A decade since his last campaign, 89-year-old former senator and 2008 presidential candidate Mike Gravel comes out of retirement when a group of teenagers convinces him to run for president one last time. Through the senator’s official Twitter account, the “Gravel teens” embark on an unlikely adventure to qualify him for the Democratic debates in order to advance an anti-war, anti-corruption, and direct democracy agenda in the 2020 presidential race. Working together, the young activists and the experienced politician confuse and amaze the generations between them.
When one’s sole focus is to provide for their children, the stakes are extremely high. The need for multiple jobs to make ends meet has become a common reality for many families in this country, which leads to a very important question: who looks after the children while their parents work? Through the Night examines the economic and emotional toll affecting some American families, told through the lens of a 24-hour daycare center in Westchester, New York. At the center of it all is Nunu, the primary caregiver and a hero to many families in need of a safe space to bring their children.
Featuring interviews and performances with more than 20 leading burlesque artistes, 'Secrets of Burlesque' takes a behind the scenes look at one of the most varied and creative forms of entertainment that there is.
Shot on location in rural Southwestern Louisiana, Zydeco combines cinema verite style footage, interviews and musical performance to present a colorful, joyful portrait of the zydeco musicians in their culture. Featuring Dolon Carriere, Armand Ardoin, and Alphonse "Bois Sec" Ardoin. A film by Nicholas R. Spitzer. Color, 57 minutes.
More people are imprisoned in the United States at this moment than in any other time or place in history, yet the prison itself has never felt further away or more out of sight. This is a film about the prison in which we never see an actual penitentiary. The film unfolds a cinematic journey through a series of landscapes across the USA where prisons do work and affect lives, from an anti-sex-offender pocket park in Los Angeles, to a congregation of ex-incarcerated chess players shut out of the formal labor market, to an Appalachian coal town betting its future on the promise of prison jobs.
An investigation of the economic / social / political forces behind the violence plaguing Ciudad Juarez. A coverage of events from 2011, and victims affected by the "drug war." A forecast of Juarez' future from numerous experts, including the critical 2012 elections.
Grace Kelly. Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco. Grace Kelly is one of the most admired women in the world. She is forever remembered as a standard of beauty, style and grace. Fitting for a woman who epitomised grace.
A sweeping look at the history and causes of the current homeless crisis in Los Angeles and an intimate view of the tireless advocates who strive to create better lives for their homeless clients.
Hot Doug’s: the Movie is a portrait of the restaurant, its owner, and its fans. It’s a window into the closing of a cult-favorite hot-dog stand in Chicago, and a peek into what created the phenomenon, the nature of fandom, the rise of restaurateurs as celebrities, and why someone would wait in line for 5 hours to get a hot dog.
Takes a close look at sitcoms, reality shows, and premium cable programming as it explores how representations of GLBT characters have become more complex and varied in recent years.
Steve Wraith had a fascination with the Krays, and after writing them letters Reg took an instant liking to him, even requesting Steve visit with his brother Ron, in Broadmoor. They would go on to ask Steve to take over their business interests in the outside world. As it turned out, this was an exercise in trust, grooming him, as what came next was a stark lesson in just how terrifying the Krays could be, even behind bars.
Yuriy Norshteyn, Russia’s most renowned animator, has crafted many brilliant works, including his award-winning Tale of Tales and Hedgehog in the Fog. He is revered by animation creators across the globe, most notably Japanese masters Osamu Tezuka, Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Forty years ago, Norshteyn began work on an ambitious adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s The Overcoat, but after completing 25 minutes of the film, the project stalled and has been shelved for many years. A crew visits Norshteyn’s studio and finds there mountains of sketches, character studies and a shooting table covered with dust. Norshteyn himself talks about its current status and the anguish and passion that has gone into its creation.
A groundbreaking documentary exposing the extent of collusion between Loyalist paramilitaries and the British security forces in Northern Ireland during 'the Troubles'.
In a world filled with Noise, there is another Sound worth Hearing, and her name is Rachel Flowers. "Hearing is Believing" introduces the world to the life and music of the multi-talented 23-year old musician and composer, Rachel Flowers.
In this first-of-its-kind crossover comedy, director Ben Popik brings together five comedy writers, and surprises them with a challenge: to each write fifteen pages of a movie, having read only the previous five pages of the script. They agree with one stipulation: If they write the movie, he has to make it. It's a comedy, a love story, a psycho-sexual thriller, and a supernatural adventure all in one. Meanwhile, documentary footage of the writing process provides an inside look into the often-hilarious creative process, as well as the group dynamics that make collaboration between friends difficult.
"Elizabeth Murray: 4 Decades" tracks the artist's career and shows her moving forward fearlessly toward new shapes and concepts for her unique style of painting. Inspired by artists of the Abstract Expressionism movement such as Willem de Kooning and Philip Guston, Murray was privy to their technique and motive. Though she may share ideals with her artistic predecessors, Murray has created miraculously original work which she discusses with curator Robert Storr as they explore her MoMA retrospective.
Two feisty elders of the Timbisha Tribe fight the US Government and their own tribal council for justice as they struggle to save their ancient culture in the hottest place on earth, Death Valley, CA. They confront their enemy, the tribal Chairman with their grievances -- he is unmoved, but they are undaunted.
War is Hell. Why would anyone want to spend their weekends there? Deep in the Oregon woods, the heat of a reenacted Vietnam battle sheds light on America's complicated relationship with war and its veterans.