"The Star-Spangled Banner" is known by all, treasured for its powerful melody and stirring lyrics. And yet, only about 40% of U.S. citizens know all the words. And even fewer know their meaning. Join us as we travel back to 1814, when Washington D.C. was under British attack during the "Second War of Independence," and the very bricks and mortar of American democracy were reduced to smoking rubble. We examine the battle that inspired witness Francis Scott Key to immortalize its final moments, then reveal how his poem transformed into an anthem.
A small town is overcome by a massive underground coal fire in 1962. As a result hundreds of residents had to be relocated.
Documentary looking at the culture of three motels and their owners who remain untouched by homogenization and corporatism, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico; Florence, Arizona; and the semi-ghost town of Death Valley Junction, California. Everyone has an unusual story to tell.
Grady is a 50-ish English professor who hasn't had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning 'Great American Novel' 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy author.
A minor train accident in rural Nebraska gradually unveils a mystery involving the town's reclusive bank clerk.
Alice (Florence Vidor) is not satisfied with her family's financial situation and tries to convince others that she comes from a wealthy family. In the end she discovers that she is only fooling herself and decides to go to work to help her father's failing business.
Loner Diane Ford is a truck driver with an 11-year-old son, Peter, whom she never sees, and that's fine with her. But, when Peter's father, Len, falls ill, he asks Diane to take care of their son for a while. Eventually, Diane reluctantly agrees, but she quickly realizes that caring for a child interferes with her independent lifestyle - and Peter isn't all that thrilled with the arrangement, either.
Set against nostalgic analog noise, this is an ultra-processed film which pays homage to lost media and the dead art of videotaped home movies. Taking place primarily in the United States, two strippers look into getting hired at a club in Colorado, a young musician reunites with her family in Missouri, and a German woman flies from Berlin to the U.S. to help her friend finish a film in Texas.
On the 38th anniversary of the seminal music documentary, Heartworn Highways - a film that explored and captured the nascent roots of the Outlaw Country movement in the mid-70s - this followup documentary celebrates the authenticity and expresses the feelings of the legendary original, via a community of contemporary "outlaws" living and creating music in Nashville, Tennessee.
A year in the life of a turn-of-the-century middle class family, leading up to the opening of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
Award-winning comedian Rich Hall takes a country music journey from Tennessee to Texas to look at the movements and artists that don't get as much notoriety but have helped shape the genre over the years. With the help of prominent performers and producers including Michael Martin Murphey, Robbie Fulks and Ray Benson, Rich explores the early origins of country music in Nashville and Austin. He visits the rustic studios where this much-loved sound was born and discovers how the genre has reinvented itself with influences from bluegrass, western swing and americana.
Dawn is a quiet young teenager who longs for something or someone to free her from her sheltered life.
A documentary about the social impact of the hot dog on American Culture. Follow the crew as they travel across the country to explore the many facets of hot dog culture. 'To understand a bike, you look at the wheels. To understand a wall, you look at each brick. And to understand America, you must look at the hot dog."
The teenagers of a rural community are confronted by the not-so-charming realities of their hometown on the eve of its annual beauty pageant.
A former high-school football star loses his shot at a college scholarship due to a devastating gridiron injury, but gets a second chance at living his dream.
A celebrity petroleum engineer discovers a rundown property in Park City.
High school girls Emma and Alice face a life-changing event after they leave their Sacramento home to pursue their dreams in Los Angeles.
A thrilling ride through liquid spaces and wild dimensions.
Beautiful Thing is a year in the life of Larry Keel. The film follows Larry and The Larry Keel Experience as they canvas from coast to coast, playing night after night in search of bigger and better crowds during 2002. Audiences range from a handful of disengaged people to standing ovations at world-renowned bluegrass festivals. Larry Keel remains somewhat obscure to audiences because his style, his interpretation of bluegrass and roots music is so personal that it is almost impossible to define, and subsequently, it is almost impossible to market. So Larry battles on, night after night, city after city, slowly generating a following of true believers, fans who sit and stare and smile in awe of this beautiful thing. Beautiful Thing is a glimpse into the life and spirit of a true artist, during his many tours and performances of 2002.
An exploration of the personal and creative struggles behind the music of four-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jason Isbell.