Two brothers from the Onondaga Nation pursue their dreams of playing lacrosse for national powerhouse Syracuse University. The obstacles in their way are frequent and daunting, but their love for the game, each other, and their family’s unyielding determination, propels these youth towards their dream.
This feature documentary is the first to explore the rise of Brazilian MMA. We look at how 'Jungle Fight' came into being, starting out in Manaus, Amazonas in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, lead by the figure of Wallid Ismail. Documentary narrated by rap legend Ice-T directed by Alex Harvey and Tommy Sowards
This film offers unprecedented access to the life, work and mesmerizing performances of renowned poet and activist Sonia Sanchez who describes herself as "a woman with razor blades between my teeth." A leading figure in the Black Arts Movement and inspiration to today's hip hop spoken word artists, Sanchez for over 60 years has helped to redefine American culture and politics as an activist in the Black, women's and peace movements.
A new documentary film about the nature of play, risk and hazard, set in a European adventure playground. Here, children climb trees, light fires and use hammers and nails in a play-space rooted in the belief that kids are empowered when they learn to manage risks on their own.
A new documentary that follows master Haida weaver Delores Churchill on a journey to replicate a spruce root hat discovered with the Long Ago Person Found. The 300-year-old traveler was discovered in British Columbia and DNA testing discovered living descendants in Canada and Alaska. Her search crosses cultures and borders, and involves artists, scholars and scientists. The project raises questions about understanding and interpreting ownership, knowledge and connection.
It seems like two disparate realms. One occupied by some of the most acclaimed dancers in the world, people who move for a living. The other occupied by people who often struggle to move, people who have Parkinson's disease. This is the story of what happens when those worlds intersect. We followed individuals with Parkinson's as they prepared to stage a first ever dance performance, under the tutelage of two long time dancers at the Mark Morris Dance Group. It's a story about determination, adversity, contending with doubt, the transformative power of art and the strength of the human spirit. This is the story of a remarkable community of dancers who have come together to rediscover the meaning of grace.
'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.
Tashi Bista dreams to install a makeshift wind turbine in Namdok, a remote village nestled high amongst the Himalayas of Nepal. Namdok, battered by wind and cold has been in darkness for centuries. Wearing Ray Bans to shield his eyes from the dust and just a leather jacket to insulate him from the bitter cold he surveys the village. He grew up in this region without electrical power. He is determined to bring lights to Namdok in an effort to prove himself to the skeptical village community. Tashi's Turbine is a character driven film that shows the impact of one man's dream for light, in a village waiting for development.
Carpe Diem: A Fish Tale looks at an ecologic bombshell, just waiting to explode. Asian Carp are on the door step of the Great Lakes. The only thing holding them back is an electric barrier just south of Chicago. Scientists are working hard to develop new technologies to keep them out. Down south, where all hope is lost, they are going medieval on this slimy foe. Can they be stopped?
On New York's rapidly gentrifying Lower East Side sits the Streit's Matzo factory. When its doors opened in 1925, it sat at the heart of the nation's largest Jewish immigrant community.
A Second Chance is the story of Janelle Morrison, a professional long distance triathlete who suffered a near-fatal car crash, and her battle to race again. Nearly every major bone in Janelle's body was broken and her organs pushed into her chest, forcing doctors to place her in a medically induced coma. As Morrison slept, doctors worked hard to reassemble her broken body, questioning whether she would ever walk again. Janelle's recovery was nothing short of miraculous, astonishing doctors every step of the way.
Jimmy Santiago Baca was a petty thief and a drug dealer when he was sentenced to five years in Arizona State Prison, one of the deadliest prisons in America. Baca began his incarceration violent, angry and illiterate, yet taught himself how to read and write, discovering a passion for poetry that ultimately saved his life.
British Columbia's marine ecosystem has collapsed. Wild fish populations from California to Alaska have been declining since the late 1970's. Coincidentally, the open net fish farm industry began to grow fish in marine waters at the same time. Fish farms were seen as a way to offset growing pressure on wild stocks. But one woman, Alexandra Morton, noticed diseases coming from fish farms were killing wild salmon. Film maker Scott Renyard links the crash of many fish species on Canada's coast to diseases spread from fish farms and the loss in marine fish biomass has global implications.
Once a star on Broadway, always a star – at least that is what a group of feisty, humorous, and inspirational actors think as they embark on a journey to perform Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' at their retirement home. With the help of two enthusiastic New York City theater directors who are not quite sure what awaits them, the troupe is formed among thespians whose skills and minds are not what they once were. As performance day nears, the tension mounts, with the actors battling to overcome crises, as well as themselves. But the show must go on and go on it does, with the troupe clinging to the hope of experiencing the magic and exuberance of performing on stage just one last time. - Sandy Wolf
Healing a Soldier’s Heart transports us into the troubled hearts and minds of four Vietnam veterans as they begin the courageous healing process to alleviate their severe PTSD. Still traumatized 40 years later, the veterans bravely journey back to the sites where they witnessed and committed atrocities of war. In the process, they come face to face with victims and experience Vietnamese culture through a new lens that fosters the compassion and the mutual forgiveness necessary for healing.
The Business of Disease is a film exploring the hypnosis of marketing, belief systems, and the body's ability to heal. It shows the social programs from which our choices are shaped.