Changes in views over judicial accountability, drug-related crimes and systemic racism are at the root of these films, which examine how gaps in the criminal justice system can leave people behind bars for years. (Total Running Time: 68 MIN) The Sentence of Michael Thompson | Directors: Kyle Thrash, Haley Elizabeth AndersonMichael Thompson, the longest serving […]
US PREMIERE Students across the African continent come together for an annual contest of oratory skills and knowledge of the law. The film follows diverse teams of law students as they prepare for this prestigious, high-stakes mock trial, the African Human Rights Moot Competition. In her feature film debut, former lawyer-turned-filmmaker Shameela Seedat gives us […]
Aftershock puts a spotlight on the crisis of Black maternal deaths in the United States by focusing on the cases of two New York City mothers, Shamony Gibson and Amber Isaac, who died during childbirth-related complications in recent years. We watch how their bereaved families become activists on this issue. “Aftershock is a moving ode […]
NYC PREMIERE A drum master from Japan and a Korean adoptee from Minnesota boldly convene an all-female troupe to perform Taiko, the Japanese drumming art that has been off-limits to women for centuries. As the early menace of Covid rumbles in the background, the group faces down hurdles to prepare for a historic performance in […]
In the burnt-out remains of the largest refugee camp in Europe, two Syrian brothers survive by scavenging metal. Screens with the feature film FATI’S CHOICE All in-person screening venues provide hearing impaired listening devices upon request with venue management. All guests & staff will be required to comply with our Health & Safety protocols while […]
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE A Ghanaian mother of five survives the perilous journey to Europe in search of a better life, only to return to her village to reunite with her children, much to the disdain of family and neighbors. Steadfast in her convictions of what’s best, first-time filmmaker Fatimah Dadzie tells her own unique story […]
NYC PREMIERE After discovering the work of Oscar Torres, her once world-famous queer filmmaker cousin, Victoria Linares journeys down a path of kindred self-discovery. Through reconstructions of Torres’ intimate memories living under the authoritarian regime of Trujillo in 1950s Dominican Republic, Linares creates a world between fiction and fact, casting her family in these reenactments […]
NYC PREMIERE Filmmaker Marina Zenovich has created superb explorations of the lives and legacies of numerous public figures (Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind, The Way Down). With the US politics reaching new levels of tumult, Zenovich turns her attention to the life and career of two-time, four-term Governor of […]
NYC PREMIERE Blues and soul singer Lee Fields’ career spans 50 years, from his early days playing Harlem clubs to stints with Kool & the Gang and Sharon Jones, to inspiring today’s rappers Travis Scott and A$ap Rocky. Despite comparisons to James Brown, Lee is his own man: loving husband, dynamic performer, and oh, that […]
What happens when “universal” rights are tested by women? In Alabama, Brittany Smith’s case calls into question the purpose of “stand your ground” laws. And in Russia, activist Anastasia Shevchenko pays a heavy price for standing up to President Vladimir Putin. (Total Running Time: 67 MIN) State of Alabama vs. Brittany Smith | Director: Ryan WhiteUnfolding […]