A short documentary on how people view art and its value in today's society.
Giancarlo Parretti was central to one of Hollywood’s greatest scandals. In 1990, Parretti bought iconic James Bond studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists for $1.3B with high hopes. However, within weeks, the 17th James Bond film (GoldenEye) was put on ice, paycheques to Dustin Hoffman and Sylvester Stallone had bounced, and hundreds of staff were fired. Parretti soon faced an FBI investigation for alleged financial irregularities and his ownership of Hollywood’s most famous studio spiraled out of control.
Desperate to become as rich and successful as their idol, a trio of Michael Jackson impersonators hustle their way into Hollywood agencies, are accosted by paparazzi, and cross paths with Grammy-winning musicians as the American dream seems tantalisingly close. But as they perform for dollar bills and sleep in their car, the reality of the ruthless entertainment industry they dream about hits home.
Aim High is a recipient of the San Francisco Community Leadership Awards "for closing the achievement gap through programs that inspire a love of learning and a strong sense of community. Through its innovative, free summer school program, it supports the educational and developmental needs of middle-school-aged children, providing the tools for learning, a commitment to their community, and the hope for their future." - San Francisco Foundation
Xan García, in search of the meaning of things, interviews 13 classmates to discuss and reflect on life. They talk about death, love, happiness, and life itself. Finally, upon finishing high school, the 13 participants say goodbye and embrace the future that awaits them: the adult world. "An exhilarating story" - Ian Porto
A poetic cine-essay about race and Australia’s colonised history and how it impacts into the present offering insights into how various individuals deal with the traumatic legacies of British colonialism and its race-based policies. The film’s consultative process, with ‘Respecting Cultures’ (Tasmanian Aboriginal Protocols), offers an evolving shift in Australian historical narratives from the frontier wars, to one of diverse peoples working through historical trauma in a process of decolonisation.
Brought to life through archival material and the reflections of over 40 colleagues, friends and fans, BLOOD & FLESH is much more than the story of a moviemaking life most unusual. It beautifully captures the worlds of outsider filmmaker communities that existed in California in the ’70s, and the weird ways they intersected with Hollywood mainstream and union indies. On Adamson shoots, regular Orson Welles crew and cinematographers like Gary Graver, Vilmos Szigmond and Lazlo Kovaks worked alongside Bud Cardos — and at one point, Charles Manson! Director David Gregory (founder of Severin Films, director of LOST SOUL: THE DOOMED JOURNEY OF RICHARD STANLEY’S ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU) spent years making this film, speaking to everyone down to the cops who investigated Adamson’s murder, vividly encapsulating both a bold life and tragic demise, with alien conspiracies, go-go dancers and Colonel Sanders coming in along the way. If you’ve got even a passing interest in cinema, you want to see this
A journey around Norway to seek out regular drug users of the country and tell their untold stories about drug use and discrimination.
A sci-fi documentary that follows the rise and fall of Lyd — a 5,000-year-old metropolis that was once a bustling Palestinian town until it was conquered when the State of Israel was established in 1948. As the film unfolds, a chorus of characters creates a tapestry of the Palestinian experience of this city and the trauma left by the massacre and expulsion.
The story of young Afghan girls learning to read, write and skateboard in Kabul.
In the week when Hindus celebrate the holy festival of Diwali, this documentary tells the story of one of their faith's most sacred symbols - the swastika. For many, the swastika has become a symbol synonymous with the Nazis and fascism. But this film reveals the fascinating and complex history of an emblem that is, in fact, a religious symbol, with a sacred past. For the almost one billion Hindus around the world, the swastika lies at the heart of religious practices and beliefs, as an emblem of benevolence, luck and good fortune.
National Center for Lesbian Rights, winner of the San Francisco Foundation 2009 Community Leadership Awards (the John R. May Award), for its pioneering spirit and unwavering commitment to advancing the civil and human rights of LGBT people. Its precedent-setting case victories have rewritten laws to change the legal landscape for all LGBT people and families across the nation. Through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education, NCLR advocates on behalf of LGBT people and their families nationwide. For 30 years, NCLR has been at the forefront of pursuing justice, fairness, and legal protections for all LGBT people.
After the birth of his grandson, Bobby Roth undertakes a cinematic investigation as to what constitutes being a "good man" in today's world. This voyage of discovery leads him to interview more than fifty of his friends, both men and women who he considers to be "good people," about their views on everything from how they were parented to their thoughts on feminism, change, and regrets they might have. Their answers both surprises and enlighten both the viewers and Bobby, himself.
Living in the shadow of Canadian sports legend Lionel Conacher (1900–1954), whose legacy spans five sports, is a daunting challenge for any relative. For great-grandchild Lionel IV, better known as Chas, that challenge extends beyond athletics into the realm of self-discovery. As a non-binary individual navigating identity in the 21st century, Chas explores both the weight of their family’s star-athlete lineage and the evolving landscape of queer identity in a documentary that bridges nostalgia with forward-looking reflection.
In interviews, various actors and directors discuss their careers and their involvement in the making of what has come to be known as "cult" films. Included are such well-known genre figures as Russ Meyer, Curtis Harrington, Cameron Mitchell and James Karen.
Festival panafricain d'Alger is a documentary by William Klein of the music and dance festival held 40 years ago in the streets and in venues all across Algiers. Klein follows the preparations, the rehearsals, the concerts… He blends images of interviews made to writers and advocates of the freedom movements with stock images, thus allowing him to touch on such matters as colonialism, neocolonialism, colonial exploitation, the struggles and battles of the revolutionary movements for Independence.
What would American democracy look like in the hands of teenage girls? In this documentary, young female leaders from wildly different backgrounds in Missouri navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.
DA-DUN DA-DUN DA-DUN-DA-DUN-DA-DUN-DA-DUN-DA-DUUUUN Henry Mancini’s iconic score, Peter Sellers’ bumbling Inspector Clouseau, and those unforgettable animated opening sequences - delve into the history of the Pink Panther films, the pink diamond hunting comedy-mystery franchise that was a smash hit, made a megastar of Peter Sellers and spawned an empire. Paul Joyce’s typically thorough and entertaining documentary focuses on star Peter Sellers’ creation of a comedy icon and his relationship with director Blake Edwards. Hosted by Burt Kwouk, who played Clousea’s manservant and martial arts sparring partner Cato, and featuring interviews with Mark Kermode, Herbert Lom (Chief Inspector Dreyfus), Graham Stark (Pepi) and more, THE CURIOUS CASE OF INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU is a must-see... if you can catch it!
In Pakistan, veils hide one of the country's most terrible secrets. Driven by revenge, jealousy or sexual non-co-operation some men subject their wives to horrific attacks with acid that is freely available in the street. Completely disfigured, the victims are often ostracized by their families and become prisoners in their own home. This chilling documentary is a terrifying insight into the shattered lives of these women.
On April 20 of 1988, six young people stormed the central Banamex branch in Los Mochis and held hostage the people inside the location. 30 years after this incident, the survivors recount what happened.