S1.E5 ∙ Episode #1.5

La Vida y Los Muertos is a visually rich film that captures the beauty, the joy, the sadness and the magic of the Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico. From elaborately decorated graves, to frightening demon dancers, to lavish home altars, and enormous sand paintings, the film takes you on a journey through the city of Oaxaca and five nearby villages during the days of the festival. Wandering through the festively decorated streets, homes and graveyards is like passing through hundreds of private conversations between those that are living and those that have passed on. Like the festival itself, the film comes alive as the music dances and interacts with the imagery in a joyous celebration of life.

When times get tough, to whom do you turn? In the heart of Central Appalachia, where poverty for many is a lifelong burden, the answer to that question often is limited. When the Garretts, a loving family in Jonesville, VA, are swindled by a fraudulent contractor, they are left with nowhere to turn and a house in disrepair. That is until they hear about the Appalachia Service Project. In this touching portrayal of a family in need and a group of people ready to help, filmmakers Doug Seirup and Brean Cunningham illuminate the true meaning of lending a hand to a neighbor, in the documentary feature, Expect Miracles.

Short insights of old, traditional children's games, as they were played by kids.

Award-winning poet Elizabeth Zetlin walks the limestone barrens of Canada and Ireland. Asking 'what we call holy,' she combines poetry, image and song to create a lyrical meditation on survival and loss. David Suzuki's belief 'the way we see the world shapes the way we treat it' becomes an anthem.

Married in Canada follows seven love stories, which reveal why getting married is significant for many same-sex American couples prohibited from tying the knot in their resident states. The couples and their families illustrate why overcoming the obstacles to legal nuptials is worthwhile - despite the reality that once back home south of the border, the newlyweds will remain merely 'married in Canada,' with their marital status going unrecognized. With unfettered access to the brides and grooms on their wedding days, the film follows the most meaningful ceremony of their lives. In this first-ever documentary about human rights and cross-border same-sex marriage, Married in Canada explores the strength and conviction of lovers in their fight for equality.

Inspired by the bizarre world she witnessed around her while growing up in a wealthy village in war-torn Lebanon, Rozy Sarkis's documentary Image Matters (2012) explores the country's culture of cosmetic surgery. The film focuses in particular on popular Lebanese soap opera actress Marinelle's quest to resist the effects of aging by transforming her face. As she struggles with the dangers of the operation and the complications that ensue, the background features a hub of female family members, each riddled with their own anxieties about their appearance. This family drama plays out against a broader backdrop of considerable social upheaval and instability.