Oscar-Nominated 'Knife Skills' Showcases Ex-Cons And Odd Ducks In The Kitchen

Filmmaker Thomas Lennon was not looking for a new film project when he went to dinner at a friend's house; he was just trying to make conversation with a fellow guest who was, in Lennon's words, "an odd duck." However, says Lennon, "I'm a filmmaker, so I ask people questions. What unfolded was this story — and you'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not know that there was potential there."

The result of that initial encounter was , nominated this year for an Academy Award in the documentary (Short Subject) category. It follows the opening of , a fine-dining restaurant in Cleveland that