Because jazz is the miraculous product of the horror of slavery, Youssou N'Dour returned to the slave route and the music they created, in search of new inspiration. Accompanied by the blind Swiss pianist Moncef Genoud and the Director of the Gorée House of Slaves Museum, Joseph N'Diaye, the Senegalese singer wrote new songs during this initiatory voyage which took him to the USA then to Europe. At Gorée, an island just off the Senegalese coast and symbol of the slave trade, his memorable concert marked the end of this quest and the start of a new challenge: making today's generation aware of the tragedy of slavery, the importance of not forgetting and the need for reconciliation.
Wu-Tang Saga is the story of the music super group the Wu-Tang Clan told by Cappadonna, chronicling over 9 concerts, a trip to Shaolin aka Staten Island, photoshoots, and the 5 percent philosophies. There's also many exclusive hip hop freestyles, as Cappadonna takes you inside the music business first hand. The first Wu-tang documentary to be entirely narrated by a Wu-Tang member, this is truly an epic Wu-Tang experience.
As their bodies give way to Parkinson's disease, two New York actors put their hearts into one final Off-Broadway production of Beckett's "Endgame," the play that posits, "there's nothing funnier than unhappiness."
A look at the modern-day problem of "affluenza," an epidemic of stress, overwork, shopping and debt caused by the pursuit of the American Dream. The history of the condition is explored, as well as the advertising and marketing ploys used to sustain it. Men and women from around the country share their stories of personal debt and suggestions for financial recovery.
British mod rocker Steve Marriott had great stage presence, a unique voice and plenty of angst -- all on display in this docu-concert featuring clips from Marriott's days in bands the Small Faces and Humble Pie. Though Marriott remained a lesser-known musician throughout his abbreviated life, performance selections here, such as "Paradise Lost" "Black Coffee" and "Lazy Sunday," bring it all back for his fans.
On May 24th, 2022, a senseless tragedy occurred in Uvalde, Texas, when a teenager opened fire in an elementary school, resulting in the deaths of 19 fourth grade students and two teachers. Over the past year for ABC News’ “Uvalde: 365” initiative, ABC News’ Investigative Unit and “20/20” embedded in the community, following the families of victims and survivors of the Robb Elementary massacre as they cope with the loss of their loved ones and the inaction of the police, fight for justice, and try to begin their journey of healing.
In this illuminating study of cultural contrasts, American filmmaker Lynne Sachs and her sister, Dana, travel north from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, recording conversations with Vietnamese strangers and friends. The sisters' expansive travel diary covers tourism, insights into city life, pervasive culture clashes and a bracing historic inquiry. What begins as a picaresque road trip soon blossoms into a richer social and political discourse.
Boston's V66 music video station came and went in the mid-1980s but in the 18 months on the air, it was one of the only over-the-air music video channels ever created. But even popular success didn't mean it was going to last...
A documentary celebrating the work of Walerian Borowczyk, a director of unparalleled sensitivity, revered in the 1970s, who was later labeled as a maker of erotic movies.
Alexander Zinoviev gained worldwide fame primarily as a logician, sociologist, writer, author of the genre of sociological novel created by him, who marked new milestones in each of these areas of human culture with his work. Poetry and visual creativity of the thinker complement the image of what is called the Zinoviev phenomenon.
Stop-motion animation on the arranging of marriages in 1950/60s set in the Eastern-Polish borderland. The script is based on a part of Mikołaj Smyk's diary, the director's grandfather. The biographical objects used in the animation, such as an authentic headscarf, Polish and Russian books, the copy of Mikołaj Smyk's diary and photographs help situate the story in its original environment.
Motian In Motion is a documentary film about iconic jazz drummer Paul Motian, with rare footage of Paul playing and recording at the world renowned Village Vanguard, Birdland and other venues.
Vintage Queer Montreal: A glimpse into the 90s. Working though the 90s, House of Pride brought Montreal LGBTQ+ people together in the celebration of diversity.
A stunning film based on majestic music based on a mesmerizing short story based on a unique natural phenomenon In 1980, Philip Glass wrote a piece of music inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s short story A Descent into the Maelstrom, which in turn was inspired by Moskenesstraumen – a unique natural phenomenon outside the Lofoten islands. In this documentary, we follow the Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra to the top of the Ryten mountain where they perform Glass’ music overlooking Moskenesstraumen itself. With its powerful music and majestic landscapes, Descent Into The Maelstrom is an ode to the beauty and harsh living conditions of Northern Norway.
The winner of numerous festival prizes, this early work by Lynne Sachs is a provocative film essay on women's perspectives on their bodies in a "man's world." It touches on everything from the female form's depiction in Renaissance art to the school of 19th century "scientific" thought equating "abnormal" physiognomy with criminality. This adventurous collage also features the filmmaker's own diaristic recollections (notably of being fitted for a diaphragm by a cold, intimidating doctor), poetical staged sequences, other women's audio testimonies, an old classroom instructional reel about menstruation, prose by Gertrude Stein and feminine "ideals" like the undulating young woman performing in fish-tail costumes at Florida's kitschy Weeki-Wachee Springs "Underwater Mermaid Theater." - Dennis Harvey
The core of this haunting meditation on war, land, the Bible, and filmmaking is a portrait of Revital Ohayon, an Israeli filmmaker and mother killed near the West Bank. Director Lynne Sachs creates a film on the violence of the Middle East by exchanging letters with an Israeli friend. Together, they reveal Revital's story through her films, news reports, and interviews, culminating in heartbreaking footage of children discussing the violence they've witnessed. Without taking sides or casting blame, the film becomes a cine-essay on fear and filmmaking, tragedy and transformation, violence and the land of Israel/Palestine.
This Newly remastered documentary charts the early years of the Beach Boys. The film features rare footage including live performances captured at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1967. Much of the footage comes from the Peter Whitehead archives. Ideal for all Beach Boy fans and rock music lovers. - Amazon Prime