The multidisciplinary film project focuses attention on what is happening to rural populations of the world, particularly among developing countries. The roles of women, education, social and economic systems, and the effects of modernization on values are themes explored in each of five rural settings--Bolivian highlands, northern Kenya, northern Afghanistan, Taiwan, and the Soko Islands off the China coast. The project draws upon visual evidence of people at work and play, in social, economic, and political roles, as individuals and in groups. The program features 26 films designed for use in college classes and an accompanying text which contains sets of essays which complement the films. The instructional materials are arranged in a format which covers the five cultures and five themes listed above. A film link symbol in the text indicates a direct relationship to a scene in the film, and the designation "film dialogue" is used to indicate direct quotations from the soundtrack and a direct relationship between the film and the essay. Maps, charts, and graphs are used to provide information about rainfall, migration patterns, political structures, and environmental concepts. (Author/CM)