Over 2000 Union soldiers, passengers and crew were crammed aboard the steamboat Sultana, licensed to carry 376. Graft, greed, overcrowding, a poorly maintained boat, and the Mississippi River was swollen with spring snowmelt conspired together to create a disaster. On April 27, 1865, the boat’s boilers exploded, causing the worst maritime disaster in US history.
Through stories and songs, Michael Franti captures the energy and drive of a diverse group of inspirational modern-day heroes. From an Indonesian midwife to a young couple battling the ravages of ALS, Franti uncovers the love and humanity possible in dire conditions and exposes his own struggles, creating an emotional resonance that is moving and motivating at once.
In the summer of 2015, former US Marine and world record weightlifter Janae Marie Kroczaleski was publicly outed as being transgender. The reaction was universal: her sponsors abandoned her, she was disowned by her parents and banned from competing. This film follows Janae as she attempts to find her place in society. Initially wanting to strip off the muscle and become a much smaller looking woman, she found herself unable to lose the muscle she so desperately gained. She now finds herself living one day as an alpha male and the next day as a delicate girl. Will Janae be able to handle her muscle relapses? Will her passage from being a male bring her the peace she's looking for? Will society accept a 250lbs muscular woman? Is her path personal redemption or physical and psychological disaster?
In restaurant kitchens, tight quarters, high pressure and hot tempers combine to create toxic conditions that make it difficult for anyone to survive, let alone climb the ladder to head chef. For women, the situation is even worse. Running a successful restaurant is a daunting challenge, even more so when the odds are stacked against you. But as women take charge at more of the world's top dining establishments, a cultural shift is dismantling the macho environment that made celebrities out of "bad boy" chefs. From New York City's star chefs Anita Lo and Amanda Cohen to the queen of French cuisine Anne-Sophie Pic, seven chefs share their struggles to overcome a system of inequality and harassment while delivering delicious dishes and redefining the dining experience. An appetite for change has taken hold and there's no turning back
Is it possible that Ice Age people succeeded in crossing the frozen Atlantic Ocean to North America, thousands of years before the Vikings and Columbus? Two archaeologists believe so after discovering artifacts in Chesapeake Bay that bear an inexplicable resemblance to those from prehistoric Europe. Follow them as they combine old-fashioned excavations with exciting new DNA testing to prove their theory, answer their critics, and rewrite the history books.
The story of Joey Mataele and the Tonga Leitis, an intrepid group of transgender women fighting a rising tide of religious fundamentalism and intolerance in the South Pacific Kingdom.
The story of the five Russian hockey stars who helped the Detroit Red Wings win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and created one of the most memorable chapters in Motor City sports history.
The ghost of a photo-journalist killed during the December 1989 US invasion of Panama returns exactly 10 years later to resolve his family’s conflicts. Inspired by the story of his own family, in his feature-length debut, Enrique Costas Ríos poetically blends together archival footage and fictional scenes that recreate events from the invasion while tracing links to the true-life story of Spanish journalist Juantxu Rodriguez who was killed during the invasion.
The Way is an inspirational story of the adversity and challenge professional surfers go through while trying to make it. The film starts with the discovery of an old surfboard washed ashore in Nelson, New Zealand. The board is refurbished and it turns out it was shaped by legendary charger Peter Way, New Zealand’s first ever national champion in 1963. Peter was known for his antics in and out of the water, but it was his mark on surfboard shaping, competitive surfing and surf lifestyle that has influenced the lives of generations of surfers who have come after him. Current pros Paige Hareb, Billy Stairmand and Ricardo Christie weigh in on what has driven them to success and also hard times. Maz Quinn takes us through becoming the first ever Kiwi to make the world tour of surfing and we’re taken on a journey through the north island of New Zealand to return the old board to the man who made it, Peter Way.
Over billions of years, planet Earth has become home to an amazing interdependent ecosystem, containing a dizzying variety of animals and plants. But how did life here begin? And does it exist anywhere outside of our solar system? We uncover the secrets of our world by tracking the evolution of the cosmos itself, from the Big Bang onwards. Follow scientists responsible for some of the major breakthroughs in understanding the origins of life and witness how their discoveries are fundamentally changing the way we perceive the universe.
This nature/science documentary, showcases the vast and beautifully intricate planet on which we live. Produced in a fully cinematic style, the film presents a wide variety of ingeniously designed creatures from around the world in a way that will fascinate audiences of any age. Through a vividly powerful experience the audience is intended to develop a greater understanding of and appreciation for the Creator's workmanship and personality. The documentary focuses on some of the world's celebrity critters (mega fauna), but also draws attention to some of the often-overlooked inhabitants of the everyday. From slugs to sharks to vipers and elephants, Dr. Gordon Wilson will host well-known scientists and experts to open eyes to the glory of creation.
The untold story of a series of Reagan-era guerrilla punk and industrial desert happenings in Southern California that are now recognized as the inspiration for Burning Man, Lollapalooza, and Coachella. Interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic, Swans and more.
On the outskirts of Yellowstone National Park is Paradise Valley, Montana, home to bears, wolves, elk, and an animal so secretive, few ever get to see it: the mountain lion. Wildlife filmmaker Casey Anderson became one of those lucky few after following the tracks of the elusive cat from his backyard into the world of a mother and her three cubs. It was the beginning of what would become a remarkable relationship that gave Casey a rare glimpse into the life of a mountain lion family and a new understanding of an animal we know so little about.
Sometimes it can feel like the environmental, economic and social issues the world is currently facing are too big, too overwhelming, to be dealt with by individuals. Climate change, resource limits, economic downturn, social disconnection. Surely these issues can only be properly managed by our governments? Living the Change explores solutions to the global crises we face today – solutions any one of us can be part of – through the inspiring stories of people pioneering change in their own lives and in their communities in order to live in a sustainable and regenerative way.