She smokes. He doesn't. The conflict of a relationship that can't tolerate secondhand fumes is smartly portrayed by filmmaker Christa Collins in the witty She Smokes (1999, 23 mins, Color, 16mm). In Take Your Bags, filmmaker Camille Billops narrates sitting alongside her young grandson. Her exploration of the true value of possessions for her African ancestors on their journey to America encourages us also to deliberate on the impact of heritage. (1998, 11 mins, Color, 16mm). Laura Merians brings us a sweet tale of a woman days before she is going to give birth. The decision to have the child, linked with the happiness found in preserving life, dusts the short Little Thunder with a determined joy. (1999, 7 mins, B&W, Video). Emotional facets of letting go are examined by Khmasea Hoa Bristol as she films her grandfather's passing. Bristol's introspective struggle is presented in Industrial Bodies with a daring experimental viewpoint. (1999, 15 mins, B&W, 16mm).IntermissionBorn July 23, 1899, in Springfield, Illinois, Ruth Ellis is the oldest "out" African American lesbian known. In Living With Pride: Ruth Ellis @100, director Yvonne Welbon offers us "a rare opportunity to experience a century of our history as lived by one inspiring woman. By example, Ruth Ellis shows us what is possible and what can be realized, if one not only lives long and ages well, but also lives with pride." (Chicago Art Institute) Winner of the audience award for Best Documentary at the S.F. Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. (60 mins, Color, Beta SP)