Films That Feed fest aiming to help the needy

Food -- and food for thought.

That's the double feature on tap at Las Vegas' first-ever Films That Feed, which continues through Sunday at downtown's theatre7 , 1406 S. Third St., in the Arts District.

The festival spotlights movies that explore socially conscious themes, from homelessness to war.

And rather than sell tickets, festival organizers are collecting canned goods and toys at screenings as the price of admission.

At 7 tonight, "Dirt! The Movie" explores the heart-and-soil relationship between humans and the title subject.

Saturday's 7 p.m. screening, "More to Live For" (previously featured earlier this year at the Vegas Cine Fest festival) focuses on an Olympic hopeful, a Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist and an entertainment insurance executive -- united by their common need for a bone marrow donor.

Two documentary shorts make up the 4 p.m. Sunday program: "Dad's Vietnam: The War Experience of Greg Schwarze," from local filmmaker Kelly Schwarze, and "Our World War II Fathers."

Wrapping up the festival at 7 p.m. Sunday: the award-winning documentary feature "Without a Home," which recounts the personal journeys of six people living on the streets of Los Angeles -- and filmmaker Rachel Fleischer's struggles to tell their stories and help them without getting too involved in their lives.

Although "films entertain us," notes festival founder Chad Clinton Freeman, they also can "do so much more: They teach, they open our eyes, they inspire us, they unite us, they help us heal. These are the kinds of films that feed."

Admission to the festival attractions is two cans of nonperishable food, or one new unwrapped toy, per person. Canned goods will be donated to Three Square; Toys for Tots will distribute toys collected at the festival.

More information on the festival is available at filmsthatfeed.com.

Contact reporter Carol Cling at ccling@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0272.