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From Iceland to Eden
Synopsis
While narrowly escaping a police raid on his home, Oliver (Hansel Eagle) bumps into Loa (Telma Huld Jóhannesdóttir). Recognizing his street name from the club scene of Reykjavik, she says destiny has brought them together. As they desperately seek help from Loa’s colorful acquaintances, the duo become lovers and partners in crime. Running small deals leads to dangerous encounters with an infamous crime syndicate. As Oliver and Loa get sucked deeper into the Icelandic underworld, they dream of escaping to a tropical paradise, but can they pull off just one last heist?
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Snævar Sölvi Sölvason
- TRT: 90 mins
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Land of Little Rivers
Synopsis
The Land of Little Rivers, a network of tributaries in the Catskill Mountains of New York, is the birthplace of fly fishing in America and the mecca for resident and visiting anglers obsessed with the sport.
Fishing legends such as Joan Wulff, the “first lady of fly fishing,” and Dave Brandt, the preeminent fly tier and authority on traditional Catskill fly tying, convey the angler’s passion, from the art of casting the perfect loop, to the sport’s origins where secrets are fiercely guarded by local anglers.
Other personalities include Rachel Finn, head-guide at the Hungry Trout Fly Shop in the Adirondacks, who enjoys whiskey and cigars while instructing both men and women on the famed Ausable River. Expert Delaware River guides, Robert Lewis and Ben Rinker, offer insights into the sport. Marty Yi, an Iraq War veteran and Wounded Warrior, speaks to how the sport literally saved his life. Mike Canazon, who crafts custom bamboo rods, is driven both by a search for excellence and the one that got away.
Uplifting and warm, this beautifully shot documentary delves into the lives of fly fishers, the wounds they heal, the bonds they form and the history and conservation they preserve in the sport they love.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Aaron Weisblatt
- TRT: 92 mins
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Creating Woodstock
Synopsis
For three days in August 1969, nearly a half-million young people descended upon Max Yasgur's farm in upstate New York for the rock ‘n’ roll event that defined a generation. Mythologized for 50 years, the filmmakers set the record straight with "Creating Woodstock,” the most comprehensive examination of how the festival came to be using original interviews with key figures, rare archival footage and unearthed photographs.
The founders of Woodstock Ventures - John Roberts, Michael Lang, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld—along with the best production talent on either coast, including John Morris, Bill Belmont, Mel Lawrence, and Chip Monck recall moments from the initial idea for the festival, to the search for a suitable site and then the race to build a venue, promote the event and, most importantly, book the bands.
Find out why the Grateful Dead wanted a “do over" and Crosby, Stills & Nash weren’t going to show up, why The Who refused to play and Jimi Hendrix almost didn’t make it, and how it turned into a free concert. Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, and Leslie West recount their experiences, including performing on a stage that nearly collapsed, and learn how a 15-year-old girl may have saved the festival from being shut down entirely!
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- Director: Mick Richards
- TRT: 111 mins
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Imprisoned
Synopsis
In the thriller, IMPRISONED, Dylan Burke (Juan Pablo Raba), attempts to move on from his former life as a criminal, with his true love, Maria (Juana Acosta). He soon realizes that his past will continue to haunt him, when he learns the new local prison warden, Daniel Calvin (Laurence Fishburne), has not forgiven him for an old crime.
Calvin does everything in his power to make sure that Burke pays for his past mistakes, even going as far as to frame him for a murder he didn’t commit, landing him back in jail. When the prison erupts into a riot, Burke and Calvin are each forced to make a choice between righteousness and revenge.
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- Director: Paul Kampf
- TRT: 104 mins
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Paying the Price for Peace
Synopsis
Vietnam Veteran S. Brian Willson paid the price for peace by nearly being killed by a military train during a non-violent protest. Since then, he has not stopped calling attention to the US government's defiance of international law through waging endless illegal wars.
Paying the Price for Peace exposes the truth about the United States' addiction to war, and the lies it perpetuates in order to wage ongoing violence, through the life and times of Air Force veteran S. Brian Willson and other veterans.
Other peace activists in the film include: Alice Walker, Daniel Ellsberg, Medea Benjamin, David Swanson, Ron Kovic, Bruce Gagnon, Cindy Sheehan, Martin Sheen, Blase Bonpane, Phil Donahue, David Hartsough, and others.
To learn more about Brian and his work, please visit Brian's website at http://www.brianwillson.com/. Brian has also published the book, "Blood on the Tracks: The Life and Times of S. Brian Willson".
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- Director: Bo Boudart
- TRT: 97 mins
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Lou Andreas-Salome, The Audacity to be Free
Synopsis
Lou Andreas-Salome, the woman who enraptured 19th century Europe's greatest minds, recounts her life to a young admirer. In her youth, she scandalized society by pursuing an education and living a life free from convention. She befriended philosophers Paul Ree and Friedrich Nietzsche, denying them both intimate relationship, to remain their equal. She became a published author and lecturer and meets the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who became one of her lovers, and with whom she exchanged letters for decades, while in a platonic marriage with another. In her maturity, she gains another admirer in Sigmund Freud, and with him, she helps to develop psychoanalysis and becomes its first female practitioner.
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- Director: Cordula Kablitz-Post
- TRT: 112 mins
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Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
Synopsis
Raised in poverty in Kentucky, Mabel Stark joined the circus in 1911 and became the first woman to train tigers, earning the center ring despite being told that women couldn't work the big cats. In a 57-year career, she headlined shows with Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey, survived multiple maulings and marriages, starred in Hollywood movies, and managed up to 20 cats by forming intimate relationships with each, rather than using the whip. Her life ended tragically just outside of Jungleland in Thousand Oaks, CA, and her legacy and the golden era of the American circus is recounted by former animal trailers, performers and historian Janet Davis, with Mabel's voice, from her memoir "Hold That Tiger", provided by Oscar winner Melissa Leo.
MABEL, MABEL TIGER TRAINER is written, produced and directed by Leslie Zemeckis and produced by Sheri Hellard, Jacqueline Levine and Robert Zemeckis.
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- Director: Leslie Zemeckis
- TRT: 92 mins
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The Pathological Optimist
Synopsis
Who is the man behind the most highly controversial, intensely debated topics in modern medicine? In THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST, director Miranda Bailey brings us a character study of Dr. Andrew Wakefield, one of 13 co-authors of a notorious 1998 paper in the UK medical Journal The Lancet, but who became the very public face of what has come to be known as "The Anti-Vax Movement." An expat from Britain who currently resides in Austin, Texas, Wakefield allowed Bailey and her team to follow him and his family for five years beginning in 2011 as he fought a defamation battle in the courts against the British Medical Journal and journalist Brian Deer. The results of that case - and the self-reflection, pronouncements, and observations of Wakefield, his legal team, wife, and his children - create a complex and incisive look at one of our era's most fear-provoking and continuously provocative figures. THE PATHOLOGICAL OPTIMIST takes no sides, instead letting Wakefield and the battles he fought speak for themselves.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Miranda Bailey
- TRT: 93 mins
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Genetically Modified Children
Synopsis
Can Monsanto chemicals permanently alter your child's genes? Low-income tobacco farmers face skyrocketing cancer rates with more devastating repercussions affecting their children: severe physical deformities and mental disabilities. Choosing between poverty or poison, Latin American growers have no choice but to use harmful chemicals such as glyphosate (in Monsanto's Roundup) and Bayer's Confidor, if they want to certify and sell their crops to Big Tobacco. As patent and regulatory laws continue to favor the profits of Monsanto and chemical companies, the tobacco makes its way into the hands and mouths of consumers worldwide in Philip Morris tobacco products, while the poisons used to harvest the crops contaminate the farmers' blood and are modifying the human genome, creating genetically modified children.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Juliette Igier
- TRT: 54 mins
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TRUMPING DEMOCRACY
Synopsis
Donald Trump became the 45th President of the United States by winning three key states, a victory engineered by an ultra-conservative faction that quietly mapped its way to power using fake news, lies and psychometrics.
This explosive documentary follows the money to the reclusive multi-billionaire Robert Mercer, who bought Breitbart News and funded the effort while inserting Steve Bannon into the presidential campaign as its manager. Using data of millions of Americans acquired from Facebook, Google, banks, credit companies, social security and more, Cambridge Analytica, another Mercer-owned company, used tactics honed during the UK’s Brexit campaign to identify voters deemed “most neurotic or worried,” whom they believed could swing for Trump. In the days before the election, using “dark posts,” a little-known Facebook feature, they deployed highly manipulative and personalized messages that could be seen only by the user before disappearing.
In the darkness of the web, democracy was trumped by data.
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- Director: Thomas Hichon
- TRT: 69 mins
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The UnAmerican Struggle
Synopsis
Bigotry is on the rise again in America, fueled by a president whose views are rooted in racism, misogyny, sexism, and xenophobia. His words and actions as a candidate, and now his policies as president, have breathed new life into an agenda of intolerance across the nation.
This renewed struggle facing immigrants, Latinos, Muslims, black people, women, and transgender people is represented by frontline activist voices from the Southern Poverty Law Center, the National Diversity Council, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Black Lives Matter.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Ric Osuna
- TRT: 106 mins
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yHOMELESS?
Synopsis
Glen Dunzweiler was faced with the threat of losing his home. Suddenly, a life that seemed reserved only for the mentally ill and drug addicted felt closer than he had ever imagined. This realization led him to question, what is it like to be homeless in the United States? With only his production equipment, a car, and some bare essentials, Glen set out across America to discover what led people to a life on the street, what daily life was like for them, and what they had to do to survive. In order to better understand the homeless and the service providers he would interview, Glen chose to live virtually down-and-out by sticking to a minimal budget and sleeping only in his car or on a friendly couch when he could find one. Glen quickly experienced the desperation, irritability, and the instability that comes from going without the things we take for granted. Glen discovers that homelessness is unbiased and could happen to anyone without a support network to fall back on. By traveling the country and speaking with destitute men and women, Glen confirms that homeless people are people first, and deserve not our pity, but our respect and our help.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Glen Dunzweiler
- TRT: 87 mins
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RISING TIDES
Synopsis
Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Sandy. The increasing frequency of such devastating weather events demonstrates the realities of climate change and rising seas. For many coastal communities the impacts will be devastating. They have been fighting against vanishing coastlines for years with mixed results; often having no choice but to abandon properties and move buildings. Adding to this conversation are the conservationists and scientists who feel the coastlines should be left alone for a multitude of different reasons.
Rising Tides explores the topic of coastline erosion, showing what has been done in the past, what is being done now, what worked, what didn’t and what the coastal areas can expect in the future. Through interviews with scientists, experts, nonprofits, homeowners, government officials, and other groups offering possible solutions, Rising Tides covers all angles of this life-threatening issue.
This award winning documentary offers an interesting and educational perspective so that the viewer can decide what should or should not be done to combat this global threat in our very near future.
Info:
- Director: J. Lazarus Auerbach & Scott Duthie
- TRT: 89 mins
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ROTOR DR1
Synopsis
After a viral epidemic eliminates 90% of the world’s population, the survivors struggle to rebuild and reconnect with the world they’ve lost. Autonomous drones, originally meant to deliver vaccinations for the deadly disease, now fly aimlessly through the sky and are hunted for their parts and power sources.
But when a 16-year-old boy named Kitch stumbles upon a peculiar drone named DR1, clues about his long-lost father begin to surface. As Kitch defends his new drone from a local crime syndicate, he befriends one of its members, a young woman named Maya. With Maya’s encouragement and DR1 leading the way, the three travelers set out on a journey to find Kitch’s father. Potential enemies lurk around every corner and Kitch, Maya and DR1 must work together to navigate the unknown and find the answers they seek.
Info:
- Director: Chad Kapper
- TRT: 99 mins
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NOW WE'RE ALIVE
Synopsis
As tradition requires, on his 25th birthday, Tom must choose the girl of his dreams, eyes shut, by the sound of her voice alone. Now, he must find her, guided solely by the memory of her voice. During his quest, Tom pictures her vividly and names her Jeanne. One evening after returning home from another fruitless search, he is surprised by a party and revelation: if he hasn’t found his voice after thirty days, she will come to him. However, the young woman that reveals herself, Lea, is not the one he pictured; she is not the one he loves. Tom rejects Lea but his father assures him that she is indeed the one he chose on his birthday. He must marry Lea. Jeanne continues to appear to Tom when he closes his eyes, only now more vividly. Who is Jeanne? Does she exist, or is she a fantasy? Will Tom ever find her? From acclaimed French writer-director Thibault Arbre, comes a very poetic film about a young man facing an impossible quest – and an impossible love. Selected in several major festivals including the prestigious Cleveland International Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival, Now We’re Alive is produced by Giles Daoust (Starry Eyes, Soulmate, Forest Man).
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- Director: Thibault Arbre
- TRT: 97 min
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VAXXED
I AM THE QUEEN
Synopsis
In Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood, the Vida/SIDA Cacica Pageant brings together members of the Puerto Rican community to celebrate its transgender participants.
I Am The Queen follows Bianca, Julissa and Jolizza as they prepare for the pageant under the guidance of Ginger Valdez, an experienced transgender mentor from the neighborhood. These trans women share stories of their transition, their relatives’ varying reactions, and how they find support from within the community.
Family dynamics, cultural heritage, and personal identity all play a part in how the contestants face the daily struggle that comes from being true to themselves.
This is their journey.
Info:
- Director: Henrique Cirne-Lima & Josue Pellot
- TRT: 75 mins
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DUSTY'S TRAIL
Synopsis
At the age of six, Dusty Brandom was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a degenerative disease that affects 1 in every 3,500 boys born. While life expectancy varies in each case, those with the disease rarely live past their 20s.
Dusty’s family realized that their happy and playful child would suffer a long, progressively weakening condition until his heart and breathing muscles ceased to function. As a family, they united to learn as much as they could about the disease and to enjoy every moment in life, which eventually led Dusty to ask the question "how come there are no old people with Duchenne?" This inspired Dusty’s mother, Catherine Jayasuriya, to form Coalition Duchenne in order to spread global awareness and raise funding for research and a cure. With the support of other affected families, they decide to scale Mt. Kinabalu, a sacred 13,455-foot high mountain, on the Malaysian island of Borneo.
This is their journey.
Info:
- Director: Catherine Jayasuriya
- TRT: 65 mins
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ALTO
Synopsis
Frankie (Diana DeGarmo, American Idol) is as headstrong about her rock band, The Altos, as she is about her Italian-American heritage. She has her life planned down to the last cannoli, including being engaged to a good Italian man, until she discovers a corpse in the trunk of her rental car. Convinced it was a mob hit, her sister, Heather, persuades Frankie to attend the funeral. There they meet Nicolette (Natalie Knepp), the daughter of the new Brooklyn mafia don. When Nicolette shows up at Frankie's gig, it triggers a cascade of events that take Frankie towards an unexpected romance. Also starring Lin Tucci (Orange is the New Black), David Valcin (Person of Interest), Billy Wirth (The Lost Boys), and Annabella Sciorra (The Hand That Rocks the Cradle).
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- Director: Mikki del Monico
- TRT: 98 mins
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MESSAGE FROM HIROSHIMA
Synopsis
Narrated by George Takei, Message From Hiroshima provides an inside look at life and culture in the city before the first atomic bomb was dropped.
Today, where the Hon and Motoyasu Rivers meet, stands the Peace Memorial Park – the former location of the Nakajima district, which was once home to thousands of people and hundreds of businesses. When the first atomic bomb was detonated 2,000 feet above Hiroshima’s city center on August 6, 1945, all of that vanished. Seventy years later, Director Masaaki Tanabe makes it his mission to revive the memory of what once was by interviewing hibakusha (survivors) and former residents. These heart-wrenching testimonials, along withcomputer -generated recreations of restaurants, shoe stores, cinemas, and the famous Industrial Promotion Hall, recreate the sights, sounds, and smells of a lost culture and people.
Info:
- Director: Masaaki Tanabe
- TRT: 52 mins
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CAN'T STAND LOSING YOU
Synopsis
Based on the acclaimed memoir by renowned guitarist Andy Summers, Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving The Police follows Summers’ journey from his early days in the psychedelic ‘60s music scene, when he played with The Animals, to chance encounters with drummer Stewart Copeland and bassist Sting, which led to the formation of a punk trio, The Police.
During the band's phenomenal rise and its dissolution at the height of their popularity in the early ’80s, Summers captured history with his candid photographs.
Utilizing rare archival footage and insights from the guitarist’s side of the stage, Can't Stand Losing You brings together past and present as the band members reunite, two decades later, for a global reunion tour in 2007.
Info:
- Director: Andy Grieve
- TRT: 83 mins
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GENERATION BABY BUSTER
Synopsis
Generation Baby Buster is a documentary feature that explores why so many women are just saying no to procreation. Armed with insight from those who write and think about the current state of affairs for mothers, the director confronts her own ambivalence towards children head on and offers up some baby food-for-thought to a new generation of women: the baby busters.
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- Director: Terra Renton
- TRT: 90 mins
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- Education and PPR
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DAYS OF GRACE
Synopsis
"Corruption, kidnapping and vigilante justice fuel this explosive debut by Mexican filmmaker Everardo Gout. Set in Mexico City during three consecutive World Cup tournaments, three lives impacted by kidnappings, intersect. Lupe, an idealistic cop, is tasked to investigate a crime ring and finds that justice has no place when a human life has a price. When Susana’s businessman- husband Arturo is kidnapped, she must go outside the law to fight for his release. And Iguana dreams of becoming a boxer even as he is drawn into a lifestyle that finds him guarding kidnap Victim X and facing down a kidnapping mastermind.
The multi Ariel Award winning film features music by Atticus Ross, Nick Cave, Warren Ellis, and Shigeru Umebayashe and features Scarlett Johansson on vocals in 'Summertime.'"
Info:
- Director: Everardo Gout
- TRT: 121 mins
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FRENCH AFFAIRS
Synopsis
When Astrid, a professional therapist who is struggling to find meaningful friendships, starts having an affair with her patient Céline’s husband, it puts a strain on an already difficult relationship with her son, David. Meanwhile, Céline, a retired prostitute content with living a domesticated life, befriends David when he tries run away from home by booking a flight through her travel agency. However, when David discloses the affair to Céline, she must decide how to deal with the betrayal and lies.
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- Director: Pierre-Loup Rajot
- TRT: 87 mins
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THE LITTLE BEDROOM
Synopsis
When Edmond (Michel Bouquet), a man quickly facing the loss of his independence, is placed in a care facility after taking a bad fall, he discovers that his son has sold his apartment. Determined to reclaim his autonomy, he leaves the care facility with Rose (Florence Loiret Caille), an empathetic nurse still suffering from the loss of her unborn child. She takes him into her home to allow him the measure of freedom he deserves. Through this new living situation they develop a bond, which helps them move forward with their lives. However, the unlikely friends must face the consequences when Edmond is reported missing.
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- Director: Stephanie Chuat
- TRT: 87 mins
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CITIZEN AUTISTIC
Synopsis
About The Film: Citizen Autistic offers an inside look at the activists on the frontlines of the autism war—the fight for human rights and self-advocacy. Featuring interviews with Ari Ne'eman, President of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Landon Bryce, founder of thAutcast.com, artist Robyn Steward, Clarissa Kripke, MD, and activist Zoe Gross, who discuss how Autism Speaks, one of the largest organizations in America, relies on propaganda to raise funds for genetic research without considering families touched by autism. Directed by William Davenport (Too Sane for this World), Citizen Autistic seeks to expose the controversies provoked by the organization's so-called advocacy by giving voice to some of the most articulate members of the communities it claims to represent.
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- Director: William Davenport
- TRT: 68 mins
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HERO OF THE DAY
Synopsis
llen, a documentary filmmaker, scores the story of his life when Mark Chambers, a former pro football star with a lot of financial baggage, agrees to be the subject of a movie; he unwittingly becomes an accomplice to Mark’s efforts to turn his life around. As the film crew records Mark’s daily activities—from selling his championship ring and confronting drivers of suspiciously parked vehicles to riding a roller coaster and gambling at an underground fight club—Allen discovers a whole new dimension to his childhood hero. However, when Mark’s impulsive decisions begin to affect everyone’s safety, Allen must figure a way to prevent his new friend from traveling down a dark path.
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- Director: Eddie Conna
- TRT: 94 mins
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OLVIDADOS
Synopsis
After suffering a heart attack, retired General José Mendieta (Damián Alcázar) is haunted by his dark past as an officer in Operation Condor, the CIA-backed campaign of political repression in Latin America that was responsible for executions, torture, and imprisonments in the 1970’s. It is estimated that over 400,000 people were imprisoned and 30,000 forcibly disappeared as a result of these government actions.
In a letter to his son Pablo (Bernardo Peña), Mendieta confesses the role he played in the abduction, persecution, and execution of countless men and women during his posting to Chile. Journalist Marco (Carlotto Cotta) and his pregnant wife Luciá (Carla Ortiz) are among those who were arrested, along with their activist friend Antonio (Tomás Fonzi) and revolutionary Andrea (Ana Calentano). They suffer terribly under Mendieta and his cohort Sanera (Rafael Ferro), which leads to a cascade of betrayals, secrets, and stolen lives that spans generations.
Olvidados (Forgotten), Bolivia’s Foreign Language Film submission for the 87th Academy Awards®, stars renowned actors from five countries, and was filmed in Bolivia, Chile, and New York. It is the first film to specifically address the horrors perpetrated under Operation Condor, which was responsible for: 50,000 deaths; 30,000 "disappeared"; and 400,000 arrested and imprisoned in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Info:
- Director: Carlos Bolado
- TRT: 112 mins
SMART
Synopsis
Humans are not the only ones in need of rescuing and in the city of Los Angeles, the members of SMART (Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team) have stepped up to save lives. Led by Armando Navarrete, this division of trained and passionate animal lovers risks life and limb to rescue every kind of creature in need, from horses to mountain lions to cats and dogs!
Follow Armando as he struggles to get his team off the ground, survives death-defying rescues and finds love, all in the midst of LA’s heartbreaking animal shelter system. Never giving up, Armando and his team have saved over 1000 lives and created new tactics, technology, and inspiration for similar programs to develop in more cities.
Shot over the course of three year, SMART is a great example of how a team of passionate and dedicated people can become real-life superheroes.
Info:
- Director: Justin Zimmerman
- TRT: 74 mins
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WORLDS APART
Synopsis
The Greek box-office megahit of 2016 stars Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons ("Whiplash") and weaves together three separate tales of romance that blossom during a time of socio-economic crisis in Europe.
When college student Daphne is rescued by Farris, a refugee from Syria, the two fall blissfully in love. Corporate manager Giorgos, whose marriage and job are both facing collapse, has a one-night stand which turns into far more than just a lustful affair, with Swedish businesswoman Elise. And Maria, a dispirited housewife struggling under economic strain, is renewed by a romantic spark between herself and Sebastian, a German expat who has come to Greece to spend the autumn of his life.
Written and directed by acclaimed actor Christopher Papakaliatis ("What If..."), and also starring Andrea Osvart, Maria Kavogianni, Minas Chatzisavvas, Tawfeek Barhom, and Niki Vakali, WORLDS APART is a film about people embracing each other's differences, not fearing them. It is about second chances. It is about the timeless, universal force that flows through all human beings: the capacity to love.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Christopher Papakaliatis
- TRT: 113 mins
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UNDER THE TURBAN
Synopsis
A cheesemaker, a biker, a farmer, a model, a prince. They're not all one person, but they all do have one thing in commo--they are Sikhs. Originating nearly 500 years ago, Sikhism is now the world's fifth largest religion, with many of its 25 million members choosing to express their commitment to their faith and culture by wearing a very recognizable piece of clothing--the turban. But who are these people, where do they live, and for what do they stand? Or, put simply, what makes one a Sikh?
When nine-year-old Zara Garcha asks such a question, her family decides to answer it in a most extraordinary manner--by embarking on an international journey to learn about their heritage from modern day Sikhs. From Italy to India to Great Britain, Argentina, Canada, and the United States, Zara and her family traverse the globe and meet some of the most interesting, generous, and compassionate people on Earth. And in so doing, they remind us that, to fully understand our fellow human beings, we must judge not solely by what is on one's head, but by what is in one's heart.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Satinder Garcha, Michael K. Rogers, Meghan Shea
- TRT: 89 mins
- Website: http://www.undertheturbanmovie.com
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UKRAINE ON FIRE
Synopsis
"Ukraine on Fire" reveals the historical premises of the ongoing Ukrainian crisis, it's current political backstage and it's dangerous potential for the world.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Igor Lopatonok
- TRT: 95 mins
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THE GIRL FROM THE BROTHEL
Synopsis
Bored by her comfortable, middle-class existence, Mia (Ilaria Borrelli), a successful Paris-based photographer, flies to Cambodia to surprise her businessman husband, Xavier (Philippe Caroit). She plans to convince him to start a family with her, as she has always wanted.
But her hope for a romantic rendezvous is dashed when she spies her husband in a brothel, having sex with an eleven year-old girl named Srey. Mia, her world turned completely upside down, resolves to rescue Srey and return her to the remote village from where she was abducted. Mia strikes a repulsive bargain with Sanan, the brothel owner, and sacrifices her own body to a high-powered government official in order to liberate the little girl. She and Srey then embark on the long journey home.
However, Mia discovers that Srey has stowed away Daa and Malin, two other young escapees from the brothel. They had also stolen money from Sanan and Mia realizes that they, too, will be hunted down. Torn by the sudden additional responsibility, Mia reluctantly agrees to help all three children return to their separate villages spread across the Cambodian jungle.
Under constant threat from their pursuers, Mia and the girls embark on a perilous escape to freedom and, along the way, are reminded that there is still much to celebrate in life.
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INJECTING ALUMINUM
Synopsis
In the early 90s, a mysterious muscular disease with symptoms that included severe muscle and joint pain began to surface among multiple patients in France. A team of doctors in Paris discovered that these patients had developed a new disease called Macrophagic Myofascitis, or MMF, which occurs when the aluminum hydroxide adjuvant from a vaccine remains embedded in the muscle tissue.
What the pharmaceutical companies don't make public is that the aluminum adjuvant was never rigorously tested* before going on the market and there are alternative, much less toxic, adjuvants available.
Featuring interviews with patients, doctors, scientists, and influential politicians, Injecting Aluminum examines aluminum's devastating effects on the human body and calls into question the public health policies around aluminum in vaccines.
Featuring: Dr. Romain Gherardi, Dr. Jerome Authier, Professor Christopher Exley, Michele Rivasi (Member of European Parliament), journalist Stephane Foucart (Le Monde), Didier Lambert (President, E3M)
*In fact, tested only on two rabbits. Once. And their remains have since disappeared.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Marie- Ange Poyet
- TRT: 90 mins
THE ADVOCATES
Synopsis
Over half a million people are homeless in the United States - 25% of whom are in California.
Amid public outcry over the ballooning homeless population in Los Angeles--nearly 54,000 people on any given night--three advocates with three different organizations show what the lost ideal of “care in the community” looks like amid a changing policy landscape. Intensely human and humanizing, The Advocates provides a sweeping look at the historic and current causes of L. A’s unprecedented crises, largely due to defunded affordable housing. It goes behind the headlines with pragmatic stories of the transformative work that is possible when the right resources, funding, and compassion are applied.
Featuring advocates Claudia Perez, Rudy Salinas, and Mel Tillekeratne, and the organizational work of LA on Cloud9, Housing Works, and Monday Night Mission, plus experts on the policy and the housing crisis.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Rémi Kessler
- TRT: 87 mins
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PIRIPKURA
Synopsis
The last two surviving members of the Piripkura people, a nomadic tribe in the Mato Grasso region of Brazil, struggle to maintain their indigenous way of life amidst the region’s massive deforestation. Living deep in the rain forest, Pakyî and Tamandua live off the land relying on a machete, an ax, and a torch lit in 1998. Jair Candor, a coordinator with the Brazilian Foundation for Indigenous People, made contact in 1989 and arranged for protected status which must be renewed every two years. As time runs short, Candor and the camera team trek deep into the uninhabited region to find traces of the men as the systemic violence used against indigenous Amazon people is revealed, a situation likely to become more perilous with Brazil’s newly elected President.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Bruno Jorge, Mariana Oliva
- TRT: 82 mins
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NELLY
Synopsis
Nelly Arcan shocked the literary world with elegant phrasing and lurid details of sex work in her semi-autobiographical first novel, Putain (Whore), which became an international best-seller in 2001. A prostitute by choice, Nelly’s fragmented life is laid bare in a stylish mix of make-believe and memoir, revealing a woman lost between irreconcilable identities: the neurotic writer, the vulnerable lover, the call girl and the star. Despite literary success, the French Canadian’s remarkable life ended in tragedy.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Anne Émond
- TRT: 100 mins
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MASTER
Synopsis
Eighty-four-year-old Kung Fu Grandmaster Zhou Ting Jue has been called a "Jewel of the Nation". Living in Southern California for the last 20 years, Master Zhou has cultivated a loyal clientele, including A-list celebrities, musicians, and athletes, who seek his unique Qi Gong healing technique--which has attracted the attention of television shows like “Ripley's Believe It or Not,” and The History Channel’s “Stan Lee’s Superhumans.” When his 27-year-old granddaughter Jun Zhou develops her own passion for Kung Fu, Master Zhou takes Jun on an odyssey through his early life. From San Francisco’s Chinatown, where Zhou first arrived a penniless immigrant, to Shanghai where he mastered martial arts and was later imprisoned by the Chinese government, the duo seeks the mist-shrouded birthplace of Qi Gong--Wu Dang Mountain. Their connection deepens as they visit the poor, rural village where Zhou was born, as he reveals the life lessons and mental strength required to become a Kung Fu master.
WebsiteInfo:
- Director: Anne Émond
- TRT: 72 mins
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At Cinema Libre Studio
We open eyes and minds one film at a time, one person at a time. We believe in the power knowledge and the power of film to capture that knowledge which can be a force to affect change in the world today..
What We Do...
Cinema Libre studio is a full service, specialized boutique film studio, which offers an array of services to the independent filmmaker including production, post-production, domestic distribution (theatrical, home entertainment & digital, and educational), and international sales.
PRODUCTION
We produce and co-produce narrative features and documentary films that explore cultural, political, and current global topics.
DISTRIBUTION
We have distributed over 150 narrative films and documentaries through multiple channels - from national theatrical releases and one-night events to DVD, Blu-ray, and digital platforms.
POST-PRODUCTION
Our experienced team can analyze your project's unique requirements and tailor a plan based on workflow, materials, and budget. We can take you from first cut to picture lock through output and delivery, offering our working knowledge of delivery requirements for domestic and international sales.
ACQUISITIONS
We acquire for distribution and international sales thoughtful and carefully crafted independent films about a variety of topics ranging from environment & health issues to political activism & poverty.
EDUCATIONAL
We have a collection of over 150 titles in major subject areas such as environment, globalization, social justice, political science, LGBT, arts, music & culture, which are all available educationally for colleges, universities, k-12, research institutions, museums, and non-profit organizations.
Cinema Libre On Demand
In keeping with the digital revolution, we have made our titles available to Stream, Rent or Download through digital platforms like Hulu, iTunes, and Vimeo On Demand. Watch now!
Who We Are
Cinema Libre Studio is a leader in the production and distribution of independent narratives and social issue, documentary films. Since its inception in 2003, the studio has released over 200 titles and remains at the forefront of the independent film movement, providing the expertise and relationships needed to help filmmakers reach a global audience via all forms of media.
Headquartered in Burbank, CA, the team has worked on dozens of renowned films, including Outfoxed, The End of Poverty?, Rachid Bouchareb's London River, Oliver Stone's South of the Border, Lost Angels: Skid Row is My Home, Can't Stand Losing You, Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe, and most recently, Worlds Apart. The studio is currently developing Angola 1, 2, & 3--a narrative film based on the lives of three unjustly incarcerated men in Louisiana's infamous state prison.
The company offers a full array of services to the independent filmmaker including production, post-production, and domestic distribution (Theatrical, DVD, VOD, and Educational), broadcast and international sales, as well as marketing, grassroots outreach, PR, graphic design, and web design. Its unique ability in today's indie film arena to cohesively foster every component of the distribution and marketing process allows Cinema Libre to maximize a film's overall exposure and sales potential while carefully containing expenses. The Cinema Libre team is committed to championing daring films that entertain, enlighten, and inspire.