'HeartChild' is a documentary film about the 28 year Crys Worley, who is the mother of a nine year old autistic child, Sasha. It is a remarkable story about a mother's struggles, not only with her own health, but the well being of her son. Committing to Sasha that she will never give up on him and inspired by the challenges parents of autistic children face, she started a non-profit organization, called A.Skate - Autism. Skating with Kids through Acceptance, Therapy, and Education. This film documents her extraordinary story.
'Forced Perspective' is an intimate portrait of iconic Cleveland artist Derek Hess by filmmaker Nick Cavalier. The film is a journey through Derek's struggle with alcoholism and bipolar and how these demons effect the artwork, presenting a voyeur into Derek's personal life, revealing his process and philosophy. This film showcases the evolution of a celebrated artist, his effect on music and culture while highlighting the link between creativity and mental illness.
Public interest in North Korea, and media reportage on the world's most insular and secretive state has never been higher. Yet all of us who live outside the country remain entirely detached from ordinary North Koreans, their experiences, their lives, their thoughts and feelings. We remain fixated on the nation's public face, the photo-ops and choreographed parades of the Kim dynasty, but completely ignorant of what it is like to actually live under their dictatorship, and what perceptions on the ground are. In My Way in Pyongyang, the filmmakers do all they can to peer beneath the veil of state secrecy and control, and try to understand North Korea as it really is.
Latin boogaloo is New York City. It is a product of the melting pot, a colorful expression of 1960s Latino soul, straight from the streets of El Barrio, the South Bronx and Brooklyn. Starring Latin boogaloo legends like Joe Bataan, Johnny Colon and Pete Rodriguez, We Like It Like That explores this lesser-known, but pivotal moment in Latin music history, through original interviews, music recordings, live performances, dancing and rare archival footage and images. From its origins to its recent resurgence in popularity, We Like It Like That tells the story of a sound that redefined a generation and was too funky to keep down.
Filmmaker Stephanie Johnes examines the hypercompetitive world of jumping rope, telling the story of two teams -- one inner-city African American and the other white suburban -- who each long to take home the title in an international competition.
In 1958, Rodolfo Nanni made the documentary "O Drama das Secas" (The Drama of Droughts) in the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Half a century later, the director returns to the northeast, following the same route as his previous film. Now, he addresses not only the difficulties faced by small farmers, who continue to face enormous challenges, but also examines the issue of global climate change and its devastating consequences.
From PBS - Italy's Mystery Mountains explores the fascinating geologic story of Italy, the land known for its fabulous art, fantastic food, opera, the dolce vita, and so much more. What's less known about Italy is the diversity and turbulence of the geology behind all of this abundance: the continuously erupting volcanoes, the violent earthquakes, the clash of mighty tectonic plates, and the rising of the mountains from which Michelangelo sourced his famous marbles.
The Messina brothers are Yesmoke, a little tobacco company based in modern day Turin, Italy. Originally, Yesmoke was an online store for cigarettes selling its products all over the world. Every day millions of people would buy cheap packets of Marlboro, Camels and Lucky Strikes online. When sales reached over one hundred million, "Big Tobacco" started to fight the "Little Guys" and sued them for 550 Million dollars, obligating them to shut their website down.
Experience the lives and surroundings of a few São Paulo punks, the fierce Brazilian birthplace of this global culture of dissent. In a country with a well-known non-rock musical tradition, where corruption is cultural and violence is routine - Punk brought a cathartic expression more akin to urban realities. As a working class movement that started under the violent grip of Brazilian dictatorship, this is do-it-yourself at its most creative, and a celebratory means of resistance.
In the age of photoshop the pressure on the ugly is greater than ever. But self-confessed gargoyle Del is turning the tables with his model agency, lookers need not apply. But is this a liberating counter-concept or only reaffirming our beauty ideal?
She is the most tweeted about person in history, with millions of views on YouTube, more than 390 thousands tweets every minute, Miley Cyrus is the woman everyone is talking about. Love her or hate her, the former Hannah Montana star is creating her own space in the world. Watch how it all began from her first TV appearance when she was 2 years old to the controversial VMA performance. Discover the girl, the teenager and the woman who set the world on fire.
This documentary investigates five of California's most haunted sites: Alcatraz island, Bodie Ghost Town, Hotel Del Coronado, The Whaley House and The Winchester Mystery House.
For decades, the prevailing wisdom has been that the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would come in the form of a two-state solution. Typically, this is formulated as an Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank and the establishment of a Palestinian state there and in the Gaza Strip. Unfortunately, with half a million Israeli settlers living throughout the West Bank and millions of Palestinian refugees demanding to return to their homes in Israel, the two-state solution no longer seems practical, let alone just. "A People Without a Land" explores the notion that the only real solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a one-state solution. Spending time with people from across the political spectrum, including settlers, politicians, activists and unique individuals who have successfully crossed the ethnic divide, we explore the challenges that lie ahead as well as the possibilities that such a solution might entail.
How is it we know so little about something so widespread? None of us are more than a family member or neighbor away from autism. The disorder has been growing so fast it has been described as a tsunami - one of which our state and federal government and social agencies are woefully unprepared. The challenges don’t happen in a vacuum, and children with adults grow into adults with autism. Sounding the Alarm follows autism families as they negotiate tangled rules and regulations, and steadfastly fight to find and afford the right care and treatment for their loved ones throughout their lives. As the film reveals, even a rock star, a wounded warrior and the president of one of the world’s most powerful media and entertainment companies can struggle to get the help they need.
Documentary - Once a model for American cities, in just 40 years Detroit's struggle with politics, economic hardship and urban decay has devastated its population; this film suggests why other large cities will face similar problems if changes are not made. - Nelson Jones
Doris and Oscar, a couple who has spent 40 years living and working together, face their impending retirement. Both dedicated their lives to educational projects and architecture in rural indigenous communities in Mexico. Isabel and Enedino, two indigenous professionals in the Sierra of Puebla, take the baton from their mentors and teachers. A documentary that celebrates and explores the transformational process of teaching, learning and building.
America is the home to one million Gypsies, or Rom, whose rich culture has long been mysterious to outsiders. A flamboyant Romany leader invites us into his world when it comes under threat. In a quest to defend his honor, he leads us through the history of his people to Civil Rights courts, Vegas casinos and beyond...