Film Synopses
“I’ve Endured”: The music and legacy of Ola Belle Reed
With a voice born in the mountains and shaped by the hard times, Ola Belle Reed established herself as an influential musician, singer, and songwriter of old-time mountain music. The new documentary, “I’ve Endured”: The music and legacy of Ola Belle Reed”, explores the life of this remarkable musician, singer and songwriter whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape. Ola Belle’s powerful voice and lyrics spoke authentically of her rural roots, and her passionate songs found a home in the folk-revival movement of the 1960s and beyond. She left an enduring legacy. In 1986 Ola Belle received a NEA National Heritage Fellowship. The Library of Congress added her 1973 album Ola Belle Reed to the National Recording Registry in 2019. Her recordings are also preserved by the National Council for the Traditional Arts. Her songs have become anthems of Appalachian life, and she is widely recognized as one of the most influential bluegrass, folk and old-time musicians of all time.
The story told in "I’ve Endured" is one that resonates with themes of resilience, creativity, diversity and cultural significance. The film was produced over the last four years, weaving together archival photos, recordings and newly restored film footage of interviews and performances to present a portrait of Ola Belle, shedding light on her significance and that of the mountain culture she embodied. New interviews with those who knew her, worked with her and were influenced by her, are combined in the film to bring the past, present and future together in conversation. Production was based at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and was funded by Maryland Traditions, a part of the Maryland State Arts Council.
“The Humbler – Danny Gatton”
There have been a lot of great guitarists.
But there was only one they called…
THE HUMBLER
“The Humbler – Danny Gatton”
Who is Danny Gatton?
Danny Gatton, “The World’s Greatest Unknown Guitarist,” combined jazz, rock, country, blues, and rockabilly into dazzling mélanges of sound. A conflicted, paradoxical genius, Danny was a humble man, yet his virtuosity humbled musicians far more famous than he.
The Humbler - Danny Gatton" is a music history documentary, a biography and a love story to American music.
Danny’s music and candid interviews are woven through the movie which chronicles his trials, tribulations, and triumphs from 1964 to when we lost him in 1994.
Danny is revered among his colleagues, the documentary includes commentary with: Les Paul, Vince Gill, Joe Bonamassa, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Douglas, Albert Lee, and many more.
We have the full support of Danny’s widow and daughter, which has given us unique access to largely unseen material.
Danny’s career never went mainstream; he remained a guitarist’s guitarist yet his fame keeps growing due to his presence on You Tube.
The story is that Danny Gatton is one of the greatest guitar players ever to pick up a guitar and that people should know about him. That is the whole story.
“Unsteady” Music Video by Christian Bens
#DTMUS (Don’t Tell Me Ur Sorry)
"#DTMUS" is inspired by true events which follows two African American teens who experience the pandemic in two different lights.
A Bridge to Life
A Bridge to Life is a portrait of an organization that for years has been working to change and save the lives of men dealing with life-threatening addiction issues. The men receive intensive job-training skills along with psychological and spiritual mentoring to give them a chance to return to society as successful community and family members. Interwoven throughout this film is the inspiring story of William Washington, the founder and Executive Director of the Bridge Ministry. Having suffered serious trauma as a child, this led to him becoming a homeless teenager on the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia as both a user and seller of deadly drugs. He was incarcerated more than once, and while eventually facing a long-term prison sentence, he was given a chance by a compassionate judge to enter a program which positively altered his life. Uplifted by this experience, he dedicated his own life to helping others who faced the same troubled path that he had been on. This led to his creation of the Bridge Ministry, which is a much better alternative than incarceration to deal with our country’s serious crisis of drug addiction.
A Good Day Will Come
Arash is a professional wrestler with dreams of representing his country and winning gold medals. The country is in turmoil and its people are suffering. Arash must decide between using his platform to stand up to tyranny, or put his head down and remain silent.
A Philistine in Queens
Charlie, an everyday kinda guy, is convinced by his neighbor that something is wrong with him, leading him to seek treatment. He suddenly finds himself in a brand new life with mixed feelings about how he got there. Starring Jeff Wincott of The Night Of and Sons of Anarchy. Winner of Best Original Screenplay at the Golden State Film Festival in 2024.
All There Is and Nothing More
A millennial American man tries to find meaning in his life. While he does so, he spends time with an unexpected friend.
ALL WIGGED OUT
Marcy Marxer is a GRAMMY winning singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who takes us on her expedition through Breast Cancer and neuropathy caused by Chemotherapy, tempered by her wacky sense of humor and ability to make the personal universal. Her musical and life partner, Cathy Fink is Marcy’s advocate in the doctors’ offices, her number one fan and bandleader in the show with Staci McMichael on bass and Janet Cramer on drums. Cathy also plays the mammogram technician, Cindy at the Wig Shop and Marcy’s mother.
From comparing her cancer journey to being dragged through a car wash while playing the musical washboard, to dealing with everyone’s “Unsolicited Advice” to showing the ridiculous “My Chemo Bag” given to her at the hospital, Marcy sticks to the truth while finding humor in many moments. Why is there a lint roller in that bag? Cindy at the Wig Shop put Marcy at ease in the transition to baldness, and also at times told more truth than the doctors who soft-pedaled potential side effects to treatment. The ten songs span multiple styles of music. Marcy triumphs over adversity while celebrating forty years together with the love of her life, Cathy, ending with “Two Peas In A Pod.”
“ALL WIGGED OUT” offers insights for caregivers, family, and friends of cancer patients and others with severe illness. What was at stake for Marcy was her entire livelihood as a musician, stopped in its tracks by neuropathy caused by chemotherapy. What was never at stake was the deep love between Marcy and Cathy, whose own livelihood might well be affected by this diagnosis. And in the end, they triumph together.
Anthony’s Wish
After a fallout between two brothers, Anthony and Darnell are forced to reforge their familial bonds as they grapple with powers beyond their comprehension.
Arriving in Five Minutes Period
A DoorDash driver takes a road trip from New Jersey to the Cincinnati Zoo, fulfilling orders as he goes. His decision to accept every available order leads to an exploration of the gig economy, the crisis of work, and the ways people treat each other in an increasingly digital world.
Before
On the night before they sign the paperwork for their gestational carrier, a young gay couple grapples with their future and the ramifications of leaving their "before."
Bird Hours
Lars and Frances are two young professionals who work day in and day out for Sol Corp, the mega-corporation that owns and runs the entire world. Their routine consists of putting on VR Headsets and transporting their souls into the "cloud," rendering their bodies lifeless in the real world for 10 hours a day. To ensure their cats are entertained, they play "Bird Hours," an NPR program that plays recordings of various birds, which are all extinct due to climate change. After reports of absurd catastrophic news events and a long-awaited session of intimacy is interrupted by Sol Corp, Lars smashes his and Frances' headsets and they escape their apartment into a sun-drenched world of unknowns.
Black Sugar Red Blood
Anna... She doesn't know if that's her real name. Because apart from the vague memory of the sound of this name, she only associates one thing with her early childhood: horrible fear. Of doctors, of injections and the bitter-sweet taste of a piece of sugar on liberation day. Anna Strishkowa is a toddler when she stands on the ramp of Auschwitz on 4 December 1943. She neither knows the names of her parents nor where she was born.
For Luigi Toscano, Anna Strishkowa is the first Auschwitz survivor he portrays for the exhibition of his project "Against Forgetting" in Kyiv. He has photographed more than 500 other survivors since then, but Anna's fate never lets him go. Luigi wants to help Anna decipher her identity.
But shortly before filming begins, Putin invades Ukraine. The bombs falling on Kiev catapult Anna back to the horror of her childhood. Luigi offers to bring her from Kyiv to Mannheim. But Anna refuses. Hitler robbed her of her identity, and she doesn't want to let Putin take her home away from her. There is confirmation of Anna's prisoner tattoo, that she was registered in Auschwitz. But further research came to nothing. The adoptive father had the tattoo removed shortly before Anna started school. To protect her, Anna believes. A Soviet propaganda film showing Anna shortly after liberation raises doubts about the previously assumed prisoner number. Against all expectations, Luigi discovers the decisive clue in a yellowed medical file in the Auschwitz archive. The new clues point to relatives who are still alive. They lead from Auschwitz to Belarus, from the Potulice-Lebrechtsdorf camp to Kyiv and Drohobytsch, all the way to Unna in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Anna's search links the darkest chapter of the twentieth century with our own history: How much do we need to understand the past in order to understand our present?
Blind Blood
Jack develops a conscience while he deals with an intrusion from his past life of drugs and violence.
Blue Planet Red
Mars used to be a blue planet, like Earth. What happened to it? Blue Planet Red examines the history, evidence for life, and global catastrophes that contributed to the death of the planet.
Brass
A young man in Washington, D.C. is dealing with life after graduating college and his mothers death coincide.
Bridge
Bridge. is a narrative drama about fifteen-year-old, Bridgette Wieland (aka Bridge), who has reached the great divide between adolescence and young adulthood, a moment defined by the death of her mother. To cope with her deep-felt loss and her family’s unraveling grief, Bridge pours her sorrow into styling her mother’s last look.
Cold
When Rosamund interviews famous DC philanthropist, Jasper, for her blog, she discovers the cost is more than what she bargained for.
Come Back Haunted
A reclusive woman's carefully constructed life shatters when a blood covered child runs out of the woods, claiming her mother is trying to kill her. She assumes a long lost motherly roll to protect the girl, but discovers other things lurking in the dark, trying to get in.
Cover
17-year-old Monica is left to take care of her exuberant younger sister, Sarah, for the week. As the girls rush to school one morning, the tornado sirens suddenly wail outside.
Crazy Love (Imagine what can happen in a year)
Crazy Love follows The Richardsons, a family of three women operating a lash salon in the DMV. Although everything appears to be good at the shop, the family is actually struggling to get along at home. Things take a turn for the worse when a wealthy new man walks into the shop and catches the eyes of the youngest Richardson Kayla.
Death in Normandy
This stop motion animation is about WWII. A unit of soldiers battle for their lives throughout the theaters of WWII.
Dinner for Six
In "Dinner for Six," a young woman with cerebral palsy named Zoey is getting ready for her first date. Her nondisabled family seems supportive as she talks all about him and her concerns. But after she leaves, her family sneaks behind her and goes to the restaurant! The date starts awkwardly between Zoey and Chris, an intelligent man who works in banking. However, the date gets spiced up when one of Zoey’s sisters, named Cassie, pretends to be a waitress, and Zoey catches her family spying on them. Things get more embarrassing when Cassie gives Zoey an edited menu, causing a fight between them over her motor issues and speech therapy. Their mother loudly stops the fight, but then asks Zoey for a cute picture with Chris. Zoey tells Chris that she regrets the date. She tells him that she’s not good enough for him, but Chris insists the opposite, "You’re great as you are!" When Zoey tells Chris how embarrassed she is with her family, Chris reveals that his dad is there. When Cassie questions him about his dad, he tells her his dad is supervising because he’s also disabled. Cassie scoffs at that claim ("You don’t look disabled"), and he tells her that he’s autistic. The whole family (and Chris’s dad) breaks out in celebration that Zoey is dating another disabled person. The poor, humiliated Zoey awkwardly smiles at Chris and offers him bread as our story ends.
Discharge
dis·charge | \ ˈdis-ˌchärj
1. the act of doing a task or duty that you must do:
2. to fire a gun
3. to relieve of or release from something that burdens or confines
As his world begins to crumble around him, a troubled police detective, who has tried to ignore the effects from trauma he suffered, must finally confront his past in order to begin healing and reclaim his present.
Do You Trust Me?
In a serendipitous encounter, Jane and Ron, virtual strangers, embark on a date. Unexpectedly, Jane's simple yet profound act of kindness sparks a transformative journey for Ronald, setting the stage for a captivating tale of new beginnings.
Dragonfly
A young girl learns of her mother’s survival of the Tokyo Firebombing on March 9-10, 1945 through the eyes of her brother’s spirit.
Elosy
On the day of her college graduation -a moment dedicated to joy and celebration- Marie sits back at home during her ceremony in a sorrowful trance over her mother’s death. She fears what’s to come, but -more so- she is upset that her mother can’t be there with her. She holds onto her only source of comfort in this time -her mother’s necklace. Startled by her father, she rips the necklace from her neck, causing the chain to break. Her father encourages her to go, and now -even more upset by his interruption- she refuses to see why she should. Soon enough, an aggressive knocking at her door breaks her from her thoughts -and from reality. She shoves the necklace in her pocket and rips the door open in annoyance, only to be greeted by something much different than she expected: a dark void between reality and fantasy. Out of curiosity for what it has in store, she steps inside.
Finding herself reborn into the alternate world of eerie bounce houses and liminal halls reminiscent of an earlier time, Marie takes her first steps into the unknown with caution. A silhouette in the distance evokes a memory of her late mother, and she runs to her -for sanity, for comfort, for just one loving hug. The voices of children playing take over the atmosphere in her desperate hope to relive a time that once was; however, this hope is all but deflated once her mother vanishes. Those times are over, and those once happy voices now turn into overbearing wails and screams, sending Marie to flee the scene.
On the other side of this door lies a vacant but vibrant arcade. Confused, lost, and scared, she grabs for her necklace only to find it gone from her pocket. She stumbles as she searches, and in her search she finds the Ticketmaster, a strange and intimidating man who speaks in riddles. He coaxes her to play a game of air hockey with him -one wherein she will unwittingly learn the hard truths of life’s ups and downs. She will learn that, despite even our biggest setbacks, there are silver linings, things to be learned and gained from every single one of them -even if we might not see them now. Each round poses a great challenge for her as the crashing puck evokes the trauma of her mother’s death. The Ticketmaster relentlessly mocks her, as she fails to give herself the agency to get back up and fight back. Each score on her becomes another lump of salt to the wound until enough is enough. Reliving the tragedy of her mother’s death in full, she lashes out and finally strikes a score against him. Instead of continuing however, she blows up, telling him she doesn’t want to play games in fantasyland, but that she actually just wants her mother to still be with her. She then slumps down in defeat, and the Ticketmaster comes to her side. She explains how her heavy feelings of loneliness and longing weigh her down every day. He then gives her the opportunity to changes these circumstances in a final game. Skeptic once more, she follows him to a prize wheel. He explains to her that by spinning this wheel, she takes a slim chance at getting to live her life as it is or the much larger chance of ending her life to join her mother. Finally seeing that her life is worth enjoying -even without her mother- she refuses to play, saying that she can’t let her down.
Satisfied, the Ticketmaster sends her back to the void, where she is granted one final moment with her mother. They embrace one last time, and her mother hands her a now fixed version of her necklace. Knowing she must continue life on her own, she passes through another door leading back to the present. In this moment, she looks back to her mother not with sorrow but with a bittersweet hope for the future. She then follows after her father to attend her graduation.
Enter the Room
A young adult (Brian) is visited by his brother, Jeremy, who needs a place to stay as he settles into his new city. The two polar opposite personalities begin to clash as Jeremy's presence poses a threat to Brian's way of life. Brian's uptight personality and unreasonable living standards rub off on Jeremy, creating an incredible amount of tension. Bad blood, stemming from a traumatic past event reveals the shocking truth of the brothers' current situations, as Brian struggles to differentiate between reality and his worst nightmares.
Father’s Day: A Kirk Franklin Story
Experience the captivating behind-the-scenes journey that initially began as the making of Kirk Franklin's 13th album, "Fathers Day," and evolved into an unexpected and profoundly emotional documentary. As the cameras rolled during filming, Kirk Franklin's world was turned upside down when he made a shocking revelation. The man he had always believed to be his father was not his biological parent. In a remarkable and emotional journey, Kirk embarks on a quest to discover his true biological father, leading to a profound exploration of his identity and everything he thought he knew about himself.
Fentanyl, A Street Battle in Town
The documentary which was originally made for BBC World Service Persian TV gives an intensive look at the life of the most underprivileged people living in one of the ‘Canada’s poorest postal codes’ called DTES (Vancouver Downtown-Eastside).
Amir Payam, who used to live and worked as an addiction counselor in Vancouver, Canada, rides along with ambulances, firefighters and police officers to capture the overdose cases in DTES and illustrates the hard battle the city faces in order to save lives.
The 41 min cinematographic piece takes the viewer to the 'street battle' in DTES, featuring different perspectives as well as progressive solutions to the problem.
Despite the shocking scenes, the documentary focuses on solutions; it illustrates how different parts of this community, from grassroots to NGOs and from provincial to federal GOs, are trying to tackle the problem.
Although the doc starts with a catastrophic moment of an overdose patient on the street but finishes by documenting the July 27, 2018, historic incident where 130 overdoses had happened in British Columbia (A new record in 2018), no fatalities recorded as first responders and volunteers managed to save all 130 cases.
Fix
Wake, go to work, sleep, repeat. Routine is a part of life. It keeps us focused, but if something changes then everything changes.
Flying Lessons
“Flying Lessons” follows two estranged sisters forced together by their mother’s sudden death: Beatrice, an autistic high schooler who wants to learn to fly, and Talia, a queer musician with no interest in teaching her. Starring and co-written by the autistic actress the story is based on, the film showcases a unique and underrepresented perspective on death and grief.
Garden State
Filmed in various locations throughout New Jersey, Garden State explores the diverse landscapes in which wildlife, development, farming, and industry coexist in the most densely packed state in the union. Thematically concerned with utopian/dystopian ideas about modernist ‘progress’, the static camera lens observes New Jersey without judgement in order to allow the viewer to draw connections between the visual poetics of the landscape and the overwhelming legacy of human intervention. Kevin T. Allen’s sound design-- a heightened soundtrack of organically sourced hums and drones -- lures the viewer into a hypnotic and meditative experience while sonically announcing the presence of the human figure in the landscape. Garden State both encourages us to slow down, take a long lingering look at our surroundings, and to find wonder, beauty, ruin, and awe in the most unlikely of places.
Gift
The ex-Syrian refugee and a food deliverer, Yasser meets Eita, a solitary Japanese boy in the city park, and they grow a family-like bond as they play soccer and cook together after Yasser’s bike gets stolen.
God in the Valley
After a robbery gone south, two low level criminals face fear, paranoia and guilt in the aftermath. As well as battling trust issues between one another.
Goons, Guns and the Gumshoe
An old-fashioned private detective is hired to find a missing woman, and comes across a wild, strange collection of characters.
Happy Birthday
Brian forgets his girlfriends birthday, which leads to a day he can never escape.
House on Rockingham
After securing a job as live-in housekeeper, a woman discovers the owner may be connected to her sister's disappearance.
How to Cure Insomnia
Seventeen years of life. Eight years of braces. Two years of diapers. Seven hours of labor. A lifetime of waiting and worrying if today will be the day that he won't come home. Welcome to motherhood. There is no cure.
I Beg for.
Du-hyun is in the middle of a trial for committing and simple assault.
One day, his future mother-in-law visits and asks for his criminal records.
It’s a vicious world and she just wants to make sure that her daughter is in good hands.
I Drum To A Different Puzzle
Noah is a typical teenager young man who is enjoying life at home and school. His friend is Faith, but unlike him, she is autistic and having responsibilities attaching to her autism spectrum disorder (ASD) personality.
During a visit to Noah's home, she is overhearing something to follow up by asking Noah. He accepts her requested to follow it through. The friendships end up changing both their lives.
I’m Pretty Sure My Therapist Thinks I’m a Bad Actor
When therapist Shelley accidentally attends one of her client's theatrical productions but doesn't stick around after the show to congratulate them, the last place she expected to find herself was abducted. Tied to a chair. By that same client. Their mission: To "create space" and talk about what she reeeeally thought of their performance. I'M PRETTY SURE MY THERAPIST THINKS I'M A BAD ACTOR is a micro-budget darkly comedic short film about anxiety, vulnerability, and the folks we turn to (and kidnap) for validation.
Influence of the Stars
When SARS-CoV-2 became the latest virus to shape human history, few people alive had witnessed global devastation from a novel infectious disease. Influenza (named in 15th Century Italy for the influence of hostile stars believed to cause illness) has sparked several pandemics, including the deadliest ever, in 1918. Flu is poised to grip the world again—but we are not powerless against it. In our documentary, Influence of the Stars, more than 30 experts across a range of disciplines describe how influenza threatens global health and security. They explain how hard-earned lessons from the COVID-19 experience can—and indeed must—be harnessed to protect the world from the far greater threat of pandemic influenza.
Invisible Wounds: The Story of Matthew Fast
Matthew Fast always wanted to be a soldier. He served tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Once he was back home, his wife, Jessica, discovered his service had a hidden affect on him.
Izanagi
Japanese siblings, Kenji and Maiya, live peacefully in rural America until their lives fall victim to the American culture.
Jessie
After tension with her mom sends her searching for an escape with some bad influences, Jessie embarks on an internal journey where she can no longer hide from herself.
JULIA
Julia finally landed the man of her dreams but an unexpected interruption from her mother threatens to reveal a forbidden childhood fetish that could unravel everything.
KIRA vs EVERYONE
After receiving a humanitarian award, Senator Horace Black becomes hunted down by an unknown presence.
Launch at Paradise
The lines between life and death become blurred for John as he takes the risk to live forever.
Little Heroes
A group of young friends spend their summer attempting to save their small town from a corrupt factory owner. Little Heroes contains the friendship dynamics of The Goonies, the “kids turned heroes” tale of Clubhouse Detectives, the summer nostalgia of The Sandlot, the puppy love romance of Little Rascals, and the coming-of-age magic of The Wonder Years. Currently in post production, Little Heroes is feel-good movie that embodies the nostalgia of your childhood.
Long for the missing
Yo-young is his daughter who has been missing for two years and is found murdered in pieces. She secretly holds a wedding ceremony between Dan-bi and Jang-yeol, her future son-in-law
Looking Inward-Black History & the Arts
“Looking Inward” is a film documenting the artist fellowship process through the Kent Cultural Alliance. 6 artists dug through thousands of historical documents and images from the Chesapeake Heartland Archive to find what spoke to them, and then created their own artwork from the inspirations they found. This Documentary is a journey through Black History and the Arts and how we all can benefit from 'Looking Inward.'
Love & Irony
The search for an authentic life leads an existential bike mechanic to discover the universal truths and transformative powers of love.
Love… Reconsidered
Ruby is a thirty and flirty (but definitely not thriving) New Yorker whose life is transferred to the Hamptons right after a chance meeting with a wealthy consignment store owner.
Low Risk Spectre (2023)
After Rob and Katie move into a new home for a total steal, they discover the catch: the ghost of an annoying teenage girl who died in the house years ago and never left.
Ma’s Kisses
Love and tradition are passed from mother to daughter through their love of cooking
Microwave Coven
After buying a microwave from a peculiar woman, two college roommates discover their new appliance is not quite what it seems.
More Than Just A Party Band
Growing up in the idyllic 1970s Santa Barbara, a surfing basketball-playing tango-dancing musician effortlessly achieves a flash of early fame, but is then forced to rewrite his definition of success when faced with a harsh music industry, unrelenting personal obstacles, and cultural shifts. The result is 40 years of his own enduring and quirky brand of music and entertainment style that some say sounds like the soul of Santa Barbara.
The documentary film explores the meaning of creative success and community while celebrating the power of fun in the colorful life and times of Spencer Barnitz, of Spencer The Gardener, a Santa Barbara cultural and musical icon.
Motel
Motel is the story of a young woman who, after traveling out of state to get an abortion, must spend the night at a motel and grapple with the decision that she’s made. Isla has made a choice, and the weight of that choice hits her as the pressure from family and society seem to close in. As strange occurrences start to haunt Isla, she must do all she can to get through the night.
Mother, son, Comedy!
A mother and son spend three days together in a college dorm room after an extramarital affair uproots their lives.
Neon Dew
A disgraced Math professor finds tutoring jobs to make ends meet.
Night Train
A story about a woman coming out of an abusive relationship and meets a compassionate taxi driver.
Night Voices
An aging and isolated, smack-talk radio host who is stuck in a cycle of hopelessly demoralizing monotony, makes a life-altering decision while on the air.
No Place Is Home
A chance encounter between a homeless woman and a homeschooled teen sheds new light on the meaning of home.
Now and Forever: A Story of Freedom on the Move
Grounded in the transformative nature of God, dive into this chronicled journey that details the creation of the sixth largest cathedral in the world’s new stained-glass windows, entitled “Now and Forever.”
With Washington National Cathedral’s “Now and Forever” windows being designed by acclaimed African-American Artist, Kerry James Marshall, “Now and Forever: A Story of Freedom on the Move" shows the conception, creation, and installation of the new windows following eight years of discussion and discernment after the previous windows honoring Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson were called for removal from Washington National Cathedral.
In this short documentary film, witness how The Cathedral’s Now and Forever Windows captures the resilience, faith, and endurance of African Americans and our nation’s struggle with the original sins of racism and slavery. With the work of Kerry James Marshall accompanied by renowned poet Elizabeth Alexander’s “American Song,” Washington National Cathedral hopes to tell a broader, more inclusive story of American history.
“In this House of Prayer for All People, we want to tell the stories of all people.”
Ocean’s Rose
Ocean's Rose is a short form documentary celebrating the life and achievements of world renowned diver and first ever shark whisperer Ben Rose. The film focuses on promoting Ben's message of the importances of human connection with nature and protecting it.
Of One’s Own
After coming out as gay to his family, Something James has dreamed of for years, he finally is able to go out and experience the LGBTQ community, and try to meet people in a speed dating event. However, James is worried his usual self is perfect, and is conflicted on how to represent himeself, and struggles with his self identity when confronted by LGBTQ+ peoples at the bar.
Out of My Comfort Zone
Josh and Rachel's close friendship is tested when a high school cyberbully with a hidden past threatens to expose secrets in this feature film musical comedy about finding the courage to be who you are.
Peabrain
A former soap opera actor contends with his father, an assisted living resident with alcoholic dementia, and reflects on his earlier relationship with him.
PTSD911
PTSD911 is a documentary film about real people: normal, average human beings who have chosen to work in professions that require above average heroism, fortitude, and resolve. These men and women have jobs that require a willingness to face things that most of us can’t even imagine, yet maintain a high level of dignity and professionalism. First responders in fact repeatedly see and experience things that most of us will never see, causing compound issues related to post-traumatic stress injuries and disorders.
Rew
Two former colleagues meet in the woods to test a project they had long since abandoned.
Roger
Though born in Brooklyn, I decided to make a career of film as a young man studying abroad in France. It was while getting in touch with my maternal side's culture across the Atlantic that I found myself strolling along the Seine one night (after a really great movie at Le Champo) when I stumbled across a film set: Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris." It was a transformative moment, and for the next few hours, I sat there watching them work. As fate would have it, I crossed that film's set three more times over the next few days, on each occasion taking the time to quietly watch and observe.
Sarajin
In a remote Alaskan town DongSu, a snow crab fisherman, is struggling to make ends meet for his immigrant family. When the snow crabs he depends on suddenly disappear due to climate change, he and his family have to decide whether to stay or leave their new home behind.
Save a Buck
The cast and crew of "Save a Buck" find themselves in danger when an indie film director lies to them and ignores basic safety protocols on set in this thrilling, found-footage exposé.
Scarlet Winter
After waking up to find his girlfriend murdered in bed, Mark must cover up her death while trying to piece together events from the previous night to find her murderer.
Seventeen
In California, a small town, a Chinese American teenage girl, Jasmine (17), gets pregnant and wants to keep the baby, while her pornstar mother, Yan (35), insists on having an abortion. As the fight escalates, the two realize they may have more in common despite their conflicting wishes for themselves.
So Shot
So Shot is a “feel good the hard way” story. Doug, a mid-20’s bartender, is dealing with the long-suppressed regret of breaking up with his first love, Abigail. After four humdrum years spent bantering with his co-worker buddies and cussing over Sunday football with his dad, Doug finds that his comfortable routine, formed more or less out of habit, is triggering the thought of his ex. No matter what he does, he can’t stop seeing her in his mind, forcing him to deal with the emotional fallout he’s buried for so long. At his breaking point, Doug finally admits to his co-workers, who have become more like brothers every day, that he screwed up. He has to be together with her again for his own sanity, but he hasn’t considered that she may be more sane without him. Through Doug’s story, the film explores the ache that comes from suffering caused by your own mistakes. Doug is deeply human and equally defensive of his flaws, but he learns that although he has to live with his decisions, regret doesn’t have to define what he and Abigail had. So Shot is for anyone who’s had to swallow the tough pill of regret, own their own mistakes, and find a way to move on.
Space Coast
People from around the world gather on the Space Coast to witness the launch of Artemis-1, the 'World's most powerful rocket.' But Mark, a veteran of the Space Shuttle Program, doubts this 'moondoggle' will ever fly.
Stakes Is High
We’ve all taken an Uber or Lyft and been driven around by complete strangers -- How can they afford these cars? Can you really make money driving? How do they survive?
The few films set in this world portray drivers are predators, preying on unsuspecting passengers – but our film uncovers another layer, how rideshare companies prey on drivers, making it impossible to survive.
It’s a story unfolding right before our eyes, that we barely pay any attention to. A story about trying to get ahead by leasing a car to drive for a rideshare company, and how that one decision can upend your entire life.
The film was made with an approach true to the story, with a micro-budget and a small crew on the streets of Los Angeles for all to see, and no one really paying attention.
Much like TAXI DRIVER was a reflection of post-Vietnam America, STAKES IS HIGH captures America right now. Will Goldin is the everyman of this moment, living off the fumes of a dream, turning to the gig economy with hopes of a better future only to find a rat race to the bottom –
A story that has only become more relevant and more powerful since the pandemic.
Stay A Little Longer This Time
After ten years, a young woman returns home in search of a connection with her family...and a way to bury past traumas.
Sun & Moon
After their father's funeral, half-siblings Tsukiko and Asahi find themselves in a conversational drama, meeting for the first time in 30 years. Children raised separately by divorced couples, Asahi, who is angry about his imperfect family, blames Tsukiko. Will the long-standing rift between them ever be filled? As the two return to their own lives, they finally feel a glimpse of their father’s love towards them…
Team Ladu
Introducing Imran Qamar Zaman, along with Pakistan's Presidential Pride of Performance winner Rashid Mehmood, Khawaja Saleem, Esha Zahra, Hayam Butt and follows the journey of a first generation American Pakistani who goes to Pakistan to with lessons he wished he could've instilled in his daughter before she died.
The Activated Man
As Ors Gabriel struggles with the grief and pain from losing his best friend and beloved dog, Louie, to cancer, the shock from the trauma brings on strange visions only Ors can see. While he questions whether his mind has fractured or if it's actually real, a mysterious rise in murder-suicides takes hold of the city, and Ors becomes haunted by images of a shadowy figure known to many as ‘The Fedora Man’. Through torments and terror, Ors uncovers dark secrets from his past, forcing him to embrace who he really is, and what he is meant to do. But, with escalating visions of ‘The Fedora Man’, Ors must face his fears as he spirals downwards, testing the very limits of his sanity.
The Buzz on Native Plants
The Buzz on Native Plants explores the relationship between native plants and pollinators and how they can benefit local ecosystems in our ever changing climate.
Be inspired by these passionate Maine residences who are making a difference in how climate change is affecting our communities. See how a few small acts of planting with native plants can make a huge difference in flooding, erosion, draught, and wildlife. And what kind of difference we can make in our own back yards.
The Dark Side of Pet Breeding
For thousands of years, humans have been breeding dogs for work and companionship. When breeding was done in the right way, both species were arguably better off from it. But today, puppy mills profit by catering to cost conscious and whimsical consumers. It's time congress put a stop to irresponsible breeding or, sooner or later, we will no longer recognize “man’s best friend’.
The Deewana Loop
"Get ready for an electrifying Sci-Fi adventure that runs parallel to Imran Qamar Zaman's best-selling screenplay "Hologram" on Amazon. Join a tenacious group of rebels as they break free from an unending time loop to take on a corrupt and all-consuming universe. With mind-bending alternate realities and mystical dimensions as their battleground, they are haunted by a question that has puzzled even the greatest of minds: where does the soul go when you sleep? As the fate of the universe hangs in the balance and the clock ticks down, two lovers must try to shatter the cycle and unite for eternity. Don't miss out on this thrilling and heart-stopping ride that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
The Echoes We See
During a threatening school lockdown, Zakai dissociates to a distant memory: His first time not feeling safe in his own school.
The Flacalta Effect
After a drug with anti-aging properties has apocalyptic consequences, two Black sisters fight for their lives—and looks—in this satirical take on toxic beauty culture.
The House on Jonathan Street
The House on Jonathan Street is a one-hour documentary that uses the accidental discovery of the significant history of a modest dwelling on a traditionally African-American street in Hagerstown, Maryland to trace the roots of middle America’s racial, economic and social interactions. Through the lens of this house, the rise and fall of the African-American community in small rust belt towns and cities across America is told. And how its discovery, renovation and renewal may portend a change in the fortunes of the street and the larger community.
The Koda-Chrome (W)rapper
A Deaf single mother lately finds herself having trouble bonding with her teenaged, hearing son who is a KODA (Kid of Deaf Adults). With goals to become a rapper, he is often seen alone in his room with a small, makeshift sound recording set-up and laptop creating songs and videos. He raps words that are incomprehensible to her and shows videos that are inaccessible. She asks him to caption one of his songs, but he feels she wouldn’t understand. He plays songs loudly blasting rap beats while emulating the gestures and behavior of hip-hop artists. The mother tries to develop an appreciation but is unable to connect to his creations.
To distract her son and re-channel his energies to something more “positive,” she takes him to some of their favorite places of interests but everything he responds to is with a rapper’s view of the world. It comes to a point when she challenges him to look at the world from her point of view, reminding him that he is still a part of Deaf culture. Sometimes a mother must seek quiet, uncool ways to reach the mind of a teenager to better appreciate each other’s world.
The Last Epic Ride
“The Last Epic Ride” is the story of a terminally ill man that, aided by his friends, goes for one last motorcycle ride along a familiar route.
The Masterpiece
Leo and Diana, a rich couple, bring a broken TV to a recycle point. They meet Salif and his son, two scrap dealers. Diana asks them to come to their house to get more objects. Once there, Leo looks at them collecting objects with mistrust, until they see the scrap dealers have something they want.
The Orange Room
After waking up in a strange office with no memory of how he got there, a man discovers that he must make a decision that could tip his fate on the cosmic scales and drastically alter his life forever.
The Soul That Ties Us
Kendall experiences supernatural events and sounds that are connected to events in her life as well as events of the past, in order to find out why and how these events are happening she must first find out when and where they started. Her friendship with Victor leads her down a rabbit hole of events that will have her questioning everyone and everything she encounters.
The Suitcase of A Persian-Navajo Activist
Sahar Khadjenoury is a Persian-Navajo actor and TV producer living in the Navajo Nation. In this profiling documentary, she shares the experience of growing up with the only Iranian in the Navajo territory as her father. She expresses the interplay between her two cultures, highlighting some of their commonalities. This is a fascinating story, an exploration of both Indigenous American and Iranian culture, raising questions about identity, indigeneity, cultural bridges, and barriers. Sahar talks about how racism and sexism shaped her identity and convinced her to leave Hollywood and return to her motherland. This is the 1st episode (Pilot) of the 5th season of Chamedan (Suitcase); A TV Docu-Series launched in 2013 on BBC World Service - Persian TV. Chamedan (Suitcase) is an interview-style profiling documentary that focuses on the Iranian diaspora. The 5th season theme which was aired in Jan 2022, is on racism, discrimination, black Persians, and Persian woman.
Twin Flame Hotel
A number theorist and a naturopath keep an old promise and share a night of reminiscing, dreams and infinite probability.
Understanding the Misunderstood
takes a deep dive into the history of “squeegee kids” in Baltimore City and how the past parallels with the present. We not only get to see why Corey Thompson, a 13-year-old enterprising entrepreneur, takes to the streets to clean car windows to help support his 28-year-old mother and three younger siblings, but we get to see how Corey and other squeegee kids are able to persevere in a city that has left minorities oppressed for decades. We also see how the death of Timothy Reynolds—a motorist killed in an altercation with a squeegee kid in July 2022– leaves a dark cloud over the world of squeegeeing in Baltimore.
Up Jump Da Boogie
For years, famous celebrities have gained recognition using dance steps created by street dancers from the ghetto. This is the story of one local group, Crush City Rockers, aka General Electric of New York's Lower East Side and their Electric Boogie Dance style. The story is documented through one individual’s 45 year journey.
From movies and TV, to live stage and raw circles, Bam has taken all he has learned and applied it like graffiti on a canvas to his life. The behind- the-scenes 80's dance footage will mesmerize the audience with its authenticity, providing a glimpse into the dance movement that was happening on the Lower East Side. Bam has compiled an array of historic videos documenting his own and other LES dancers showcasing their electrifying moves. Many of these dancers, including Bam, helped shape what hip hop is today and have inspired others to continue what they started over 30 years ago.
Violent True Believer
In Washington, DC a lonely woman who was once a high school chemistry teacher is recruited by a Neo-Nazi group and assigned the task of creating a weapon of mass destruction.
We Lead By Example
This documentary is about the life of Dr. Clifford Thomas Sr. and how he was inspired by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. He taught Tae Kwon Do for over 50 years and eventually become a Community Leader and an inspiration to others.
Clifford Thomas attended The March on Washington on August 28, 1963, when he was 9 years. The words “Do not judge me by the color of my skin but by the content of my character” echoes throughout his life and this documentary highlights those situations. In 1965, Clifford Thomas started to learn Tae Kwon Do. This led to a life of teaching safety, self-defense, confidence, street smarts, bullying & sexual prevention to students and adults along with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of how people should be treated.
We The People
In a city filled with corruption, citizens take matters in to their own hands to make a change. Justice Hart and Andre King lead a revolutionary war to overthrow a corrupt mayor and his government.
Wider Than The Sky
Jenny's father has been diagnosed with Cancer. To cope, this deeply creative child makes scenes inside shoeboxes into which she escapes. One day a chance encounter with a seemingly ordinary cafe owner provides the catalyst for a truly magical happening.
Wind and Bone
Wind and Bone is a psychological horror that delves into the darkness of the human psyche and the primal fear of the unknown...a woman on the run joins a group of college students in rural WV, where they come face to face with the Wendigo.
You Can Go Home Whenever You Want
A spate of local disappearances. A hill that may (or may not) be a conduit to the next life. A recluse, living off the grid, who hasn't been seen for years—until one of his high school bandmates shows up with a birthday cake.
You’ll See Me Again
With his brother at his side, a man takes his final journey home.
