Paul Marashlian’s "Merry Christmas" (15 min.) Based on John Cheever’s short story, "Christmas Is A Sad Season For The Poor", this delicate film studies the motivations of an elevator man who openly shares his holiday woes while carrying an apartment house’s upper-class residents to and from their woes. Patrick Yu & Yuriko Senoo’s "Spider’s Thread" (12 min.) Interweaving live-action and computer animation, this gorgeous, modern-day reworking of an ancient Buddhist fable pits the character between his better self and his character defects. Chris Landreth’s "Bingo" (6 min.) This spectacular, animated film savagely illustrates what happens when a lie is told long enough and loud enough. Based on the play, Disregard This Play by Greg Kotis and The Neo-Futurists. (Winner Best Short Film LAIFF/99) Jeffrey Wand’s "The Killers" (12 min.) A moody reworking of a Hemingway short finds our main character taking refuge from his pursuers in a noirish diner. Joe Nussbaum’s "George Lucas in Love" (11min.) What inspired the greatest fable of the 20^th Century? Where it all began…long ago (the 1960’s), in a galaxy (USC), far, far, away (Los Angeles)… Kirsten Lara Getchell’s "Leaving Drew" (21 min.) This whimsical film examines the difference between coincidence and fate. Inspired by Shakespeare’s "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Clive Saunder’s "Love for $17.50" (25 min.) This raw, unflinching adaptation of Charles Bukowski’s short story offers another look at madness in "The City of Angels."