Family Relations

An intimate portrait of the filmmaker's immigrant Central American family-in particular the macho traditions of his grandfather-woven from childhood memories and family reminiscences, revealing how exaggerated expressions of male identity can cost a man the love of his entire family.

Filmed over a period of four years, this documentary examines the emotional agony experienced by father and son when separated by divorce, distance and a protracted legal battle for custody. Interviews with a child psychologist, family friends, and babysitter, as well as the child himself (in periodic interviews at the ages of three, five, and six) reveal the psychological impact of this separation on the youngster.

Examines the hectic lifestyles of "fast track" couples, members of the Baby Boom generation whose desire to succeed--at the office, in social circles and through their children's accomplishments--leads to living in a state of chronic stress.

Chronicles the experience of 46-year-old Suzanne, an unmarried American woman who, desiring to create a single-parent family of her own, adopts a baby abandoned on the streets of China in the wake of that country's notorious population laws. Her emotional ordeal illuminates both the joys and problems involved in adopting foreign children and in being a single parent.

Examines teenage drinking and teenagers whose parents are alcoholics, including the consequences of alcoholism such as physical illness, emotional maladjustment, family breakup, domestic violence, fatal car accidents, and violent crime.

In this short drama, Eli, a young father, in the midst of a family crisis with his wife and young son, begins to lose his grip on sanity just in time to greet the mysterious visit of Sam, his vagabond father. Sam's delusions push Eli to reclaim the love of his family and the imaginations of his childhood.

Filmmaker Garth Stein documents his 28-year-old sister's decision to undergo brain surgery to control her epilepsy.

Examines the worldwide crisis in teenage pregnancies through four case studies of teenage mothers in Ghana, England, Cuba, and the U.S., thereby providing a cross-cultural survey of the underlying reasons for the increasing rate of adolescent pregnancies and also discussing the hazards to the health and well-being of such young mothers.

Chronicles the lives of the students of the EAGLES Center (student population: 30), an alternative high school in Los Angeles for gay and lesbian teens who, due to persecution, are unable to function in the regular school system. In addition to the students' discussions of the social discrimination they face and their own personal struggles, the video shows their historic efforts in organizing a citywide promo for over 200 gay and lesbian high school students throughout L.A. County, and the first gay and lesbian prom in America.

This autobiographical video, in which the filmmaker reveals his homosexuality to his mother, explores the awkward situation of being ‘out’ to friends but closeted to family.