trapped in a crashed "virtual reality" when he overstays his time. 

Crashing By Design: Alex is an ordinary girl who keeps bees. Much to the chagrin of her worried boyfriend Leo, she decides to join a roller derby team. But can this timid 'bee girl' overcome her fears and transform into roller girl 'HoneyBea Stingz'? 

Undivided: The Preston & Steve Experience: Told from the point-of-view of a fan, this documentary provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Preston and Steve Show on 93.3FM WMMR including interviews with the talented on-air team, celebrity guests and their wildly devoted fans.

Another Day Another Life: Downsized and desperate a man struggles with his desire for revenge and figuring out what really matters in the grand scheme of life.

Steve Phoenix: The Untold Story: A small time cable TV reporter with dreams of the big time stumbles into a story far stranger than he ever imagined. Along the way, he discovers the shocking truth about fame, friendship and the American way. 

Friday, Feb. 24

Square Fish: Beatles Favorites: Really dry humor in a really wet world as some aquatic Beatles fans tackle a controversial question in this animated short. 

Top Leaves: If you see one talking giraffe movie this year make it this one. 

Sweet Love: A dark comedy about obsession. 

Romaine: A short character study on how grief and depression can take a heavy toll on any personal relationship. 

The Ruby Runs Red: A hard-bitten detective investigates the death of a young woman and the disappearance of a priceless ruby leading to a shocking conclusion. 

Rain in Summer: Cass is a young woman who isn’t over the ex-boyfriend who broke up with her a year ago. When a friend invites her to a lesbian party she meets an intriguing woman and what happens next nobody sees coming.

Porthole to the Past: A short muse on the history of the Ohlone Native Americans as the viewer looks into an old Ohlone mortar hole filled with water and imagery. 

Race to the Bottom of the Earth: Explorer and Media, Pa. resident Todd Carmichael attempts to be the first American in history to trek solo and unaided, 700 miles across Antarctica to the South Pole, in an effort to break the land speed record. The adventure turns into a struggle for survival and a true test of a man's inner strength.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Oliver's Treasure: In this animated short Sir Oliver stumbles onto the king's crown left forgotten on the throne. Sir Oliver decides to try it on and invites trouble from a curious knight.

Rebirth: Kalpa, a nursing assistant from India, seeks a home away from her past in a small town. Helen, owner of the local bakery, struggles with conflicts between her teenage granddaughter and her religious beliefs in this parable about death, life and second chances.

The Wonders of the World: Melissa is different from her classmates and has never felt like one of the crowd. One day a class assignment offers Melissa the chance to show that her difference could offer a unique point of view.

Meh Sha: The story of a 17-year-old Burmese refugee who struggles to reunite the pieces of his family fractured by violent oppression and to lead them in their new life in South Philadelphia. 

Blanche: A successful French female writer lives alone. Her creative process and her solitude are leading her to develop a dual personality. When the writer is interviewed by a journalist matters become even more complicated. 

This Too Shall Pass: A brief glimpse into the effects of time and our place on this earth. 

Reflector: It's 1977, and two young missionaries in the deserts of Southwest Africa take a weekend off to do a little amateur astronomy. Things don't go quite as planned.

A Finger, Two Dots Then Me: A spoken-word piece based on a popular poem by renowned modern beat poet Derrick Brown. The film takes a dramatic look at death, life and love through the eyes of Brown, who has performed around the world both as a headliner and with bands such as the Flaming Lips and the Cold War Kids.

Laduma: The story of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, told through the eyes of adventurous American soccer supporters who traveled to South Africa to experience the first ever World Cup on the African continent and we see how "The Beautiful Game" can bring people and cultures together.

This information was provided in a press release by the Media Arts Council.