"Is being in love connected to youth? Is there really just one person who is our true soul mate?" These are questions "Paper Heart" producer Elise Salomon ponders.

I had been thinking about mountaineering guide Ruedi Beglinger and his wife often since the avalanche, and was interested in how they were surviving the burden of the loss.

Coming from a career in animation and diving headfirst into live action was a scary thing. But finding your own voice can be pretty cool.

From out of the trash, the Zaballeen lifted themselves out of poverty and have a solution to the world's most pressing crisis.

I began to wonder, one day, what kind of priest my dad would have made. Out came Into Temptation.

Wake is about deception and its consequences, an especially relevant topic in these uncertain times. Drawn to what Carys was going, I wanted to bring her story to life.

Unnerved by her experience at an unsuccessful intervention, filmmaker Shannon Hile was inspired to put the "horrors of addiction" into a horror-genre film. From the Filmmaker

Which Way Home follows and documents unaccompanied migrant children as they attempted the journey across the Sonora Desert to the U.S.

Beyond fascinating and moving history, A Ripple of Hope challenges audiences to step up as Robert Kennedy did and respond to the challenges we face.

Culled from exclusive conversations with more than 45 working writers: hard-hitting truths, darkly funny anecdotes and no-nonsense advice.

Like the people of Fondwa, I began this with little more than faith that things would work out for the best if I committed myself to it.

Then, finally, I heard Thomas Haden Church take a deep breath into the phone...and tell me he really connected with the script and was going to take a chance on me.

In editing the film, I wanted to establish a rhythm, to keep coming back to Wall Street (the "casino") and then return to the real world.

Tell-Tale filmmaker Michael Cuesta creates a Poe-style short story to describe his filmmaking experience.

The Good Guy filmmaker Julio DePietro muses on the paralyzing fear of "having tried" vs. taking that first blind baby-step into the shapeless void of creation.

What we created was an homage not only to Hitchcock's psychological thrillers but to the slasher genre in general.

Beneath the surface of Harry's journey is an examination of male friendship, betrayal and forgiveness. I was drawn to the male characters in the story because of their rawness.

The Whites see the limits society has placed in their way and, instead of being depressed, they give life (and death) the middle finger.

In the heyday of the pyramid scheme, it felt like everyone was on the take. And nobody more than my family.

We expect our minds to operate faultlessly at all times, despite subjecting them to unbelievable amounts of stress and depriving them of proven therapeutic methods and medicines.

Not only are the costume/hair/makeup and sets period, but the acting and camera style is period, too.

I remember the first time I spoke any of David's words out loud and... I remember how the story [of Dare] resonated with me.

So where in hell, you might wonder, would an electrified corpse and a devilish undertaker ever fit into this scenario?

We decided the most powerful way to build the story of Sons of a Gun would be to reflect the experience we had while shooting the film and give the audience this same dilemma.

While we weren't clear on what our movie would be, we just started filming. Jonas's quest for answers took us to spiritual teachers, scientists and mystics.

Much like how the splinterheads use their tactics to keep you at the games, I hope the film leaves you laughing and entertained all the way through. 

I had many stories to tell from a perspective not commonly seen in mainstream film - but New York Lately shows characters and storylines without ever calling attention to any stereotypes or mentioning race.

I had a vision of a character who does something so totally wrong, she loses all ability to judge for herself what is right and wrong, valuable and worthless.

I identified with my creation: Sam Bryant, a clueless 34-year-old Seattle rocker who gets roped into taking two teenagers on a camping trip.

My hope is people will feel inspired, recognizing Sissyboy's performance as an exercise in self-awareness few are ever compelled to attempt and even fewer brave enough to endure.

The aesthetic clash of extreme opposites in our movie stems from the need to experience the contradiction between the communist promise and its monstrous realization.

To inspire, so we never forget what is truly possible if "the people" think it should be so.

When the last scene ended and the credits rolled, the whole theater stood up and applauded. Wow. That's the moment I realized what this film could become. By Charlie McDermott, Independent Spirit Awards nominee.

As I went through each small town, I thought about the differences between people who stay in their hometown and people who move away - and the basic concept of Layover came to me.

Our film The Vicious Kind takes a dark world, a dark story and some very dark characters, and allows the audience to feel that lightness, the comedy that underlies tragedy.

Valentino as a man, and a character, is bigger than life. When we rolled the dailies, we immediately saw that legendary designer is also a born movie star.

During the composition and sound design process, I force myself to honestly answer the question, "What must be done to best serve the story?"

I had to take a dry but nevertheless important piece of political history, and draw out the deeply personal, emotional and moving human story hidden beneath.

Everyone has a unique destiny and reason for being on this Earth, and it's a treasure worth fighting for. This is my inspiration for The Least Among You.

It was stunning to discover just how much those campaigns were a direct reflection of the advertising creatives' upbringing and personalities, as I found in creating Art & Copy.

We worried that the people we interviewed would see us only as Kunstler's daughters... While we loved our father's extravagant greatness, we also suffered his frailty.

It plays like a thriller, but my hope is that The Cove delivers strong medicine for a planet that may not know it is sick.

The September Issue is a cinéma vérité film about Anna Wintour and her team of editors at Vogue magazine. The process of making vérité films is all about discovery.

Our documentary is about 12-year-old feature filmmaking sensation Emily Hagins and the exhilarating and heartbreaking two years she spent writing and directing her feature-length zombie movie, Pathogen.

So I began to write the sordid tale of a young grifter who comes to Palm Springs... If people wanted to flaunt their money, he was there to take it.

We filmed on location in Ponca tribal land. If my film can come close to the real-life stories that we heard, then I feel like we did something right.

Moving Pictures exclusive from the film's writer/director, on the eve of Motherhood's Sundance '09 screening.

Ron Stone's story: out of racial prejudice to the father and grown man who sees promise in the inner-city kids where everyone else sees only hopelessness.

Loss highlights two very important topics in Lithuania: emigration and child adoption. I believe cinema may be one of the tools that can initiate deep discussions and encourage us to look for solutions.

For my first foray into non-fiction, I found Lloyd Kaufman an irresistible subject - an ebullient personality with a distinctive cinematic vision and approach.

I wanted to show what these characters get up to in and out of the cemeteries. What they did while working, and what they did while loafing around.

We came up against so many obstacles I could write a book about it (it would probably resemble a Greek tragedy!), such as...  (Facefilms' debut feature film premieres at Slamdance)

Our movie Black Dynamite is an ironic look back at the blaxploitation era, now funnier with an Obama presidency making that era even more anachronistic.

Believing the stories of those in the margins are just as profound and entertaining as any now considered mainstream, we founded Morgan's Mark. Mississippi Damned is our first fiction feature.

Eddie Adams's photos had shaped history. He had photographed 13 wars, 6 American Presidents and every cultural and historical figure of the last 50 years. Crafting An Unlikely Weapon to tell his story, I was inspired and excited.

We loved the story of this little band of renegade players who join forces and secretly concoct a scheme to thwart the big bad "studio guys."

Though I was never "in on it" the way true nerd fans were, I thought the genre was fascinating and that I had stumbled on a sociological phenomenon. From the Filmmaker.

My first feature film was conceived during troubled times, much like Obama's presidency, but was born out of a desire for change and the hope for something better.

Roberta Marie Munroe, author of How NOT To Make A Short Film: Secrets of a Sundance Programmer, shares the reasons and realities of her how-not-to guide.

Dragon Hunters is one of the 14 contenders vying for an Academy Award for Best Animated Film and for Best Score. Dragon Hunters is a fantastic tale of the adventures of two fly-by-night dragon hunters whose sole ambition in life is to buy a quiet little farm and hang ten...

Three kid detectives who are about to graduate from high school jump on an opportunity to prove they are legitimate detectives. His struggle parallels the struggle we felt we were going through right out of film school.

The '80s were rocking, and, with Skateland, we set out to capture a small piece of that time period.

My memorial to WWII heroine Hannah Senesh also honors the emotionally harrowing tribulations of her mother - and is, I believe, a moving mother-daughter story.

I wanted to prove to people that originality isn't dead. Love Repo or hate Repo - you ain't ever seen anything like Repo.

How do people with their own distinct histories and complicated families create new families? For this story, rehearsals were part of my writing process.

The life we created behind the scenes for our characters is the only way we could have shot such a deeply emotional film in 15 jam-packed days.

Most love stories end with the couple getting together, and avoid what I believe is the real love story: What happens when the newness wears off?

Before the Fall gave me a chance to explore some unknown areas, to cross some limits; to be tender, to be cruel, to be honest.

Why we decided to make a film about Scandinavian church burners who may or may not be Satanists but who definitely are not average.

How can I make a film that inspires everyone on the planet to come together as one? The answer is in the universal language of music. From Mark Johnson, recent guest on "Bill Moyer's Journal."

A romance between a forty-plus-year-old woman and an upbeat, much younger truck driver evinces humor and subdued emotions to transcend the borders of our city and country of Belgium.

Filmmaker Dusan Sekulovic on the state of film and what he personally intends to do about it.

More people in Massachusetts found they had neighbors, co-workers and friends who were married to someone of the same sex. And it was no big deal.

My documentary is about how a global American cultural institution was forged by the aspirations of immigrant kids playing with ash cans on tenement steps. Exclusive to Moving Pictures.     

Decisions we make in our life can be directly influenced by the culture that we consumed during our youth. (So who can I blame for the films I choose to make?) From-the-Filmmaker exclusive.

Children coerced into lies. Innocent men and women wrongfully convicted of child molestation. It was hard to believe this could happen in America. From the Filmmaker special.

The humour was so pitch black and outrageous, it really inspired me to make this film. From the Filmmaker special.

I embarked on this project because of an overwhelming feeling that to wait any longer was to be complicit in obscuring these events. From the Filmmaker special.

A pitch meeting at a major Hollywood studio. No zombie dog? The Executive's eyes glaze over... But the indie sets out to get justice.

Creating a webisode series, I became part of a new evolutionary leap out of the constraints of Hollywood into the infinite possibilities offered by cyberspace.

One wrong turn - a person could die. But the labor camp defectors were so determined to continue filming that we, of course, had to keep going.

Exclusive early insight from producer of Veronika Decides to Die - the first-ever film adaptation of worldwide bestselling writer Paulo Coelho.

Finally this incredible story - as powerful as the Titanic - is being shared with those outside New Zealand. Screens JULY 31 in the West Hollywood International Film Festival.              

"Backwards" best describes how I made this docu-style fiction about the supposed "world's most famous doorman," lauded by NY's well-connected.

Would our Emmy-nominated leading man be cool with not having a big trailer on our little film? What about the non-five-star catering? My producer's mind was aboggle with such questions.

A raw, edgy, modern-day, teenage "Romeo and Juliet" Latino love story that conveys the consequences of choosing to go down the wrong path in life. From-the-Filmmaker Special.

My movie invites people to wake up, to see the world around them and engage in the magic that is possible in the everyday. FILMMAKER SPECIAL

We wanted to bring out the humor - after all, it's a bagging competition - while honoring the contestants for whom we had developed a great deal of respect.

My friend's "war stories" from the days when he had been a member of the Latin Kings were great material for a film. Special From-the-Filmmaker.

Transgenders face challenges we all share: acceptance, sense of self and the need to be who you are. Special from the filmmakers.

What would happen if we all acted with no care for the future and no regard for the past? Using film as a vehicle for political outrage was a new experience for me. From-the-Filmmaker special.

Chuck Connelly's strange vision of painting for posterity (or God) forced me to keep going as well. From-the-Filmmaker at LAFF; find more Guest Contributor specials.

Their claims of changing from gay to straight challenge our understanding of identity. But are they living a lie? From-the-Filmmaker special.

Lena Baker's is a tragic tale, but the greater tragedy would be in not telling the story. From-the-Filmmaker, Cannes 2008.

Castles' showmanship and charisma played up the show in showbiz, shares filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz. Special from Newport Beach Film Festival.

"Only a child can look past the squalor so innocently." Filmmaker Engi Wassef gives a glimpse of the inspiration to share the story words can't tell. Special from Tribeca Film Festival.

"Luckily, I possessed the single most important personality trait a first time filmmaker can have," says writer/director Chris Ford. Special from the Newport Beach Film Festival.

"Waiting for Hockney is less a film about art - its ostensible topic - than about spiritual matters both personal and cultural," says director Julie Checkoway in this MPM exclusive from Tribeca.

"We're really hoping to paint a broader picture about surf culture and, in particular, the California lifestyle and the surfing lifestyle on the West Coast." From the festival, MPM exclusive.

When I was writing this story, I absorbed different parts of different worlds I found myself in. From-the-Filmmaker festival exclusive.

"Can't," "Won't," "Never," "Won't happen...ever" were the words that greeted the Newcastle script and me. From-the-Filmmaker festival exclusive.

1,000 blank journals passed from hand to hand, collecting stories, pictures, collages. Only one came back. We tracked the other 999. Special filmmaker exclusive.

The script Tom delivered was far more poignant than I expected. Special from the filmmaker at Newport Beach Film Festival.

They unwittingly started a movement in Argentina that has led to workers forming cooperatives to run more than 200 formerly abandoned businesses. From-the-Filmmaker Special.

"...it was like the movie had taken on a life beyond the screen." From-the-Filmmaker exclusive.

"The emotional landscape and the power and potency of the characters attracted me." Special From-the-Filmmaker.

The sincere notion that art could actually change people's hearts and minds was instilled in me from an early age. Special From-the-Filmmaker.

As geek-culture heroes, cubers attracted a wide following - everyone wanted to ogle at their skills. But their speedcubing competitions are also about cooperation. From-the-Filmmaker special.

Even for women working in Afghanistan, there were more important things to worry about than clothing. Or were there? From-the-Filmmaker special.

Dir. Beth Murphy shares the story of inspiration behind her award-winning documentary of two women's courage and humanity after 9/11.

Doug, whose knowledge of all things jazz dwarfs mine, took responsibility for lining up the fine artists who populate our film. Special From-the-Filmmaker.

How could a decent person, who is like any of us, get sucked into nationalist genocidal war? Special From-the-Filmmaker.

Trucker and the tradition of great women leads: Women characters are almost always intrinsically more interesting. From-the-Filmmaker exclusive.

A sweet, unique film sparked from one hilarious snapshot and created all these family connections along the way. Special From-the-Filmmaker.

"I wanted to examine the idea of forgiveness as a mechanism of survival." From-the-Filmmaker special from Newport Beach Film Festival.

The task we set out to accomplish was simple enough: give people insight into the life of this unique senior citizen...but we had no primary source to go to. Tribeca 2008 From-the-Filmmaker exclusive.

The film explores the ways that fear has the ability to shut us down or, ultimately, allow us to open. Exclusive From-the-Filmmaker from Tribeca.

The challenge of making a film about Che Guevara's iconic portrait, "Guerrillero Heroico." From-the-Filmmaker Special from Tribeca Film Festival.

Our credo: Make the kind of film we would have wanted to see as 12-year-olds. Special from Newport Beach Film Festival.

Screamfest sensation Marc Senter shares with Moving Pictures readers his thoughts on the stepping stones paving his path to proving himself.

Filmmaker Emiko Omori celebrates the difference between porn and art. Film screens at San Francisco Women's Film Festival 2008.

"Not only was I making a documentary, but I was serving as a facilitator across boundaries for women - and filmmakers - to connect globally."

Real life parallels the storyline of a quest that uncovers surprising connections to the lead character's idol, John Wayne. Special from 2008 AFI Dallas. See other fest specials.

Special contribution from Tanna Frederick, star of Henry Jaglom's new film Hollywood Dreams.

The director and producer of one of this year's Oscar-nominated animation shorts share the roller-coaster journey of its creation and reception.

Hang out with a squadron of fighter pilots - and live their dream... When the audience stood up and applauded, we knew we'd done it.

The story's basic essence: losing basketball games. Yet I am 100% certain Mr. Naismith would cite Caltech basketball as the shining example of why he invented the game in the first place.

Let's face it - the world is a mess and the young people will inherit this mess. We should do all we can to help them deal with it...

Film is his bridge between generations. From writer/director Michael Schroeder, MITC's genesis and journey from mind to moviehouse.

Raving on the streets of New York, with its filmmaker Julia Stiles. (Special for Tribeca 2007)

The Oscar®-winning documentary filmmaker shines the spotlight on a unique rehabilitation opportunity - in a system not known for its humanity - that could truly save lives.

The filmmaking experience of The Take, from director Brad Furman. 

Shadows, says filmmaker Milcho Manchevski, is a film about sex and death, and a few other things - like personal responsibility.

From the filmmaker: Arthur Dong writes about his new project, Hollywood Chinese. For more Guest Contributor articles, click HERE.

Strong words as guest contributor Harry Shearer shares strong thoughts on broadcast indecency.

Civic Duty star Peter Krause ponders American paranoia.

Documentary filmmaker Rick Ray reminisces on His Holiness and Hotmail.