Germantown and Martin Luther King High Schools were bitter rivals for over 40 years. This past year, a budget crisis caused Philadelphia to lay off over 4000 employees and close 37 schools, including Germantown High. Now Germantown must merge with their former rival, King. Against overwhelming odds, a 27-year old first time head coach and a new principal fight to inspire young men from difficult circumstances to come together and lift each other toward a better future.
BIPOLARIZED is about one man's personal journey to heal. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Ross' psychiatrist told him he would live with the disorder for the rest of his life and that he would have to take lithium to control symptoms. To Ross, taking the drug daily felt like a chemical lobotomy, leaving him in a foggy, drug-induced haze. Ross ultimately decided to resolve his symptoms outside of conventional medicine. He progressively reduced his use of the psychotropic drug lithium, at an experimental clinic in Costa Rica. What ensued was a self-exploration into alternative treatments to treat his condition and a journey delving into the root cause of his mental breakdown. The film uses Ross' personal experiences to tell a larger story about medication. It will reveal how we are labelling more and more people with mental illnesses and how, in tandem, we are prescribing more and more toxic psychotropic drugs to treat these illnesses.
From New York City to the farmlands of the Midwest, there are 50,000 Chinese restaurants in the U.S., yet one dish in particular has conquered the American culinary landscape with a force befitting its military moniker—“General Tso’s Chicken.” But who was General Tso and how did this dish become so ubiquitous? Ian Cheney’s delightfully insightful documentary charts the history of Chinese Americans through the surprising origins of this sticky, sweet, just-spicy-enough dish that we’ve adopted as our own.
An Honest Liar tells the incredible story of the world-famous magician, escape artist, and world-renowned enemy of deception, James 'The Amazing' Randi. The film brings to life Randi's intricate investigations that publicly exposed psychics, faith healers, and con-artists with quasi-religious fervor. A master deceiver who came out of the closet at the age of 81, Randi created fictional characters, fake psychics, and even turned his partner of 25 years, Jose Alvarez, into a sham guru names Carlos.
Love Me follows Western men and Ukrainian women as they embark on an unpredictable and riveting journey in search of love through the modern "mail-order bride" industry.
Time Is Illmatic is a feature length documentary film that delves deep into the making of Nas' 1994 debut album, Illmatic, and the social conditions that influenced its creation.
Vivian Maier's photos were seemingly destined for obscurity, lost among the clutter of the countless objects she'd collected throughout her life. Instead these images have shaken the world of street photography and irrevocably changed the life of the man who brought them to the public eye. This film brings to life the interesting turns and travails of the improbable saga of John Maloof's discovery of Vivian Maier, unravelling this mysterious tale through her documentary films, photographs, odd collections and personal accounts from the people that knew her. What started as a blog to show her work quickly became a viral sensation in the photography world. Photos destined for the trash heap now line gallery exhibitions, a forthcoming book and this documentary film.
Essay on love is, above all, an experimental film. A hybrid of fiction and documentary, it brings reality and fantasy to discuss that which is the most important thing for some, and the least important thing for others: Love. Love is actually in every place and human activity we look at: art, business, advertising, sports, entertaining, religion, education, politics, etc. What is this thing that is so present in our lives? Why we are so desperate in having, possessing, idealizing or despising love? Everyone talks about it. Creates songs about it. Declares themselves to be loving human beings... What do they mean with all of this? "Essay on love" gives you a glimpse on this subject. On how people relates themselves to the concept of love, and as a film, is an attempt to approach this wonderful thing that love is, through cinema.
43 years ago Jane Pittman, a promising basketball star at her small town High School, ran off the court never to return ... until now. When Jane stumbles across the Nova United Senior Women's Basketball League, old passions are reignited. Vowing to get into the best shape of her life, she is determined to play competitive ball again. What she never expected to find on this journey is a passionate group of seniors who have decided to 'wear out, before we rust out'. Choosing basketball over bingo, these women come together for much more than sports. 'Coming Back To The Hoop' is a film about the transforming power of basketball and the healing it brings when you connect with something larger than yourself and give yourself over to the team
For her latest industrial exposé, Rachel Boynton (Our Brand Is Crisis) gained unprecedented access to Africa's oil companies. The result is a gripping account of the costly personal tolls levied when American corporate interests pursue oil in places like Ghana and the Niger River Delta. Executive produced by Steven Shainberg and Brad Pitt, Big Men investigates the caustic blend of ambition, corruption and greed that threatens to exacerbate Africa’s resource curse.
Take Me to the River is a film about the soul of American music. The film follows the recording of a new album featuring legends from Stax records and Memphis mentoring and passing on their musical magic to stars and artists of today.
This powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers.
A fearless sea captain, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, sails a ship through loopholes in international law, providing abortions on the high seas, and leaving in her wake a network of emboldened activists who trust women to handle abortion on their own terms.
After losing his twin brother to cancer, Dave Nowick is left to fulfill his brother's parting wish, "Take care of our wrestling club." Coach Dave walks the fine line between winning and personal growth in one of the world's elite sports, finding a new perspective and healing along the way.
Filmmaker James Costa investigates the National School Lunch Program and childhood obesity, and shows what schools, parents, authors, doctors, politicians, celebrities, and chefs are doing to combat the problem.
Prime Minister Netanyahu gives journalist Peter Greenberg unprecedented access in this history-making, one-hour television special. It is a cutting-edge, unique look at Israel through the eyes of its leader.
Professor Niall Ferguson argues that Britain's decision to enter the First World War was a catastrophic error that unleashed an era of totalitarianism and genocide.
"12 Months" (2014) - an award-winning documentary about a Los Angeles man who rents his three-bedroom home for $1 per month to help a family - he has never met - get on their feet. Told through the eyes of Felicia Dukes and her four children, the project puts a personal face on homelessness and encourages individuals to take personal responsibility for helping address societal concerns. This film has won Best Documentary at the Sunrise Film Festival in Nova Scotia, Canada, in October 2015, as well as has been screened within film festival in seven countries and 15 locations!
Getting drafted is an exciting, nerve-racking, anxious, long, fun and tension-inducing experience for teenagers around the country every year. Sharing the journey with some of your closest friends, however, makes it a whole lot more enjoyable.