I will make a couple announcements, go have something to eat, and then come back to do a little spewing. (Of the verbal kind and not what I will have just eaten, I hope! ha ha)

Okey-dokey.

Local filmmaker, John Whitney & his film company Arbor Avenue Films, announce that this is happening here in Columbus on Saturday. (I saw this film recently and it was pretty darn disturbing.)

Arbor Avenue Films is proud to announce that my new film, "Measured Sacrifice", will be
screened at the 1st annual Madlab Film Festival this Saturday November 8th at MadLab
theatre in downtown Columbus. Show starts at 8pm. We are honored to be included in a field
of strong short films representing many genres. So, if you didn't get a chance to see
"Measured Sacrifice" at the Cowtown Film Series, here's what might be your last chance to
see it this year.

Produced by Phil Garrett, "Measured Sacrifice" tells the story of a young woman named Terry
who lives in poverty in a future America embroiled in an unending "war on terror." She faces
an unplanned pregnancy, and must decide whether or not to enter a highly controversial
government program that provides financial security for women in her situation. Entering the
program will meet her financial needs but will put her at odds with everyone in her life and
perhaps herself. Her journey toward a decision leads to an encounter with her estranged
mother and causes Terry to face up to her haunted past and her uncertain future.

Madlab is located at 105 North Grant Avenue Columbus, OH 43215
Website: http://www.madlab.net


And now for a little more disturbing film news:

This came from today's Women & Hollywood film blog.

She talks about the documentary film, Lioness, which will be airing on PBS tonight in NYC, and nationally on Nov. 13th. I quote her post in part: "...[Lioness is] a film about women soldiers on the front lines in the war in Iraq. Yes, women soldiers are on the front lines in Iraq. Just like the farce of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the policy that prohibits women in combat does not reflect the reality of this war.

"...This film focuses on five of the earliest Lionesses, their lack of training for the missions, (because women are not in combat so, of course, they can't be trained for the combat they won't be seeing) their experiences in battle, and what it was like to come back home to a world that doesn't acknowledge or understand your contribution to the war effort. The most moving story for me was that of Shannon Morgan, a young woman who joined up in the wake of 9-11 in order to get money for college. Shannon knew how to shoot and was so tough that the guys requested her to be attached to their missions. Shannon was sent out on the most potentially volatile missions. She got caught in a firefight and had to kill in order to not be killed herself. Killing screws up everyone and when Shannon came back from Iraq with PTSD needing therapy there were no services available for a woman soldier who has done what she has done. The therapists don't have any context or training to help her."

For an interview with the film's directors, Meg McLagan and Daria Sommers , visit the Women & Film blog at the link above.

Check it out tonight at 9:30pm on PBS in NYC. Airs nationally, Thursday November 13th at 9pm.