TAKE BACK THE HARBOR & ZION
DOC NYC
Dates:
November 8-15
Section:
Short List: Shorts, highlighting some of the top doc shorts of the year:
’63 BOYCOTT
Director: Gordon Quinn
In 1963, more than 250,000 students boycotted Chicago’s public schools to protest racial segregation. Combining period footage with reflections from participants, ‘63 BOYCOTT links the past with present-day concerns around inequality in the education system.
EARTHRISE
Director: Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
In 1968, the first image of the Earth was captured from space, an iconic photograph that had an immediate and transformative impact around the globe. EARTHRISE explores the memories of the Apollo 8 astronauts responsible for the image, and their experience of awe in viewing the Earth framed against the void of space.
END GAME
Directors: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
A moving film about the passage from life to death, END GAME is a portrait of the last days of those in palliative care in two San Francisco Bay Area medical facilities pioneering new paradigms for end-of-life decisions.
THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE
Director: Vanessa Roth
80 years ago, Xia Shuqin witnessed the murder of her family during the Nanjing Massacre. THE GIRL AND THE PICTURE uncovers how an American missionary’s camera serendipitously captured Xia and her sister, binding his family and theirs forever.
THE HEAD & THE HAND
Director: Marc Serpa Francoeur
A meditative portrait of two women who confronted great adversity with a profound bond and remarkable positivity, THE HEAD & THE HAND presents a rich exploration of disability, independence and sisterhood.
LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL: NOTES FROM DUNBLANE
Director: Kim A Snyder
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting, local priest Father Bob Weiss connects with Father Basil O’Sullivan of Dunblane, Scotland, from a community which could uniquely relate to Newtown’s trauma. Kim A Snyder’s film explores the power of resilience through the bond forged between these two priests.
MY DEAD DAD’S PORNO TAPES
Director: Charlie Tyrell
Following the death of his emotionally distant father, filmmaker Charlie Tyrell seeks to better understand him through the personal belongings he left behind… including a stack of dirty VHS tapes.
RX: EARLY DETECTION, A CANCER JOURNEY WITH SANDRA LEE
Director: Cathy Chermol Schrijver
After an annual mammogram results in a diagnosis of breast cancer, Emmy-winning TV host and lifestyle expert Sandra Lee sets out to discover the best options for treatment and recovery, opening up her private journey to share the importance of early detection with other women.
SIDELINED
Director: Galen Summer
In 1978, inspired by the popularity of NFL cheerleaders, Playboy organized a pictorial feature approved by team management happy for the media exposure. But when the resulting pictures set off a critical backlash, cheerleaders were fired, exposing society’s hypocrisy around female sexuality.
TAKE BACK THE HARBOR
Directors: Kristi Jacobson, Roger Ross Williams
On Governor’s Island, an ambitious program works to restore once-bountiful oysters and the environmental benefits they bring to New York Harbor. TAKE BACK THE HARBOR highlights students at a remarkable public high school where environmental stewardship is part of the curriculum.
WE ARE NOT DONE YET
Director: Sareen Hairabedian
US veterans and active-duty service members come together through a workshop led by poet Seema Reza to combat their traumatic military pasts via the written word. Sharing fears, vulnerabilities and victories, their writing becomes a tool for empowerment and healing culminating in the live performance of a collaborative poem under the direction of Jeffrey Wright.
ZION
Director: Floyd Russ
Born without legs and growing up in the foster care system, Zion Clark moved from one home to another as he grew up. Floyd Russ’ inspiring portrait reveals how his discovery of wrestling in the second grade provided not only a therapeutic outlet, but a sense of family.
More Info:
For full descriptions, a list of expected guests, screening details, and to purchase tickets, click on the individual titles above, and follow links for ticketing, where still available. Note that anything indicating Rush Only may still have tickets available day-of at the venue. Or consider purchasing one of DOC NYC’s several Pass options for access to a variety of programming.
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