In 1990, actor, comedian, writer and director, Robert Townsend, went against every obstacle in Hollywood, relying on his faith, street smarts, and tenacity to bring his passion project, 1991’s The Five Heartbeats, to big screens. The Motown-flavored story of the rise and fall of an African-American vocal group in the 1960s, the musical drama is the subject of Townsend’s documentary, Making The Five Heartbeats. The documentary chronicles the inspiring journey of a young black writer/director (Townsend) determined to present a new image of black people in cinema while endeavoring to create a classic.
Canadian Wrestling Elite is a burgeoning organization run by Danny "Hotshot" Duggan. See the action on their western Canada tour as he aims to make CWE a nationally touring company.
The bell tower of the Curon church rises from the waters of Lake Resia, in the Venosta Valley in South Tyrol, Italy. It stands as a lonely, silent witness to the horrible tragedy that befell Graun (Curon) and Reschen (Resia) in 1950, when both villages — with their unique natural and cultural landscape — were submerged by the waters of the newly-built Resia dam and water reservoir. This documentary film project aims to give a voice to the tragedy’s last contemporary witnesses.
Iceland has been ranked first in gender equality by the U.N. nine years in a row and was the first country in the world to democratically elect a female president. Tag along with world champion snowboarders Anne-Flore Marxer and Aline Bock as they explore the unique surf, snow, and sky of Iceland, and enjoy inspiring conversations with the women they meet along the way.
Maria Irene Fornes is “America's Great Unknown Playwright.” When she stops writing due to dementia, a friendship with a young writer reignites her visionary creative spirit, triggering a film collaboration that picks up where the pen left off.
For a life of pomp and splendor, Bastian takes over the kindergarten of a private parents' initiative as treasurer. The documentary tells the true story of an impostor. It is about social coexistence, trust and setting an example of values for children. Bastian doesn't give a damn about these values. For him, they are just annoying conventions, obstacles on the way to a life with a Ferrari and high-class prostitutes. And for this life, Bastian steals from the kindergarten of a private parents' initiative. For the viewer, this is an astonishing balancing act between right and wrong, between pity and schadenfreude.
Filmmaker Christophe Espenan's tribute to The Great Escape, The Coolest Guy Movie Ever is a fascinating documentary that returns to the iconic locations where that classic film was shot, complete with rare footage and interviews.
This personal portrait of the British singer-songwriter, filmed by his cousin Murray Cummings, follows this modest performer’s creative process as he writes a new song from scratch that will entrance millions.
A uniquely styled nature doc about the life of the Baltic Sea, where National Geographic photographer Mattias A. Klum follows the cycle of seasons around one of the most beautiful inland seas in the world today. By capturing the hidden life and beauty of the amazing species that live in the Baltic Sea, Klum delivers a timely reminder of our role in the survival of these fragile ecosystems, as the Baltic Sea comes under increasing threat from human activity.
Abel Ferrara headlines a film retrospective and a series of concerts in France dedicated to songs and music from his films. Preparations with his family and friends will form the material of this self portrait, showing another side of the director of legendary films BAD LIEUTENANT, THE KING OF NEW YORK and THE ADDICTION. Ferrara is joined on stage by past collaborators, including composer Joe Delia, actor-singer Paul Hipp and his wife actress Cristina Chiriac for concerts at the Metronum in Toulouse and the Salo Club in Paris in October 2016.
Mauro ffortissimo, an artist and musician, drags an old grand piano onto the bluffs near his home by the sea. The county tells him to stop, and so he burns it. Twelve Pianos is the story of art and culture struggling to survive in a modern world.
Gay Hollywood Dad chronicles the first six months of single gay dad Quentin Lee juggling between raising his newborn baby by himself and making his means as an acclaimed independent filmmaker in Hollywood.
When Palestinian Lutheran Pastor Khader El-Yateem decides to run to become NYC's first Arab American elected official in his conservative Brooklyn neighborhood, he does what no one thinks possible, igniting his marginalized community's hopes and dreams. In the election's aftermath, an unforeseeable blow threatens the foundation of the movement they started, and the community finds their newfound optimism tested to its limit. Father K must face the realities of what it takes to build lasting power in a divided America, but through it all, his voice emerges as funny, bold, and defiantly hopeful - a bridge-builder in a polarized time.
This observational feature– at times intimate, at times epic – embeds itself in the Big Wave surf community to present a thoroughly engaging and visually stunning portrait of the ever-changing life at land's end. Against the backdrop of Ireland's stunning west coast, this film digs deep into the day to day lives of the surf community, taking the audience beyond the bluster of the typical adrenaline fueled film to create a very real portrait of those who choose the surf lifestyle.
Spring 2017, in between the two rounds of the French presidential election. Pierre, a 25-year-old scholarship holder studying in a big Parisian school, lives with 75-year-old Francine, who is disabled and wheelchair-bound. Politically and socially opposed, they are perplexed and disoriented as they witness the unfolding electoral spectacle. While waiting for the results, they engage with each other, as Pierre tries to take care of Francine’s body and she attempts to heal his voiceless resentment.
The surprising coming of age story of four diverse women who have had their lives dramatically changed by their love of a boyband - Backstreet Boys, One Direction, Take That and The Beatles.
Before the Plate follows each ingredient from a single plate of food backwards to the farms they came from, revealing modern farming practices and the challenges the industry faces as it does so.
Twenty years before the spectacle of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu already understood the political benefits of a toxic relationship with the media, and direct communication with the public. King Bibi explores Netanyahu's rise to power, relying solely on archival footage of his media performances over the years: from his days as a popular guest expert on American TV, through his public confession of adultery, and his mastery of the art of social media. From one studio to another, "Bibi" evolved from Israel's great political hope, to a controversial figure whom some perceive as Israel's savior, and others - as a cynical politician who will stop at nothing to retain his power.