Social & External
The people behind it
The Bahraini singer "Khaled Al Shaikh" is synonymous with musical innovation, earning him numerous awards. This film follows his creative journey from his early days as a student at Kuwait University. We trace Khaled Al Shaikh's path from Kuwait University, where he initially studied economics and political science, to the music institute in Egypt. After leaving university to pursue music, we follow his years of fame and struggles.
"Grow a Better Dallas" is a short documentary film showcasing South Dallas' Restorative Farms, a registered non-profit offering restorative justice and urban agriculture solutions to the "food desert" problem in South Dallas. Restorative Farms offers the ability for rehabilitation and therapeutic solutions to individuals with criminal backgrounds to come and contribute as employees to the farm. Restorative Farms was co-founded by Tyrone Day, who was falsely incarcerated for over 26 years.
This documentary film tells the story of the Credo Community Choir, a Dallas-based ensemble on a mission to foster acceptance through the power of music. Embark on a captivating journey from Dallas, Texas to Argentina and Uruguay, witnessing Credo's philanthropic endeavors to transform lives through the universal language of music. Credo Choir has ages 14-82, and a variety of all backgrounds, abilities, and musical experience.
"A Million Smiles" is a documentary film showcasing the Baseball Without Borders Foundation based in San Francisco, CA for nearly 30 years. Baseball Without Borders Foundation brings joy to children throughout the world through a love of America’s favorite pastime, baseball. They provide new and used baseball and softball equipment to children of all ages and they donate all equipment free of charge. Donations have been made to children in 52 countries since 1995. Baseball Without Borders has no paid staff. 100% of donated funds help to promote friendship, recipients' native cultures and connection with the less fortunate of our world. This is the first film in Baseball Without Borders history. This film focuses on bringing awareness to the culture and children of Yucatán while giving viewers a sense of the impact that Baseball Without Borders has been creating for more than 27 years as it carries out its mission to weave joy through the world by offering the gift of baseball.
For ten years, Raymond Depardon has followed the lives of farmer living in the mountain ranges. He allows us to enter their farms with astounding naturalness. This moving film speaks, with great serenity, of our roots and of the future of the people who work on the land. This the last part of Depardon's triptych "Profils paysans" about what it is like to be a farmer today in an isolated highland area in France. "La vie moderne" examines what has become of the persons he has followed for ten years, while featuring younger people who try to farm or raise cattle or poultry, come hell or high water.
The sinking of the Titanic sent shockwaves around the world and started debates that continue to this day. But new, explosive evidence from the most unlikely of sources may finally lay all arguments to rest and reveal, for the first time, the full story of what possibly doomed the "unsinkable" liner. Join us as we unveil recently discovered and never-before-seen photographs of the super ship that exposes shocking clues that investigators and historians once dismissed but can no longer ignore.
As he turns 50, filmmaker Pini Schatz sets out to explore his life-long obsession with the band Sparks (the brothers Ron and Russell Mael). Pini charts the impact of Sparks on his life while meeting with fellow Sparks fans, among them famous musicians, in Tel Aviv, London, Berlin, Rotterdam and NYC. Structured as a personal quest of the filmmaker to prove that Sparks are the coolest underrated band in the history of popular music, this docu-comedy explores the universal themes of growing old and being an outsider, the importance of art in daily life and the power of non-conformism.
Carlos Carreto, photographer, and María Fernández, painter, join forces to bring forth the exhibition “Océano Negro”. A brief journey not only through their work, but also within themselves. An excuse to talk about water in all its forms and provocations. Rain, clouds, reflections, distortion... everything is water to be shaped with the gaze.
A documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching.
In 1983, film student Rich Murray was handed $20,000 in a brown paper bag by a mobster. The money was for directing his first music video for a virtually unknown Philly rocker named Alan Mann. Mann's song "Christmas on the Block" became a Philly radio staple and Murray's music video, against the odds, became the first indie video to play on MTV. This experience, tainted by Mann's tragic passing, remained with Murray through the years. With "Fear of Heights," Murray travels back to that time to answer some nagging questions and to illuminate the dark, mysterious life and music of Alan Mann.
Cruel Famine Continent documents the Great Sahelian drought in West Africa and its effect on the people. The production was an attempt to pivot Toei's output from yakuza films and Toei Porn towards "global issues" and "whatever makes money", as stated by then-Toei president Shigeru Okada. Theatrical proceeds were to be shared as relief funds through the Japanese Red Cross, though the box office returns are unknown. Footage shot for the documentary by Yoshimitsu Banno would later be reused in the 1974 Toho production Prophecies of Nostradamus.
Pop sensations the Lovin' Spoonful perform their biggest hits in this collection of television appearances from the 1960s and '70s. Lead singer and songwriter John Sebastian discusses the band, their music and their legacy. Songs include "Summer in the City," "She's Still a Mystery," "Nashville Cats," the hit theme to the sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter," "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" and "Do You Believe in Magic?"
Take a closer look behind the processes of six different traditional Christmas items: Christmas Trees, Brussel Sprouts, Chocolate, Tinsel, Christmas Jumpers and Christmas Puddings!
Milana, Sephora, and Mario are between seventeen and twenty-six years old. They grew up in modest, stigmatized rural Manouche families. Unlike their parents, they have degrees and work as employees. They have dreams to fulfill.
An animated mockumentary follows a group of anthropomorphic raisins from their early beginnings to musical stardom, decline, and eventual comeback. Through interviews, performances, and archival-style footage, the special explores the group’s history and rise to fame.
A coming of age story following a young meerkat pup, Kolo, growing up in the Kalahari desert; and an inspiring look at how one family's connection to each other and their surroundings is a model of resilience and fortitude for us all. Shot using ground-breaking techniques, this dramatised documentary is a one-of-a-kind presentation from The Weinstein Company and the BBC, featuring narration by Paul Newman.
The odyssey of Senegalese friends who attempt a life-threatening boat crossing.
The Mambo Kings tells the story of César and Nestor Castillo, brothers and aspiring musicians who flee from Cuba to America in search of the American Dream.
A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.
A portrait of singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes' life, chronicling the past few years of his rise and journey.
A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.
The seeds of love are planted when Lisa, a high-powered investment banker, receives flowers from a secret admirer. But when his fairy-tale fantasies clash with her workaholic ways, they soon find out that sometimes, it's harder than it seems for love to conquer all.
Young Cedric Errol and his widowed mother live in genteel poverty in 1880s Brooklyn after the death of his father. Cedric's grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, has long ago disowned his son for marrying an American. But after the death of the Earl's remaining son, he decides to accept Cedric as his heir.
Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.
When he inherits the family house and property after his mother's death, aspiring novelist Fane returns home with his bimbo girlfriend Lilas. He must care for his idiot brother Mo and contend with a greedy garage owner who covets Fane's property to expand his business. When efforts to buy the property are fruitless, the mechanic incites the townsfolk against the strange trio.
A comedy/drama set in a village and centered on a battle of the sexes, where women threaten to withhold sexual favours as long as the men refuse to install a water pipe.
Thousands of royal artifacts of Dahomey, a West African kingdom, were taken by French colonists in the 19th century for collection and display in Paris. Centuries later, a fraction returned to their home in modern-day Benin. This dramatized documentary follows the journey of 26 of the treasures as told by cultural art historians, embattled university students, and one of the repatriated statues himself.
From his village in northern Senegal, Yao is a 13-year-old boy ready to do anything to meet his hero: Seydou Tall, a famous French actor. Invited to Dakar to promote his new book, the latter goes to his country of origin for the first time. To fulfill his dream, the young Yao organizes his fugue and brave 387 kilometers alone to the capital. Touched by this child, the actor decides to flee his obligations and to accompany him home. But on the dusty and uncertain roads of Senegal, Seydou understands that while rolling towards the village of the child, it also rolls towards its roots.
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
Monsieur Cinema, a hundred years old, lives alone in a large villa. His memories fade away, so he engages a young woman to tell him stories about all the movies ever made.
SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.
In the final decades of the 20th century, the Philippines was a country where low-budget exploitation-film producers were free to make nearly any kind of movie they wanted, any way they pleased. It was a country with extremely lax labor regulations and a very permissive attitude towards cultural expression. As a result, it became a hotbed for the production of cheapie movies. Their history and the genre itself are detailed in this breezy, nostalgic documentary.
All the people in this countryside area, can count on Jean-Pierre, the doctor who auscultates them, heals and reassures them day and night, 7 days a week. Now Jean-Pierre is sick, so he sees Natalie, a young doctor, coming from the hospital to assist him. But will she adapt to this new life and be able to replace the man that believed to be irreplaceable?
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
The life of Bambi, a male roe deer, from his birth through childhood, the loss of his mother, the finding of a mate, the lessons he learns from his father, and the experience he gains about the dangers posed by human hunters in the forest.
