L.A. Times Studios to Host Short Docs FYC Showcase on Dec. 4

L.A. Times Studios will host an FYC showcase of L.A. Times Short Docs films, presented by Canon U.S.A., Inc., at the Culver Theater in Culver City on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m. PT. The program will feature three films from this year’s Short Docs slate that are in contention for Academy Award nominations in the Best Documentary Short category. The screening will be followed by a live Q&A with the filmmakers, led by Times Deputy Editor for Entertainment & Arts Matt Brennan. The screening is free to attend with advance registration.

L.A. Times Short Docs is a series that showcases short documentary films that present undiscovered stories from diverse, acclaimed and emerging filmmakers. The Dec. 4 screening event will feature the following films and filmmakers that have been submitted for Academy Awards consideration:

• “A Swim Lesson” is an ode to an everyday hero: Bill Marsh, a swim teacher who helps children discover their power in the water. The film follows him over the course of a week showcasing swim lessons, life lessons and everything in between. The film is a co-release with POV Shorts and Documentary+. (Co-Directors: Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. Run time: 20 minutes.)
  
• “Planetwalker” tells the story of John Francis, who in 1971 witnessed an oil tanker collision in the San Francisco Bay, causing him to give up motorized transport and rely solely on his own feet. Next, he took a vow of silence and walked across the country, listening and studying the world around him. Along the way, his idea of environmentalism changed. The film is a co-release with Bloomberg Green Docs. (Co-Directors: Dominic and Nadia Gill. Run time: 31 minutes.
  
• “Stud Country” highlights a Los Angeles-based queer country western line dancing event, which was created to preserve the city’s little known 50-plus-year queer line dancing tradition. Despite its success and fiercely committed community, the event is set to lose its venue due to gentrification. (Co-Directors: Lina Abascal and Alexandra Kern. Run time: 11 minutes.)

L.A. Times Short Docs showcase is presented by Canon U.S.A., Inc., the official imaging provider of the L.A. Times. The current slate of films includes: “Baca,” “Flashpoint,” “Stud Country,” “Love in a Time of Migration” and “American Seams.” To round out this season of Short Docs, “A Swim Lesson” will be released on Nov. 26 and “Planetwalker” is set to premiere Dec. 2.

To stream the films and learn more about Short Docs, visit latimes.com/shortdocs. Register to attend the FYC showcase here.