social issue

Maureen Marovitch believes in polyamory, the philosophy of simultaneously loving more than one person. David Finch, her live-in boyfriend, does not and he is far from silent about his wish that Maureen break up with her two other boyfriends and settle down with him. So to settle the conflict, Marovitch and Finch chose a most untraditional tack: they decide to make a film about it. They set out across North America, meeting up with eclectic people living polyamorous lifestyles: swingers, pagans, a group family and the attendees of the Loving More polyamory convention. Meanwhile, their own relationship experiments force them to confront the difficult, sometimes painful realities of their lifestyle choice. An illuminating, emotionally charged, sometimes jaw-dropping documentary about modern relationships.

Every year, worldwide, 24 tons of diamonds are teased from the heart of the earth. Once mined they begin their year-long journey through the "pipeline," a vast, secretive network encompassing five continents and a diverse cast of characters. By the end of their journey these tiny bits of carbon will have made multi-millionaires of some and virtual slaves of others. Boring deep into the diamond world, Diamond Road explores the multiple meanings this object has for a few of the captivating characters who are part of the diamond pipeline: an impoverished miner in Sierra Leone, a child cutter and prominent businessman in India, a celebrity jeweller and a high-end dealer in New York. Their stories are interwoven with that of an industry leader who is fighting for transparency and fair trade for diamonds. Each is on a journey to realize a dream that centres on a stone which is itself a dream, a manufactured symbol of love, purity and the sublime. What results is a multi-layered portrait of a fascinating world which is steeped in a history of intrigue, conflict, love and hope.

What would you do if the neighborhood you lived in was neglected, run down and had a tarnished image of being ridden with crime, drugs and prostitution? 'The Avenue' follows a group of people who live in such an area - 118th Avenue Edmonton, Alberta - as they try to make a difference. How can they change the reality and image of their neighborhood and will they be able to succeed? What effect will their actions have? 'The Avenue' features Christy Morin of Arts on the Ave, Chris Hayduk of CRUD - Community Response to Urban Disorder, local residents - Barbara Heather, Jo-Ann Siebert, Cindy Burgess and Carla Meyer, social worker - Kris Andreychuk, and commentary from 'Neighbor Power' author - Jim Diers.