Filmed over five years, THE WEIGHT OF HONOR follows the lives of the caregivers of veterans who have been catastrophically wounded in America's longest war. Their lives are transformed overnight to 24/7 caregivers tasked with caring for their war-wounded. The film reveals the family dynamic, their relationships before the wounds of war, and now, the uncertainties that lie ahead.
A sweeping chronicle of the entire exclusion era - the latter part of the 1800s, when anti-Chinese agitation led to federal laws targeting Chinese abroad and those already in the country. Go far beyond the legislation with the survival and growth of Chinese American communities in the face of prejudice and outright violence, the “paper” sons and daughters who emigrated despite the seemingly impassable barriers, and the legal challenges that produced some of the most momentous decisions in Supreme Court history.
How does one live with the unbearable? When the worst has happened and the one to blame is yourself? Death of a Child is an exploration of the lives of parents who have caused their own children's deaths.
NCR: Not Criminally Responsible tells the story of a troubled young man who stabbed a complete stranger 6 times in a crowded shopping mall while gripped by psychosis. Twelve years later, his victim, who miraculously survived, is terrified to learn that he's out, living in the community under supervision. He's applying for an absolute discharge, and if he succeeds, he'll no longer be required to take the anti-psychotic drugs that control his mental illness. With unprecedented access to the patient, the victim, and the mental institution, the film looks at both sides of the debate and puts a human face on the complex ethical issues raised.
The turbulent life of soul and blues singer, the late Joe Cocker. A former gas fitter from Sheffield, catapulted to world stardom in 1969 at Woodstock with his legendary performance of the Beatles song, "A Little Help from My Friends". But in the early 1970s, Joe Cocker's inner demons nearly killed him. Overcoming his struggles with alcohol and drugs, he rebuilt his reputation as "one of the great primal rock and roll vocalists of all time" (Billy Joel's description). The film mixes Joe Cocker's own words, with rare archive. His wife (Pam Cocker) & family, friends and the legendary songwriters and musicians he collaborated with, tell Joe Cocker's story. The film has raw, historic, electric performance footage throughout. Extensive interviews of key people through his life include: Pam Cocker, Ben Fong-Torres (Rolling Stone magazine editor), Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb, Billy Joel, Rita Coolidge, Deric Dyer, Glyn Johns, and numerous others.
A documentary about the life and activism of Jaha Dukureh, a Gambian anti-female genital mutilation campaigner who returns to her country of birth to confront the harmful tradition that she and 200 million women and girls have undergone globally.
A celebration of the musical legacy of Memphis’ best-known secret – Big Star – performed by a collective featuring members of Big Star, the dB’s, Let’s Active, the Posies, R.E.M., Semisonic, Wilco and Yo La Tengo with the Kronos Quartet and more.
Music is an integral part of most films, adding emotion and nuance while often remaining invisible to audiences. Matt Schrader shines a spotlight on the overlooked craft of film composing, gathering many of the art form’s most influential practitioners, from Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman to Quincy Jones and Randy Newman, to uncover their creative process. Tracing key developments in the evolution of music in film, and exploring some of cinema’s most iconic soundtracks, 'Score' is an aural valentine for film lovers.
Filmmaker Kip Andersen uncovers the secret to preventing and even reversing chronic diseases, and he investigates why the nation's leading health organizations doesn't want people to know about it.
An atmospheric documentary film portrait of the residents and community of Gibsonton, Florida, USA, the off-season and retirement home of thousands of circus and carnival workers.
A documentary about a band that had a hit in the mid 90's and then seemingly disappeared... only to rise again as an independent band in a new era of music.
The Arab Spring in Egypt: From a dictator to free elections, back to a dictatorship. One comedy show united the country and tested the limits of free press. This is the story of Bassem Youssef, a cardiologist turned comedian, the Jon Stewart of Egypt, and his show "The Show".
Take a tour around the planet as this comprehensive feature length documentary explores the impact of human existence upon the Earth and what can be done to prevent an ecological disaster. With footage shot around the world, Earth Day both entertains and educates the viewer on the latest global warming and climate change efforts to restore the Earth.
Tired of the negative stereotyping of prosthesis-wearing characters in cinema, Ross Turnbull set out to overturn the idea that prosthetics are indicative of a twisted and evil soul. Through interviews and footage, from some of Hollywood's best-loved classics, Ross challenges our preconceptions of what it means to live as an amputee. Clever, funny, and masterfully crafted, Terminal Device will ensure you'll never look at a hook the same again.
When The Bough Breaks is a feature length documentary about postpartum depression and perinatal mood disorders. When actress Tanya Newbould experienced PPD with her daughter she did not understand what was wrong with her or how to go about getting help. Tanya teamed up with Director Jamielyn Lippman to uncover this illness that affects one in five new mothers. One of the women they interviewed was Lindsay Gerszt who was currently suffering from postpartum depression. Lindsay agreed to let the cameras document her and give us an in depth look at her path to recovery. Babies are dying, women aren't speaking out and the signs are being missed. Together these three women take us on a journey to find answers and break the silence.
Explores the fundamental characteristics of myth, reality, ritual, and imagination, and tells the story of C. S. Lewis's intellectual journey into the realm of faith, which began at a meeting with fellow author J. R. R. Tolkien.
Even before Stonewall, Cherry Grove and its beach houses on Fire Island were a haven for generations of gay men, lesbians and drag queens. Rare archive footage shows swishy young men in demi-drag, amateur theatricals and a host of drag queens. At a time when it was illegal in the USA for bars to serve homosexuals, there were wild parties, late night outdoor cruising, and hordes of beautiful young men and women out for a good time. This sexually liberated paradise shaped the modern gay community. Though it suffered the effects of the AIDS epidemic early on, the spirit of Cherry Grove continues to exert its magic up to the present day.
Shot below the radar, this film follows the journey of Chinese factory migrant worker-turned-activist Yi Yeting, who takes his fight against the global electronic industry from his hospital bed to the international stage.
In the wake of a devastating personal tragedy, struggling would-be filmmaker Parker Smith decides to take a road-trip across America. Intending to make a "lo-fi" documentary about his journey, he purchases a decade-old camera off of eBay and is surprised to discover that it holds a video tape containing strange home video footage of the notorious bodybuilder Gregg Valentino, 'The Man Whose Arms Exploded'. Convinced that Valentino’s tape found its way into his hands for an important reason, Parker sets off from Austin, Texas to New York to find the fading bodybuilder armed with only his beloved cat, two cameras and a minivan.