WORLD PREMIERE | Dash Snow rejected a life of privilege to make his own way as an artist on the streets of downtown New York City in the late 1990s. Developing from a notorious graffiti tagger into an international art star, he documented his drug- and alcohol-fueled nights with the surrogate family he formed with […]
US PREMIERE | In a dilapidated corner of Alexandria, an exceptional community of young female weightlifters is trained by the grumpy yet charismatic Captain Ramadan. His precarious but prestigious makeshift gym has been a breeding ground for Egypt’s world champions and Olympic athletes. Filmmaker Mayye Zayed intimately follows Zebiba and her coach in their challenging quest […]
The Harlem Children’s Zone Initiative has transformed the lives of several generations of children and led a revolutionary educational and social experiment to break the cycle of poverty and violence. This inspiring and timely film uses an extraordinary archive to document its history. From serving one block in the 1990s to ultimately reaching 97 blocks, […]
In June 2017, Chinese student Yingying Zhang’s dream of earning her PhD in America morphed into a nightmare when she disappeared from her college campus, sparking a desperate search for her whereabouts. Characteristically cautious, Yingying would not typically put herself in harm’s way—but what if trouble came looking for her? Fellow student and filmmaker Jiayan […]
WORLD PREMIERE | Overprotected and overdirected, American children are wilting under the weight of well-meaning parents. In the pursuit of keeping them safe and creating an impressive resumé of extracurricular activities to wow admissions boards, over-parenting smothers children across socioeconomic classes. This thoughtful film follows education professionals and reformed helicopter parents who seek and offer solutions […]
New Jersey’s Good Grief counseling center offers a holistic approach to mourning. Filmmaker Katrine Philp presents viewers with a child’s perspective of its programs, offering an affectionate and intimate look at the lives of several children who have recently lost their parents and must navigate their grief by embracing sadness with honesty, bravery, humor, and […]
In the midst of the most devastating attack in American history on US soil, President George W. Bush finds himself in a South Florida classroom with a group of elementary school children. Nearly 20 years later, filmmaker Elizabeth St. Phillip follows these now-grown students and their journey into young adulthood. With their formative years framed […]
2020 VIEWFINDERS SPECIAL JURY RECOGNITION FOR ETHICS OF CARE Night-shift workers and single moms in New Rochelle, NY have angels in their midst: Nunu and husband Patrick run a 24-hour childcare center for parents with no other options. The home-based center provides children with food, fun, and lots of love, but at what cost to […]
WORLD PREMIERE | Ballet lovers of all ages won’t want to miss this sneak preview of the pilot episode of On Pointe. The six-part Disney+ docuseries captures a season in New York City at the School of American Ballet. We watch students ages 8 to 18 follow their dreams to launch careers. For many, that starts with […]
This profoundly moving family portrait explores the cyclical nature of addiction and generational trauma. Jessica Earnshaw’s film opens as Jacinta is incarcerated alongside her mother, Rosemary. After the younger woman is released from jail, she attempts to reconnect with her daughter, Caylynn. As she fights to remain sober amid the pressures of post-correctional life, Jacinta […]