Documentary
Somewhere Between
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Somewhere Between

2011
Questions of race, identity and heritage are explored through the lives of young American women growing up as adoptees from China. These four distinct individuals reflect on their experiences as members of transracial families.

Directed by:

  • Linda Goldstein Knowlton
    • rating:4.0.png 4.0 Average Rating


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    Can We Live Forever?: Nova scienceNOW
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    Can We Live Forever?: Nova scienceNOW

    2011
    Astrophysicist and Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson poses questions about longevity in this episode of NOVA's series on the mysteries of science, asking, for instance, whether or not human beings could hibernate. Consulting computer scientists and bioengineers, Tyson investigates the possibility of extending human life indefinitely and if the principles that keep a Volvo running could be applied to our own biology.

    Directed by:

  • Elizabeth Arledge
  • David Chmura
  • Sarah Holt
  • Joshua Seftel
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    Harlan County, U.S.A.
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    Harlan County, U.S.A.

    1976
    Director Barbara Kopple's film about the 1973 coal miners' strike in Harlan County, Ky., won a Best Documentary Oscar and was selected for the National Film Registry. Highlighting the struggles of families living in shacks with no indoor plumbing and enduring hazardous working conditions, the film details the conflict between the Eastover Mining Co. and the laborers determined to join the United Mine Workers of America.

    Directed by:

  • Barbara Kopple
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    Between the Folds
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    Between the Folds

    2008
    Filmmaker Vanessa Gould takes you on a provocative odyssey into the mesmerizing world of modern origami, where artists and scientists use the ancient art form to craft works of delicate beauty and to model cutting-edge mathematical theories. Pushing the envelope of origami to include caricatured portraits and elaborate abstract designs, these experts examine how paper folding can reveal the profound connection between art, science and philosophy.

    Directed by:

  • Vanessa Gould
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    Eleanor Roosevelt: American Experience
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    Eleanor Roosevelt: American Experience

    1999
    Admired for expanding the first lady's role in the White House, Eleanor Roosevelt was an early feminist turned contemporary heroine who overcame her share of obstacles -- as evidenced in this installment of "American Experience." With input from biographers Allida Black, Blanche Wiesen Cook and Geoffrey C. Ward -- plus Roosevelt's surviving relatives -- this documentary paints a comprehensive portrait of one of history's most fascinating subjects.

    Directed by:

  • Sue Williams
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    The First World War: The Complete Series
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    The First World War: The Complete Series

    2003
    Even though it heralded the birth of modern warfare and engendered mass destruction on an unprecedented scale, the world's first great war rarely receives as much attention as the second. This definitive 10-part series narrated by Jonathan Lewis outlines and analyzes World War I military strategy to show why "the war to end all wars" simply didn't, prompting an even bloodier conflict less than 20 years later.

    Directed by:

  • Marcus Kiggell
  • Simon Rockell
  • Corina Sturmer
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    Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County
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    Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County

    2010
    In the midst of Southern Californian affluence, a generation of young people and their families are living in motels and barely hanging on. The reason: Earning the state's minimum wage, many workers simply don't make enough to afford permanent homes. Alexandra Pelosi's empathetic documentary -- which focuses on a group of homeless kids being schooled together -- raises unsettling questions about the future of the American Dream.

    Directed by:

  • Alexandra Pelosi
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    Garbage Dreams
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    Garbage Dreams

    2009
    Teens Adham, Nabil and Osama are forced to find new ways to support themselves and their families when their jobs as under-compensated garbage collectors are replaced in director Mai Iskander's documentary. Born and raised in Mokottom -- aka "Garbage City" in Cairo -- the boys had little choice but to join the Zaballeen, who've cleaned up the city for 100-plus years. But foreign contractors are disrupting all they've ever known.

    Directed by:

  • Mai Iskander
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    The Life of Birds
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    The Life of Birds

    1998
    David Attenborough presents a series that gives insight into the evolution and behaviors of birds. Discover their remarkable strategies for finding food, their complex social systems and their ingenious and often bizarre ways of mating and breeding.

    Directed by:

  • Joanna Sarsby
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    Frontline: Football High
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    Frontline: Football High

    2011
    PBS's acclaimed "Frontline" series examines the hype surrounding high school football. With increasing pressure from corporate sponsors, TV coverage and stressful workouts, are the teenagers who play the game receiving enough protection from injury?

    Directed by:

  • Rachel Dretzin
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    Music Instinct: Science and Song
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    Music Instinct: Science and Song

    2009
    Its impact bridging time, geography and culture, music serves to unite all peoples of the globe. This groundbreaking documentary explores how and why humans are so inexorably affected by rhythm and melody. Art and science intersect as leading researchers and prominent musicians such as Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma reveal surprising connections between music, the brain, the body and human evolution.

    Directed by:

  • Elena Mannes
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    Waste Land
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    Waste Land

    2010
    Renowned artist Vik Muniz embarks on one of the most inspired collaborations of his career, joining creative forces with Brazilian garbage pickers who mine treasure from the trash heaps of Rio de Janeiro's Jardim Gramacho landfill.

    Directed by:

  • Lucy Walker
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    West of Memphis
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    West of Memphis

    2012
    After the 1994 conviction of three troubled teens for the murders of three younger boys, questions began to arise about the prosecution of the case, with numerous legal experts and celebrities demanding that previously ignored evidence be examined.

    Directed by:

  • Amy Berg
    • rating:3.9.png 3.9 Average Rating


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    Riding Giants
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    Riding Giants

    2004
    Those who can't get enough of point breaks and "shooting curls" will appreciate this comprehensive look at the history of surfing, from its origins as a tiny subculture to its widespread resurgence -- and surfers' ongoing obsession with the sport. Stacy Peralta (who also helmed the acclaimed skateboard documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys) directs this critically lauded opener to the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

    Directed by:

  • Stacy Peralta
    • rating:3.9.png 3.9 Average Rating


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    Chow Down
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    Chow Down

    2009
    Facing down debilitating cases of diabetes and heart disease, Charles, John and Garnet cast aside medication and surgery in favor of adopting a plant-based diet that paves the way for a return to health and happiness. Filmmakers Julia Grayer and Gage Johnston combine compelling narratives, interviews with medical experts and clever animations to craft a persuasive argument for rethinking the conventional wisdom about health and medicine.

    Directed by:

  • Gage Johnston
  • Julia Grayer
    • rating:3.9.png 3.9 Average Rating


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    Tapped
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    Tapped

    2009
    The high cost -- to both the environment and our health -- of bottled water is the subject of this documentary that enlists activists, environmentalists, community leaders and others to expose the dark side of the bottled water industry. Americans may rethink their obsession with bottled H20 when they learn of the unregulated industry's willingness to ignore environmental and health concerns, and the problems that arise as a result.

    Directed by:

  • Stephanie Soechtig
    • rating:3.9.png 3.9 Average Rating


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    Now and Then
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    Now and Then

    1995
    Waxing nostalgic about the bittersweet passage from childhood to puberty in this tender coming-of-age tale, four childhood girlfriends -- Teeny, Chrissy, Samantha and Roberta -- recall the magical summer of 1970. During their walk down memory lane, they reconcile experiences with boys, secrets, bullies and more. Lesli Linka Glatter directs; Gaby Hoffmann, Ashleigh Aston Moore, Cloris Leachman, Thora Birch and Christina Ricci co-star.

    Directed by:

  • Lesli Linka Glatter
    • rating:3.8.png 3.8 Average Rating


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    Now and Then (1995)
    A heartwarming movie about four childhood girlfriends who, in adulthood reunion, relive their experience of the life-changing summer of 1970, including a mystery death, divorce, standing up to the boys, first kiss, and the meaning of true friendship. Each explores her unique identity amidst family and friends. Beautifully directed by Lesli Linka Glatter.
    - Frances   
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