On returning from class, a teacher is questioned by his wife, who distrusts his pedagogic project: an “Academy of the Muses” inspired by classical references, which is supposed to contribute to regenerating the world through poetry. The controversial project triggers a series of situations dominated by words and desire.
A WOMAN LIKE ME is a hybrid documentary that interweaves the real story of director Alex Sichel, diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2011, with the fictional story of Anna Seashell, who struggles to find the glass half full when faced with the same diagnosis. The film follows Alex as she uses her craft to explore what is foremost on her mind while confronting a terminal disease: parenting, marriage, faith, life, and death. When we are stuck between a rock and hard place, can our imagination get us out?
Jimmy Hoffa was one of the most powerful men in America. In 1974 he disappeared, never been seen again: one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century.
"Breaking the Silence" is a fresh, new-look documentary film dedicated to everyone around the world who suffers quietly and in the shadows - alone, worn out, and without hope.
"While Ceausescu was alive, we knew who was good (the West and the United States) and who was evil. Since then, things have become more complicated." Filmmaker Alexandru Solomon believes the story of this propaganda war can help us discern the shades of grey in contemporary conflicts. "Look at our Radio Free Europe editors: you could be fighting on the right side and still be part of a dirty game."
James Salerno was a boxing prodigy who turned pro at the age of fifteen, dubbed 'The White Ali' by some news reporters in his native Florida. In a career of ups and downs, he was tragically murdered in his prime of life.
As a boy, Dawa was an illiterate Tibetan nomad whose life revolved around herding yaks. At 13, his life changed: through a series of visions, Dawa acquired the gift of telling the epic story of Tibet’s King Gesar. Now, at 35, Dawa receives a salary from the government as a guardian of national cultural heritage and is regarded as a holy man by his community. When an earthquake reduces his hometown to rubble, redevelopment of the region takes a giant leap forward. In the midst of such seismic shifts, Dawa seeks healing from King Gesar and other divine protectors of the land.
Programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz achieved groundbreaking work in social justice and political organizing. His passion for open access ensnared him in a legal nightmare that ended with the taking of his own life at the age of 26.
Bejeweled Fishes captures the spectacular beauty of the myriad fishes inhabiting coral reefs of the Tropical and Eastern Pacific. This Wild Window was captured in the Maldives Islands, Fiji, the Philippines, Mexico, California, and Indonesia.
"The Atheist Experience," produced in Austin, Texas, is the only atheist TV show in the United States. Every Sunday afternoon, two atheists debate callers for one hour, on camera. ATHEIST AMERICA portrays the show, its protagonists, and the discussions between the hosts and callers. The debates between believers and skeptics are funny, touching and shocking in turn, and they're interspersed with footage of the very public religious displays common in the state of Texas. The film is an intimate, concentrated, and entertaining insight into the culture wars, and is sure to provoke inspiration as well as frustration, no matter which side of the divide you fall on.
This portrayal of the rhythm of life and work in a gigantic textile factory in Gujarat, India, moves through the corridors and bowels of the enormously disorienting structure—taking the viewer on a journey of dehumanizing physical labor and intense hardship.
Legendary documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman (At Berkeley, National Gallery) explores the culture, politics and daily life of the Queens, NYC district of Jackson Heights, which lays claim to being the most diverse neighbourhood in the world.
In the Philippines, the journalist Maria Ressa fights a battle for democracy against president Duterte and his 'war on drugs', which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
The paw-inspiring story of the most beloved animal sanctuary in the world, the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. From their humble beginnings as a small backyard sanctuary, we follow founders Zina and Michael Goodin, their amazing staff, and the gang of one hundred plus senior pooches, as they grow and settle into a brand new 20,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility. You’ll meet the dogs, and the people who fostered them and gave them a reason to wag their tails. It’s a tale of compassion and commitment, where love knows no bounds and as Zina likes to say, “The sky is the limit.” Old Friends: A Dogumentary, a film about a place where love never grows old.
Jamario, Jaquan, Jailen, and Teague are teammates on the J.O. Johnson High School wrestling team in Huntsville, Alabama. Led by their passionate coach, they are trying to qualify for the State Championships but the pressures outside of the ring – emotional breakdowns, racial profiling by the police, teenage pregnancy – are mounting for each of the young men.
This documentary takes an in-depth look at the witch hunts that swept Europe just a few hundred years ago. False accusations and trials led to massive torture and burnings at the stake and ultimately to the destruction of an organic way of life. The film questions whether the widespread violence against women and the neglect of our environment today can be traced back to those times.
Plastic Galaxy explores the ground breaking and breathtaking world of 'Star Wars' toys. Through interviews with former Kenner employees, experts, authors, and collectors, the documentary looks at the toys' history, influence, and the passions they elicit today.
Explores Llanos del Caudillo, a town from La Mancha founded in 1955 by the dictator Franco; a discreet and calm attempt to dissect recent Spanish history and to review how some Spaniards deal with the cruel heritage of their past. A reflection on what to do with the Francoist legacy in towns, streets and squares in Spain.