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Testosterone: The Movie

LGBT & Women's Studies, Personal / Human Interest, Social Issues

What do a farmer in Kansas, a laid-o factory worker in Ohio, and an Uber driver in Florida have in common? All three are resourceful, positive thinkers who strive to adapt and thrive despite dehumanizing forces at play in the American economy. As the film’s heroes face these roadblocks with courage, certain ideals remain sacred: family, love, and staying strong in the face of adversity. Lush cinematography galvanizes a sense of place and, as the narrative unfolds, the intimacy with the characters results in an emotionally rich observational drama. Ultimately, “The Disrupted” reveals a collective American experience of financial challenge, family resilience, and the quest for the purpose and dignity of work.

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A Reckoning in Boston

HomePage, Personal / Human Interest, Social Issues

What do a farmer in Kansas, a laid-o factory worker in Ohio, and an Uber driver in Florida have in common? All three are resourceful, positive thinkers who strive to adapt and thrive despite dehumanizing forces at play in the American economy. As the film’s heroes face these roadblocks with courage, certain ideals remain sacred: family, love, and staying strong in the face of adversity. Lush cinematography galvanizes a sense of place and, as the narrative unfolds, the intimacy with the characters results in an emotionally rich observational drama. Ultimately, “The Disrupted” reveals a collective American experience of financial challenge, family resilience, and the quest for the purpose and dignity of work.

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The Disrupted

HomePage, Personal / Human Interest, Social Issues

What do a farmer in Kansas, a laid-o factory worker in Ohio, and an Uber driver in Florida have in common? All three are resourceful, positive thinkers who strive to adapt and thrive despite dehumanizing forces at play in the American economy. As the film’s heroes face these roadblocks with courage, certain ideals remain sacred: family, love, and staying strong in the face of adversity. Lush cinematography galvanizes a sense of place and, as the narrative unfolds, the intimacy with the characters results in an emotionally rich observational drama. Ultimately, “The Disrupted” reveals a collective American experience of financial challenge, family resilience, and the quest for the purpose and dignity of work.

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1001 Nights Apart

HomePage, Social Issues

After the revolution of 1979, the gap widened between Iranians in Iran and Iranians abroad. Almost an entire generation left the country. Many were forced into exile. The next generations born after the revolution in Iran knew nothing about their past or they were completely apathetic about it. A large part of Iranian history was destroyed or burnt and what was left for the new generations was an invented history. It is still difficult to discern the lies from the truth. Many Iranians hid their true identities out of fear. Dancers were among these. Stories and histories were left untold, and the old and new generations remained total strangers. This gap grew over the past 40 years. The Tale of Scheherazade is a ballet, portraying a nation and performed and choreographed in two different eras by two completely separate generations of Iranian dancers and inspired by the famous story of Scheherazade in the 1001 Nights. As the film progresses, both groups become Scheherazade the story-teller and tell their own stories for the first time.

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Race, Sex & Cinema: The World of Marlon Riggs

LGBT & Women's Studies, Social Issues

Marlon T. Riggs (1957-1994) was an independent filmmaker, professor, poet, and gay rights activist who wrote, produced, and directed provocative, formally innovative meditations on representations of race, gender, and sexual identity in American culture. The re-release of his work marks the 25th anniversary of Riggs’ death from AIDS-related complications, and the 30th anniversary of the premiere of one of his most famous works, Tongues Untied, a poetic reflection on the experiences of black, gay men in America.sexism and cultural nationalism. He died at 37 due to complications from AIDS.

Race, Sex & Cinema: The World of Marlon Riggs consists of seven films: Ethnic Notions (56 minutes, 1987), Tongues Untied (55 minutes, 1989), Color Adjustment (87 minutes, 1991), Black Is…Black Ain’t (86 minutes, 1995) and three shorter works, Affirmations (10 minutes, 1990) Anthem (8 minutes, 1991), and Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien (No Regret) (38 minutes, 1992).

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The Foucault Project

Arts, History, Social Issues

Is our turbulent world at a breaking point or, a turning point? In 1976, controversial and celebrated philosopher Michel Foucault presented a sensational lecture on power that predicted our current moment of chaos and conflict, describing it as a perpetual war waged through racism, violence and technology. He gave this war a name: biopwer. Now, what Foucault described four decades ago as a threat is in full fury around the world. This film, presented as a hybrid-reality (a mix of performance and documentary), is at once a bitter fable and a fever dream bringing forward Foucault’s challenge that later is too late and that the time to act is now. It offers an alternative: do not resist…oppose!

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Assholes: A Theory

History, Social Issues

Some grapple with the moral challenges of treating other human beings decently. Others are just…assholes. “A new- born boy in the US, Italy or Israel is much more likely to live the life of an asshole than a newborn boy in Japan, Norway or Canada”says Prof. Aaron James in his NY Times bestseller. Intellectually provocative an existentially necessary John Walker explores James’ theories and recommendations using clips sourced from Hollywood and news archives, combined with vox pop and ruminations with key observers of asshole-dom. The frustration of dealing with assholes – in the workplace, in government, at home – affects everyone. In an age of rampant narcissism, the time has come for this entertaining and insightful film.

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Dark Money

History, Social Issues

Dark Money, a political thriller, examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana—a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide—to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. Through this gripping story, Dark Money uncovers the shocking and vital truth of how American elections are bought and sold. Official Selection, 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

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Troublesome Creek: A Midwestern

Personal / Human Interest, Social Issues

The film uses Jordan’s own family as a microcosm to reveal what is happening today to family farms around the world. As well as being an intimate portrait of a warm, funny and courageous group of people, Troublesome Creek exposes the dilemmas encountered every day by farmers desperately trying to hang onto their way of life and their heritage in the face of obstacles not unlike those faced by the pioneers of the Old West.