This evening combines two extraordinary short films by directors nominated for this year’s Academy Award. The combined film running time is 60 minutes, followed by an extended Q&A.

First up is DIARY (20 min) compiling 10 years of war reporting by Tim Hetherington (Oscar-nominated for RESTREPO) into an impressionistic personal reflection.

That will be followed by POSTER GIRL (38 min) nominated for the 2011 Oscar doc short after its appearances at the prestigious Telluride and IDFA film festivals. POSTER GIRL tells the story of Robynn Murray, an all-American high-school cheerleader turned “poster girl” for women in combat, distinguished by Army Magazine’s cover shot. Now home from Iraq, her tough-as-nails exterior begins to crack, leaving Robynn struggling with the debilitating effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Shot and directed by first-time filmmaker Sara Nesson, POSTER GIRL is an emotionally raw documentary that follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, using art and poetry to redefine her life.