BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY, ACADEMY AWARD WINNER

The longings for love and intimacy are never-ending. This Academy-Award winning documentary offers an extraordinary look at the emotional lives of elderly Americans. On stage, a drama group of seniors perform their roles with energy and laughter. Off stage, their lives are often lived alone, and in silence.

The Personals follows a group of senior citizens as they rehearse and present an original play at a community theater on Manhattan's Lower East Side. Drawn from the comedy and drama of their own lives, the play is structured around their quest for dates through the personal ads. As the rehearsals progress, the filmmaker's camera follows the individual members of the group into their homes, as it explores both the joys and the sorrows of growing old in America. The video paints a surprisingly humorous and in-depth portrait of a segment of our society whose inner lives are not often explored.