In mid 90s, with no money and no English, Danilo, Marcio and Yuri left Brazil and everything behind to live in Hawaii and surf the world's most famous waves. At that time, Laird Hamilton and his gang had just invented tow surfing, using the help of jet skis to catch giant waves on the outer reefs. Laird became a legend and his new sport attracted surfers looking for fame and money. Then, in 2006, dreaming of surfing Jaws in the purest style, the 3 “amigos” began a saga that lasted 5 years. They challenged Jaws year after year, paddling, with no safety, no inflatable vests, nothing.
We have to break the silence on what is happening in Argentina. In a decade, cancer cases in children have increased threefold and malformations in newborn babies have gone up 400 percent. Why? Because they are the children of farmers, working in tobacco plants, in a country that allowed the commercialization of transgenic seeds and the use of huge quantities of the herbicide glyphosate. Women and men are fighting for their rights and their life. Farmers, parents, doctors, scientists, lawyers. They cry, they shout, they hope, they suffer. They are met with silence. And the reality: their children are doomed.
OUR BODIES OUR DOCTORS tells the story of a rebellion in the field of medicine as a cohort of physicians faces abortion stigma within their own profession and confronts religious control over health care decisions. Their fight takes them into a larger struggle over the heart and soul of American medicine.
What is it really like to go to war? Filled with terror, pain, and grief, it also brings exhilaration, and a profound sense of purpose. Renowned authors Karl Marlantes and Sebastian Junger help us make sense of this paradox and get to the heart of what it’s like to be a soldier at war. Veterans of various conflicts reveal some universal truths of combat with unflinching candor.
From personal healing, inspiration grew to create a positive film about people addressing disease with food. There are a lot of negative messages about the state of our nation's health and diet, and we were inspired by the community of people we found who are fighting back against this downward trend. Food As Medicine is a documentary film that follows the growing movement of using food to heal chronic illness and disease.
The Big Secret is the latest work by five-time Emmy Award-winning producer Alex Voss with the assistance of multi award winning film maker and integrative physician, Susan Downs. What started as a personal journey to regain his health, Alex came face to face with with the sad reality concerning the influence that big money has on our health and well being. Join Voss as he looks at the history of medicine in the US and the influence that wealth and power have on the decisions that your doctor makes concerning your medical care. This shocking documentary is the result of research and personal interviews with leading experts in the fields of medicine and nutrition. "My goal", says Voss, "is to empower people with knowledge and start a conversation that will ultimately lead to life-saving changes to our personal health, and reform in our healthcare system". The Big Secret is only the beginning.
Will Play for Beer is a documentary about the independent music and arts scene in Seattle, WA. The film focuses on the uniqueness of the scene, and the passion that the artists have for creating original and impactful work amidst an ever changing music industry. These musicians and artists have the kind of dedication that puts art before money and they have created a family that supports one another rather than compete with each other. It is this passion, cooperation, and originality that has become a trademark of the Seattle music and arts scene.
In his London studio, Francis Bacon discusses his work and approach with David Sylvester. His representations of the human figure in portraits and triptychs link him to the distorted realism of Van Gogh and Picasso, who also portrayed the intensity of life that Bacon calls “the brutality of fact.”
In the heart of Kamouraska in Quebec, Patrice Fortier lives at “La société des plantes” (The Society of Plants). There, like a transcriber of the middle ages, he diligently cares for the rare and forgotten plant seeds to create a variety of so-called “old futures.” Patrice dreams up his garden and turns his crops into art projects. Over time, and with patience, he passes on his passion and his knowledge to us through his seed bank. These seeds of life will appear in thousands of gardens throughout the world. An ode to plant biodiversity and to our heritage, brought forth by a true and genetically motivated sower.
New York City horse carriage drivers join with Liam Neeson to fight for their livelihood against animal rights groups and the city's mayor set on defeating them.
Following director Rotimi Rainwater, a former homeless youth, as he travels the country to shine a light on the epidemic of youth homelessness in America.
'At the end of the day, it remains a secret why some can conduct and others can’t', Sir Georg Solti once said. CONDUCT! explores this secret. The struggle of five young artists for success at the International Conductors Competition in Frankfurt provides real-life drama that tests not only musical abilities but, above all, characters. CONDUCT! explores the secret of conducting with a unique intensity that culminates in a great showdown at Frankfurt’s Opera.
An ultra-Orthodox Jew, a couch surfing custodian, and a personal injury lawyer - risk everything to find their voices on the cutthroat New York comedy scene.
Retired New Zealand farmer and dog trainer Paul Sorenson passes his knowledge to the next generation of shepherds, and reflects on the sacrifices he's made to pursue his intense passion for dogs.
This is a film about the power and necessity of community action in Detroit, and the street level solutions that residents there are finding to make a way in the biggest city in our nation to ever go bust.
The Seawolf is the latest from awarded filmmaker Ben Gulliver, who follows seven professional surfers on a two-year, jaw-dropping, cinematic journey in search of remote, frigid waves. This cold-water surf film documents the best of the best as the navigate icy waters in Norway, Scotland, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and The Faroe Islands. For decades, the search of new and isolated waves has been inspiring surfers and filmmakers alike. With the progression of wetsuit technology and the desire to go further, the possibilities of triumph in visual cinematics and surf are exceeded with The Seawolf.
Through the lens of an asylum seeker from Darfur, long time residents of the community, and a human rights activist, we explore the contours and nuances of the refugee story. Particular to Israel’s refugee history, the film examines the subtle ways in which unrest exacerbates community tensions uncovering the global crisis pervading the world today. We follow the journeys of several asylum seekers in Israel from Darfur and Eritrea. We meet Mutasim Ali who takes us on his journey and brings us to Levinsky park where the African refugees congregate.
In the past fifteen years, the Asian art market has exploded. Chinese collectors now spend more money in auction than Americans and Brits, while a new generation of Asian artists are reshaping the world’s artistic palate. My Dear Art depicts the wonders and absurdities of the Asian art market. From China, to Singapore to London, it profiles the artists, collectors, gallerists and experts who are changing the face of the art business forever and asks fundamental questions about the value and role of art in modern society.
In late 2016, state lawmakers formally petitioned the DEA to loosen federal restrictions on cannabis for medical use. Without deliberating, the DEA rejected the petition, maintaining a decades-old prohibition alongside heroin and PCP. Enter THE GREEN STANDARD: a people's account of pot, prejudice, and the fight to end prohibition. Filmed for over a year throughout the US, the film looks at the men, women, and children on all sides of the issue and takes you inside their world of surprising highs and uncomfortable lows. From the refugee families of Colorado seeking treatment for their afflicted children to anti-legalization activists decrying the movement as greed-fueled hype, the film offers an unflinching view on our evolving perceptions of marijuana use, the untold costs of prohibition, and how legalization might (or might not) bring about relief. Moving, informative, and enlightening, THE GREEN STANDARD explores one of the most talked-about yet misunderstood issues in America today.