Cássia Eller Rejane. Cássia Eller. Cássia. A powerful restless force on stage, shined herself out of it. One of the greats of Brazilian music, Cássia Eller marked the 1990s and shocked the country with her early death in 2001. A film about the singer, the mother, the woman who exposed her personal life and broke barriers, leaving a beautiful social and artistic legacy.
Follow the triumphs and tragedies of America's first family, the Kennedys, beginning in Wexford, Ireland, in 1848 and culminating at the apex of American political life. Viewers meet P.J. Kennedy and John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, whose prized progeny, Joe Sr. and Rose, bred four famous sons: Joe Jr., Jack, Bobby and Ted. The documentary also shines a light on the remarkable women of the family, including Eunice, Jean, Jackie and Caroline.
Sculptor/painter Katie Dallam entered the boxing ring for her first professional fight and, 140 blows to the head later, suffered major brain damage. (Her life became the basis for the movie Million Dollar Baby). Irish musician Graham Sharpe’s career was on the rise when advancing tinnitus caused a ringing in his ears so bad that it put an end to his rock-and-roll dreams. Sculptor Alice Wingwall experienced complete loss of sight from a degenerative eye disease. Game over for these three, right? Not so fast. Each managed to struggle, innovate, and, ultimately, through their art, transform themselves into someone new.
Stay calm. You’ve spent your whole life practicing and preparing yourself for this moment of truth, and now it has finally arrived. The Cliburn, or more properly, the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held every four years in Fort Worth, Texas, is about to begin. Pressure? What pressure? Running 17 days, with three grueling rounds, The Cliburn invites 30 of the world’s finest pianists to battle it out for top honors. At stake are prizes worth millions, but more than money, the winner is practically guaranteed a performing career. Did we mention you’re playing not just for the judges, but for a live audience of thousands and a webcast of 170,000 viewers throughout the world? Pressure? What pressure? Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. No pressure.
Chronicling the definitive story behind the creation of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's "Born to Run" album, this exclusive documentary incorporates rarely seen archival film shot inside the studio, recent band interviews and intimate footage of the artists at work.
Stéphane Mallarmé is one of the many educational documentaries that Éric Rohmer did for the television during the 1960’s. At the beginning of the film, Rohmer states that he has placed in Mallarmé’s mouth words taken from an interview with the writer by Jules Heuret published in 1891.
An account of the journey that King Alfonso XIII of Spain made to the impoverished shire of Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura, in 1922.
The story of the Bugattis of Milan and Molsheim, the eccentric family behind the brand: Carlo, the patriarch and furniture designer; Rembrandt, the troubled sculptor; Ettore, the gifted engineer; Jean, the unfortunate heir. Art and design. Beauty and luxury. The fastest cars. Races. The need for speed.
In the history of sports, few names are more recognizable than that of Evel Knievel. Long after the man hung up his famous white leather jumpsuit and rode his Harley into the sunset, his name is still synonymous with the death-defying lifestyle he led. Notoriously brash, bold, and daring, Knievel stared death in the face from the seat of his motorcycle, but few know the larger-than-life story of the boy from Butte, Montana.
Shot both on and from an elevated electric train.
Feature-film director Michel Audiard tackles what he believes to be the mistakenly heroic status given to Charles De Gaulle. In this documentary film, he uses humor, among other things, to demythologize him.
Directed by Arto Tuohimaa, the film closely follows one of the most popular Finnish bands of the 2000's, covering their last two years on tour, in the studio, and at practice. The intimate moments right before heading out onto the stage as well as the feelings after a euphoric show clearly depict the band members as a family of sorts. Right from the beginning, PMMP's line-up has remained the same as well as their self motivated way of creating and performing music; refreshing alternative in a conservative world of pop music. All band members are interviewed in the film along with the lead singers Paula and Mira, who usually stand in the spotlight.
A detailed behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Superman Returns.
"Landfill Harmonic" follows the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage. When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. Under the guidance of idealistic music director Favio Chavez, the orchestra must navigate a strange new world of arenas and sold-out concerts. However, when a natural disaster strikes their country, Favio must find a way to keep the orchestra intact and provide a source of hope for their town. The film is a testament to the transformative power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.
Theory of Obscurity tells the story of the renegade sound and video collective known as The Residents…a story that spans 40 years and is clouded in mystery. Many details surrounding the group are secret, including the identities of its members. They always perform wearing masks and costumes, which is part of their magic. At its heart, this story is about perseverance and chasing your dream. The Residents never caved to convention. They never compromised. They’ve followed their muse for decades and thousands of fans have hung on for the ride. Along the way they’ve also inspired many people to be weird, take chances and find their own voice.
Over the past ten years, online gaming has revolutionized the world of video games. Through the journeys of colorful characters across the globe, this documentary explores that revolution, offering a unique take on themes such as education, violence, and addiction. It also raises more unconventional questions, like the blurring line between the real and the virtual, our relationships with avatars, the taming of social complexity, and the new forms of sociability spawned by networked gaming. These are rarely addressed yet essential topics for understanding the true power of video games.
All over the world, since the dawn of humanity, the buttocks have been the subject of innumerable representations. From the Louvre to the Metropolitan, on the street and at the beach, through cinema and advertising, this film lays bare the evolution of our collective fantasies revolving around the bottom. Paleo-anthropology, psychoanalysis, and the history of art all give us a glimpse of the hidden side of our bottoms.
Experimental French composer Pierre Henry, one of the pioneers of musique concrete, is the subject of this documentary that traces his development of a new sound that shocked the music world. During the 1950s, the radical innovator and his colleague Pierre Schaeffer created a unique form of music based on electronically modified environmental noises. Special features include a concert recorded in Paris and the short film "Le Candidat."
Experimental 8mm film by Karpo Godina.
Some of the world's best jazz, R & B, hip-hop, rap, gospel and Latin musicians perform classic and modern songs in this 2004 benefit show celebrating the 70th year of Harlem's famed Apollo Theater. Performers include Natalie Cole, Ashanti, Brian McKnight, Yolanda Adams with the Abyssinian Baptist Choir, James Ingram, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Patti LaBelle, Angie Stone and Arturo Sandoval.