Category Archives: Releases

Coming to PBS’s American Experience tonight, Monday, May 17:
BILLY GRAHAM

Director:
Sarah Colt

World Premiere:
American Experience (May 2021)

About:
An exploration of the life and career of the popular evangelist and his influence on American politics and culture.

New to DVD/VOD this week:
BASTARDS’ ROAD

Director:
Brian Morrison

World Premiere:
Slamdance 2020

Select Festivals:
RiverRun, deadCENTER, Tallgrass, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Newport Beach

About:
A Marine copes with his PTSD by walking across the country, visiting fellow veterans.

Jon Hancock joined the US Marine Corps straight out of high school, completed boot camp just days before September 11, 2001, and joined an infantry battalion nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, which would suffer 25% fatalities. Like many veterans, after he returned to civilian life, Hancock suffered from PTSD, which resulted in self-destructive behavior, excessive drinking, fighting, and a suicide attempt. Filmmaker Brian Morrison follows the wounded warrior as he sets out on a cross country walk to reconnect with his former brothers-in-arms or their surviving family, having discovered that walking helped him manage his PTSD. Accompanying these reunions are surprisingly candid, vulnerable discussions about the impact of war on soldiers, highlighting the lack of proper counseling and preparedness they are given as they transition away from service and back into society. While the film is worthwhile for this honesty and earnestness, it is also excessively long, with too many unnecessary music interludes that mainly serve as padding and diminish the doc’s overall affect.

Coming to The WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 11:
CURTAIN UP!

Director:
Hui Tong, Kelly Ng

World Premiere:
Asian American International 2020

Select Festivals:
CAAMFest, San Diego Asian, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Vancouver Asian, Philadelphia Asian American, DisOrient, NY International Children’s

About:
Elementary school students from NYC’s Chinatown-based PS 124 stage a production of FROZEN KIDS.

PS 124, also known as Yung Wing Elementary, is selected as one of the few schools permitted to present the kids version of the hit Disney musical FROZEN. Notably, the school’s theatre club is the only predominantly Asian American group to participate in the Junior Theater Festival, which allows filmmakers Hui Tong and Kelly Ng to open up a conversation between students, parents, and teachers about Asian cultural and academic stereotypes as they relate to the arts. Their modest film follows the familiar path of behind-the-scenes performance chronicles – auditions, casting, disappointments, joy, rehearsals, countdown to opening night, doubts, and, ultimately, a successful debut – with the welcome twist of focusing on a charismatic group of kids from cultural backgrounds who almost never see themselves on stage or screen.