Between the Rains is a coming-of-age story of Kolei, a shepherd boy whose name translates to “living amongst the goats.” Unfolding over the course of a prolonged drought, viewers are pressed deeper into Kolei’s inner conflict as he questions not only his own identity as a warrior — a path that was chosen for him —but also the erosion of the culture that has shaped every aspect of his life. For Kolei, becoming a warrior not only shapes masculinity and personal identity, but it is also the very foundation on which this community and society root their lives. It is a sacred, guiding pillar.
A mother wonders, will my children love their perfect machines more than they love me, their imperfect mother? She switches on a smart-crib lulling her crying baby to sleep. This perfect mother is everywhere. She watches over us, takes care of us. We listen to her. We trust her.
Over one thousand people have been charged with storming the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, as part of a widely televised insurrection attempt. Approximately 15% of them worked as police or military personnel. This staggering statistic begs an important question: how can a service member who took an oath to protect the country’s democracy do something that puts that very democracy in jeopardy?
An intimate look at the war in Ukraine, as seen through the eyes of Ukrainian artists who remain in their country to make art as a defiant act in the face of aggression.
Australian filmmaker Jordan Bryon has been living and working as a journalist and filmmaker in Afghanistan for more than six years. After the departure of US forces, he stays to document Afghan life under the male-centric Taliban leadership. With his colleague, Teddy, he heads to a Taliban stronghold in the north-west of the country, shortly after he started transitioning. If the Taliban knew he was trans, they would likely kill him. It’s a chaotic time, for the country and for Jordan, as he navigates his transformation and looks to the future.
CHASING CHASING AMY explores the transformational impact of a ‘90s rom-com on a 12 year old kid from Kansas, coming of age and contending with queer identity. For young Sav Rodgers, the Kevin Smith cult classic, CHASING AMY, became a life raft. As Rodgers examines the film and its making as a cornerstone of LGBTQ+ cinema, he finds himself at a complicated crossroads.
In 1968, art students Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey “Po” Powell made a trippy photo collage for their musician friends Syd, David and Roger. The resulting album and album cover, A Saucerful of Secrets, helped launch two careers: that of Pink Floyd, one of the 70s megabands, and of Hipgnosis, which, over the course of the next 25 years, designed a stream of iconic album covers.
At the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Bonanza City, New Mexico, a revolver goes off. The film Rust ended in a tragic incident on October 21, 2021, when Alec Baldwin shot a prop gun during rehearsals that contained live rounds, ultimately leading to the unfortunate death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. The prop gun that killed Halyna Hutchins was allegedly announced empty to everyone on set before being passed off to Alec Baldwin f or the rehearsal takes. Alec Baldwin states "I'm handed a gun and someone declares it and says this is a cold gun". This would lead to one of the most tragic events of film history where someone is shot and killed on set in almost 30 years. How did this happen? What went wrong? The terrible incident completely altered Mr. Baldwin's life and career.
This documentary will not only revere those heroes — some from a different land who gave their lives — but to remember those who were lucky enough to live through it all. It also is to honor those French residents of the first generation, who lost their lives in the Invasion and those who survived and carried on the spirit year after year. The second generation has been taught by their parents to never forget the sacrifices that were made. The veterans who visit Normandy over the years can attest to the hospitality of these caring and loving people.
A nostalgic and colorful peek behind the pages and personalities of International Male, one of the most ubiquitous and sought-after mail-order catalogs of the 80s and 90s.
For a decade, environmental artist, Anne de Carbuccia has travelled the world, documenting drought, water shortage, plastic-filled oceans, endangered species and cultures through her camera. She states that she ‘wanted to maintain her artistic and sensitive stance as she photographed beautiful imagery, and create a film that is accessible as it attempts to encourage people to contemplate who they are and where they come from’. The filmmaker is inspired by dedicated ‘Earth Protectors’ she meets on the sites of climate disaster and sees a glimpse of hope for the environment.
The extraordinary life of playwright, singer, actor, composer, and director Noël Coward, who rose from poverty to stardom while keeping his sexuality a secret. Featuring Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Frank Sinatra, Michael Caine and Lucille Ball. Narrated by Alan Cumming. With Rupert Everett as the voice of Noël Coward. Directed by Academy Award Nominee Barnaby Thompson.
A woman in a man's world. Though strong-willed, intelligent and passionate, Queen Elizabeth I is keenly aware that her life is in constant peril. With her died the Tudor dynasty, but the changes she made to politics and parliament show the beginnings of the conception of the England that we know and love today.
The birth of the atomic bomb changed the world forever. In the years before the Manhattan project, a weapon of such power was not even remotely imaginable to most people on earth. And yet, with war comes new inventions. New ways of destroying the enemy. New machines to wipe out human life. The advent of nuclear weapons not only brought an end to the largest conflict in history, but also ushered in an atomic age and a defining era of "big science". However, with the world now gripped by nuclear weapons, we exist constantly on the edge of mankind's total destruction.
The Sabra and Shatila quarters are part of the Lebanese capital Beirut, which was rocked by a violent explosion in 2020, plunging Lebanon into the worst economic crisis in its history. In the poor districts, once provisionally built for Palestinian refugees, the residents live at a subsistence level without papers, without civil rights, without prospects. The documentary weaves the stories of the three families Kujeyje, Daher, Abeed and that of the young father Aboodi Ziani into a searing portrait of life in a city on the brink. The filmmakers accompanied their protagonists over a four-year period between 2018 and 2022 and show how the poorest of the poor firsthand felt the consequences of the gigantic port explosion, Lebanon's historic economic crisis, the corona pandemic and the ever-growing refugee quota. But unmistakable qualities like resilience and hope allow them to survive.
From the first camera to 45 billion cameras worldwide today, the visual sociologist filmmakers widen their lens to expose both humanity's unique obsession with the camera's image and the social consequences that lay ahead.
Zimbabwe is at a crossroads. The leader of the opposition MDC party, Nelson Chamisa, challenges the old guard ZANU-PF led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, known as “The Crocodile.” The election tests both the ruling party and the opposition – how do they interpret principles of democracy in discourse and in practice?
In 1975, in Northern California, a diverse crew of skateboarders met at a paved embankment under the freeway. They had no idea their underground movement would have a global impact on the world of skateboarding. Their story has never been told. Until now. In 2011, the N-Men’s founder, John O’Shei, finally gave permission to filmmaker James Sweigert to tell their story. Sweigert spent 11 years digging through attics, basements and garages unearthing 86 minutes of never before seen footage and photos of the undocumented Northern California skate scene.
A powerful documentary that chronicles three families and who are fighting for survival against Lyme disease. The film highlights the physical, emotional, and financial toll the disease takes on their lives, as well as the urgent need for greater awareness, testing, and treatment options.