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The Band When filmmaker David Zeiger (Displaced in the New South) spends a year documenting his son Danny's high school marching band in Decatur, Georgia, he gets a crash course in love, friendship, and marching in formation. Featuring refreshingly candid student commentary on everything from anorexia and Ritalin to divorced parents and race relations, The Band is a lively, engrossing look at the ups and downs of all-American teenage life, 1990s style. |
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Between Worlds This unique documentary explores over a period of six years the lives of several Vietnamese Amerasians (children of Vietnamese women and American servicemen) and their families who left Vietnam in 1992 through the Orderly Departure Program. |
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Birth of Perception:
The American Story on RU-486 This thought-provoking documentary explores the heated controversy in America surrounding the drug RU-486, the so-called "French abortion pill." |
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Blink
This powerful and thought-provoking documentary examines the dramatic story of one-time white supremacist leader Gregory Withrow. |
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Caught in the Crossfire This highly realistic drama is the outcome of a project in which a multicultural group of San Francisco youth, themselves at risk of becoming perpetrators and/or victims of urban violence, collaborated with film professionals and educators in the creation and production of a movie based on the social conflicts they experience each day. |
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Child Protective
Services An unprecedented order from a Juvenile Court Presiding Judge allowed award-winning producer Matthew Eisen to chronicle the raw and powerful day-to-day operations of a child-protection office in San Diego. The film follows frontline workers in an Emergency Response Unit, shows social workers helping to re-unite torn families, and sits in on emotionally charged final courtroom decisions. |
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Crashing
the Parties In the wake of the chaotic Presidential election of 2000, Americans are asking: Does every vote count? Is voting your conscience a wasted vote? These and other critical related themes are explored in this cogent and thought- provoking documentary, which examines in depth the 2000 campaigns of six third-party Presidential candidates. |
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Death in the Hood This hard-hitting, thought-provoking documentary uses Portland, Oregon, as a case study to examine how the acceptance of a "gangster" attitude and the spread of crack cocaine has led to a dramatic increase in youth homicides, particularly among African Americans. |
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Different
from You This unflinchingly honest and humane documentary follows the medical rounds of an urban family physician as he services the homeless mentally ill, demonstrating that only a small societal effort is needed to help keep people off the streets, relieve unnecessary misery, and improve the conditions of our cities. |
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Displaced in the New
South In 1980, there were a few thousand Asian and Latino immigrants in Georgia. By 1994, there were more than 300,000. |
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Farmworkers' Diary
This thought-provoking documentary provides an inside view of a day in the life of Chicano farmworkers at a farm labor camp in central California. |
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Fender Philosophers In an era when entire political platforms are boiled down into 30-second sound bites, bumper stickers offer a unique forum for Americans to express their most fervent opinions with unrivaled speed, wit, and audacity. This lively and often humorous documentary explores the power and diversity of bumper stickers and shows their importance to American popular culture. |
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Forgotten Fires This riveting exploration of the devastating consequences of racial hatred shines a profoundly revealing light into the darkest reaches of America's heart and soul. The film investigates the burning of two African American churches in rural South Carolina by a young convert to the Ku Klux Klan. |
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From One Prison
This unforgettably powerful documentary exposes the failures of America's police, legal, criminal justice, and penal systems with regard to the human and civil rights of women. |
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Graffiti Wars: A Matter
of Pride This unique documentary shows both sides of the conflict over graffiti: those who write graffiti and those who fight it. |
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Homeless Not
Helpless: Opening Doors This eye-opening documentary on homelessness is unique in that it focuses on solutions. |
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How Does It Work?
This informative and entertaining video follows several teenagers as they seek out information about their city government and how it works. The students learn about their city charter, meet a city council member and the city Controller, and are introduced to the role and functions of city council committees. |
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In the Shadow of the
Law An outstanding portrait of four families from Mexico who have lived illegally in the U.S. for many years. |
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Justiceville Eileen Brennan narrates this compelling documentary about a community built from discarded crates and other urban refuse by 63 homeless men, women, and children on a vacant lot in Los Angeles -- the "homeless capital of America." |
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Laid to Waste This dramatic documentary is the best case study of environmental injustice and racism available on video. It exposes the ugly underbelly of environmental racism and is an excellent treatise on grassroots organizing and networking. |
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The Last
Graduation This powerful and provocative documentary examines the history of college prison programs -- from their advent in the wake of the Attica uprising in 1971 to the last graduation from the Marist College program at Greenhaven Prison in 1995. |
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The Last
Stand: Ancient Redwoods and the Bottom Line This powerful and thought-provoking documentary explores the dramatic history of the 15-year battle to save the last remaining ancient redwoods in northern California's Headwaters Forest. This riveting history is one of junk bonds and endangered salmon, car bombs and clear-cuts, corporate takeovers, collusion, corruption, greed, and murder. It is also one of courage and conviction, vision and values. |
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Let's Own It!: The
Struggle of the Lincoln Place Tenants Association This excellent case study follows the decade-long struggle of a group of tenants working toward the creation of a permanently affordable housing community in Venice, Calif., a traditionally liberal beach neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles. The video documents how a group of retired residents joined forces with younger residents -- primarily women and single parents -- to fight against a demolition and redevelopment proposal that would effectively displace 1,500 people from a large apartment complex called Lincoln Place. |
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Lobbying for Lives:
Lessons from the Front This riveting documentary is the best case study available illustrating how lobbying is carried out, how public opinion is influenced through the mass media, and how laws actually get passed in a legislative democracy. |
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Lost Angeles: The
Story of Tent City A uniquely powerful and intimate look at the lives and struggles of homeless people who have been moved to an "urban campground" in downtown Los Angeles. |
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Methamphetamine:
From the Streets of San Diego This chilling investigative documentary explores the reasons why San Diego has become the center of methamphetamine production and distribution in America. The film traces the history of the drug, examines its effects on users both young and old, and demonstrates how it has been a factor in some of the nation's most bizarre and violent crimes. |
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No Place Like Home
This brilliant, highly acclaimed documentary explores eight months in the life of a broken family and powerfully depicts the cycles that keep families tied to poverty and violence from one generation to the next. |
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Not Baking This deliciously humorous, highly original short is sure to initiate lively discussions in any class dealing with gender roles, women's studies, the family, sociology, or social psychology. A woman explores her inability to bake. |
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Nothing
But the Truth This extraordinary exploration of American popular culture examines that sideshow of the O.J. Simpson trials and reveals a surreal and disturbing world of media madness and racial division, where the truth is viewed in black and white. |
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Out for a Change:
Addressing Homophobia in Women's Sports This important documentary explores the devastating emotional impact of homophobia on all women athletes, regardless of their sexual orientation. |
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Paranoia
This innovative and thought-provoking visual essay explores one of the most intriguing and characteristic aspects of the American national psyche: our propensity to distrust virtually everything around us. |
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Passing
This provocative and highly dramatic discussion-starter explores today's climate of racial tension. It questions our reflexive responses and stereotyped expectations surrounding the everyday occurrence of two people walking alone at night on an urban street. |
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Sisters and Daughters
Betrayed Sex trafficking is a global crisis of growing dimensions. This video explores the social and economic forces that drive this lucrative underground trade, and the devastating impact it has on women's lives. |
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Six Billion
and Beyond This thought-provoking documentary is, stated simply, the best and most comprehensive introduction available on video to the interconnected issues of population growth, economic development, equal rights and opportunities for women, and environmental protection around the world. |
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Take This Heart For the nearly one million American children who are compelled -- often for their own safety -- to live in foster care, daily life is a forbidding venture. Cast adrift at an early age, dispossessed of everyone they have known or loved (often the very adults who have abused or abandoned them), they are left to grow up in a world that has proven profoundly unreliable, with strangers who may or may not offer comfort and protection. |
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This Child Is Mine
This is the first documentary to explore the ethical and social dilemmas surrounding the issue of parenting by women with developmental disabilities. |
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Thrall Hall Thirty years ago, concerned that his teenaged daughter and her friends had "no place to go in town without alcohol and drugs," a Connecticut tobacco farmer named Ed Thrall decided to build a square-dance hall on his property. When town officials intruded on his dream with talk of building codes and zoning violations, he embarked on a property-rights crusade that has consumed him well into his 70s. |
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Time Frenzy
This illuminating and thought-provoking documentary explores the psychological, sociological, philosophical, and cultural ramifications of our increasingly fast-paced lives. |
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Toxic Waters
This powerful documentary on environmental justice traces the Eastwick community's long, arduous, and frustrating struggle to clean up and buy out the Clearview Landfill, in southwestern Philadelphia. |
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Uneasy Neighbors
Investigates the growing tensions between residents of migrant worker camps and affluent homeowners in northern San Diego county, one of the wealthiest and fastest-growing areas in the nation. |
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Victims at Birth
The number of babies born premature, with low birthweight, and with other life-threatening health problems is overwhelming the resources of American hospitals. |
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Video Letter to
the President This powerful and honest short video features six inner-city African-American high school students who, through the lens of a video camera, try to tell the President of the United States what they need in order to achieve their dreams and find success in life. |
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Whose Body, Whose
Rights? This provocative documentary explores the growing debate over routine male circumcision in America. |
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The Band |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC Only seven when his brother Michael died at the age of nine, Danny withdrew emotionally and spent the next eight years immersed in his own private world. The film tenderly examines the fragile bond between parents and children and the grief following the loss of a child. For Danny and his high school friends, life is an endless whirl of adolescent curve balls, and The Band explores all of them -- from tempestuous first love affairs to heartfelt discussions of growing up in families redefined by divorce. Danny's girlfriend, Mary Ellen, speaks openly about her struggle with anorexia. Classmate Burt, a charming ne'er-do-well, tells wild tales of his run-ins with the law. Friends Kate and Cameron discuss their battles with Attention Deficit Disorder and the prescription drug culture. Adding her voice is Erin, the drill team captain and senior class president, who with quiet equanimity far beyond her years, describes life at home as both daughter and friend to a mother who drinks. Their stories are both deeply personal and surprisingly universal, a poignant antidote to the stereotypes currently rampant in a society that increasingly fears and demonizes its children. The Band is both moving and insightful, understated and powerful. It is an exceptional work that will provoke analysis and discussion in courses in sociology, American studies, social psychology, family issues, and education, among other disciplines. It will inspire high school teachers, counselors, and school psychologists, and it will also be an excellent addition to the video collections of public libraries who wish to offer their patrons outstanding independent documentary productions. 52 min. Color 1998 Catalog #38429 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $75 |
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 This film captures teenagers' lives of alternating despair and rapture. It's about 'average kids' with all their energy, intelligence, earnestness, and confusion. Plus, it's accomplished the impossible. It's made high school band look cool, fun, and important. The film was inspired by the heart, not the pocketbook. -- Mary Pipher, author, Reviving Ophelia -- Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls I have just finished watching The Band. It was just what I needed after a difficult year working in a public school. I came away realizing how truly lucky I am to be working with public school students as a school psychologist, and know that I have chosen the right profession. Thank you for a wonderful, inspiring film! -- Magdalyn Baldo, Pittston, Pennsylvania A very inspirational film! I'm a high school teacher and too much of the time I'm so wrapped up with my subject that I don't listen to what my students are really trying to say. A program like this touches my heart and moves me to be a better teacher and advisor. -- Jamie Raymond, Sabetha, Kansas  POV National Broadcasts |
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Between Worlds |
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| This unique documentary explores over a period of six years the lives of several
Vietnamese Amerasians (children of Vietnamese women and American servicemen) and
their families who left Vietnam in 1992 through the Orderly Departure Program. Each
of the families was sent to a refugee camp in the Philippines for six months of ESL
and cultural orientation before being resettled in the United States. The film details their experiences in the camp, including many of the preparatory lessons such as how to go shopping and how to use a telephone. After they arrive in different regions of this country, the film follows their lives for five more years as they struggle to learn English, find jobs, pursue their educations, and, for one Amerasian, to be re-united with his American father. This deeply moving portrait of the struggles of recent immigrants -- particularly women and children -- to create new lives for themselves in America may be the best depiction available on video of the difficult process of becoming American. It is an incisive historical document and a profound emotional experience. It will reward viewing in a wide variety of courses: in women's studies, Asian and Asian American studies, history, sociology, anthropology, and American studies. Produced by Shawn Hainsworth. 57 min. Color 1998 Catalog #38442 Sale: video $225, Rental: video $70 |
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 By filming with sensitivity over a long period of time, the filmmaker allows us to see something that is ordinarily invisible: people changing their identities. Beginning as Vietnamese, encountered in a refugee camp, the subjects of this film little by little acquire the habits, language, and dress of Americans. They are a mirror of ourselves and how we were formed, taking on new identities while retaining old ones. The process is magical, mesmerizing, difficult, and heartbreaking, and the film captures it as it is, with loving attention to detail and empathy for the people involved. -- Alfred Guzzetti, Osgood Hooker Prof. of Visual Arts, Harvard Univ. This is the most perceptive depiction of the Vietnamese Amerasian experience ever to appear on video. The film is a model of warmth and intimacy and it gives voice to people who have been ignored in both America and in Vietnam. The stories it relates provide viewers with an insighful perspective on Amerasians and a deeper understanding of their struggles to find new lives and new identities in the U.S. This film will generate thought and discussion and prove valuable in virtually any educational setting. -- Prof. Minh-Hoa Ta, Acting Chair for Asian American Studies, City College of San Francisco, and Assoc. Dir., Vietnamese American Studies Center, San Francisco State Univ. New England Film Festival honoree East Lansing Film Festival honoree Big Muddy Film Festival honoree Victoria Film Festival honoree |
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Birth of Perception: The American Story on RU-486 |
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| This thought-provoking documentary explores the heated controversy in America surrounding
the drug RU-486, the so-called "French abortion pill." The film illustrates
how politics and economic pressures have shaped the debate in this country over an
important breakthrough in reproductive health and medicine. It chronicles the story
of Leona Benten, whose attempt to bring RU-486 into the country for her personal
use ultimately led to a Supreme Court decision denying her access to it. The film
examines the many scientific, social, and individual-rights issues surrounding RU-486,
featuring commentary by international experts (including its creator, Dr. Etienne
Baulieu) as well as by everyday people with personal interests in the debate. Interwoven
through the film are innovative sequences whose metaphorical imagery stimulates reflection
and discussion of overriding topics such as freedom of choice and the right to privacy.
Produced by Kristine Clark de Castilho and Andre de Castilho. 44 min. Color 1997 Catalog #38420 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $60 |
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 I love this film! It is an enormously useful tool for classroom discussion regarding women's studies and reproductive-rights issues. There's so much good information here which has the capability to provoke discussion regarding women's health on a physical, sociological, political, and psychological level. Although it takes a strong position, it conveys information in a nonbiased way and in a nonpropagandistic format. The film also promotes interesting discussion on worldwide population issues, not just within the U.S. -- Ruth Mahaney, Prof. of Women's Studies, San Francisco State Univ. This informative, artistic, and engrossing film uses the ongoing struggle to bring RU-486 to the United States as a lens to examine the broader debate about women's reproductive rights in this country. The film is ideally suited for introducing this topic in a wide range of educational settings, and for stimulating discussion about RU-486 in particular and the abortion debate in general. I highly recommend it. -- Steve Heilig, San Francisco Medical Society, Editor, Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics An outstanding documentary... which very accurately details the discovery of RU-486, its utilization in France, and the political battles that were necesssary to bring it to this country. I commend this film for its truthfulness and hope it will be widely seen. -- Dr. Bernard Z. Gore, M.D., Women's Reproductive Health Specialist Natl. Educational Film Festival Award Film Arts Foundation Festival honoree |
| Blink | |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC Now, more than a decade later, Withrow is married to Maria, a Mexican-American woman, and lives a low-key, semi-isolated rural existence. Unlike simplistic stories about "evil racists turned model-citizens," "Blink" explores the complex middle ground where Withrow still battles his demons, at times questioning the possibility of fundamental personal change. The painful irony of his predicament is that when he renounced the world of racial hatred he was left with the same enraged, alienated masculine self that once propelled him into the movement. A stereotyped enemy no longer provides an easy target for his gnawing anger. And the mythic power he once enjoyed has been replaced by a silent, uneasy emptiness. "Blink" also examines the mass media's role in creating a caricatured persona for Withrow as a "white trash racist." The film illustrates how the media could demonize a racist such as Withrow and avoid confronting the more insidious forms of racism that permeate American life. Through clips of Withrow on the talk-show circuit following his "crucifixion," the film shows how the media abruptly recast him as a "redeemed warrior." As a white supremacist, he was an icon of evil; after the attack, he became an icon of redemption. Both constructions deny Withrow his humanity in its full complexity. "Blink" gives voice to Withrow's current attempts at a more meaningful
kind of redemption, one in which he faces the extraordinary pain and cruelty
of his past within the context of an unremarkable daily life. Through
Withrow's struggle to renounce white supremacy and its twisted mythology,
the film provides viewers with a multifaceted exploration into the gritty
nature of personal transformation. "Blink" resists the temptation
to see Withrow's change as a fait accompli. Rather, it points to a more
complex understanding that the path of healing resides in his ability
to endure the perpetual tension of opposites -- between self and other,
victim and victimizer, good and evil.. |
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 "Successfully raises critical questions about racism in American life and impels students to examine the social, cultural, and political context of emerging meanings of whiteness and masculinity in America." -- David Wellman, Prof. of Community Studies, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz "An invaluable tool to the work of people taking proactive approaches against the endeavors of white supremacists to induct young American men into their distorted world. The story of Greg Withrow is a common one for many white youth who are at risk for becoming associated with white supremacist gangs. The film's mixture of commonality, passion, and thoughtfulness holds viewers' attention and elicits an overwhelmingly positive response." -- Noah Chandler, Senior Researcher, Center for Democratic Renewal "The interrelated questions of individual and civil rights, of interpersonal and communal relationships, of cultural shifts and population migrations, are all brought together in this well-conceived and admirably executed film. Most interesting about this remarkable teaching tool is that it condenses its themes into a contemporary and riveting story that is grounded in a historical trauma we all recognize, yet have different vantage points upon. It will be compelling to a remarkably wide variety of audiences in psychology, sociology, gender studies, media studies, ethnic studies, and of course the humanities such as ethics and religious studies." -- Anne C. Klein, Prof. and Chair of Religious Studies, Rice Univ. "A compelling case study of the symbiotic relationship between the media and an individual who uses it for his own political agenda.The video provides rich and topical material for courses in media studies, journalism, and documentary production." -- Jan Krawitz, Prof. of Communication, Stanford Univ. "A unique and illuminating work that offers a doorway into the world of those involved in the Aryan Movement. This important and compelling film provides students with a concrete and accessible framework for understanding the personal meanings of complex prcesses of social, psychological, and political change. Highly recommended!" -- Troy Duster, Prof. of Sociology and Dir., Institute for the Study of Social change, Univ. of California, Berkeley "Better than any textbook or lecture could hope to do, this film prompts its viewers to seek out the social, psychological, and cultural factors in American life that give rise to racial hatred and to inquire into the factors that enable people to avoid or overcome such hatred. The film brings to light the contributions that socio-economic status, family dynamics, intimate relationships, peer pressure, authority, religion, and general cultural values (such as the warrior ideal) make both to the production of racial hatred and to the overcoming of it. This is an invaluable classroom teaching tool and resource in a very wide array of disciplines and courses." -- Prof. Mark Bracher, Dir., Center for Literature and Psychoanalysis, Kent State Univ.
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Caught in the Crossfire |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Alice Ray This compelling, highly realistic drama is the outcome of a project in which a multicultural group of San Francisco youth, themselves at risk of becoming perpetrators and/or victims of urban violence, collaborated with film professionals and educators in the creation and production of a film based on the social conflicts they experience each day. As the students arrive at their racially diverse school one overly hot day, many of them anticipate trouble of some kind, but none are prepared to be caught in the crossfire just outside the school. What happened? Who caused it? What could have prevented it? These are questions facing the students as they try to make sense of a shooting battle in which many of them participated but which no one saw start. What this diverse group of young people discover, as they unravel the mystery of who fired the first shot, forces them to confront racial, cultural, and gender stereotypes. In the process, they must rethink the essence of their personal identities and ultimately take a surprising step into collective responsibility. Caught in the Crossfire deglamorizes violence, examines its sources in racial, class, and gender conflicts, and presents empathy -- the ability to identify the felt experience of another person -- as an alternative to violence. The film is a remarkable depiction of the everyday life of many of America's youth, and will stimulate discussion and reflection in any urban junior or senior high school classroom or in-service as well as discussion and analysis in a wide range of college courses in sociology, social psychology, multiculturalism, and education. The film was conceived and produced by Alice Ray. 39 min. Color 1997 Catalog #38378 Sale: video $225, Rental: video $60 |
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 Better than good, it's great. The film presents a realistic snapshot of inner-city students and their concerns. -- Karen Hart, Coordinator of Health Education, San Francisco Unified School District Dramatic and honest, the film goes right at the real issues of violence, sexism, and racism that challenge today's kids. It shows youth able to make a stand of their own against serious social problems. -- Jim Dension, Counselor, Seattle Public Schools A chronicle of late 20th-century horrors. The soundtrack is bespattered with news reports of drive-by shootings, parents murdering their children, and a crazed gunman shooting up a workplace. The power of the film lies in the disturbing realization that in the modern social landscape, it is getting harder and harder to put yourself in the other person's shoes. -- Thomas Powers, in Release Print, the journal of the Film Arts Foundation San Francisco International Film Festival "Golden Gate Award" Natl. Educational Film Festival Award American Psychological Assn. honoree Film Arts Foundation Festival honoree |
| Child Protective Services | |
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| This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: KPBS Television - San Diego This sensitive and sometimes anguishing documentary ventures where no cameras have been before: behind the closed doors of our nation's child-protection system. An unprecedented protective order issued by a Juvenile Court Presiding Judge allowed award-winning producer Matthew Eisen to chronicle the raw and powerful day-to-day operations of one child-protection office in southern California. The film follows frontline workers in an Emergency Response Unit, shows social workers helping to re-unite torn families, and sits in on emotionally charged final courtroom decisions. Students in a wide range of courses in sociology, social welfare, and
social psychology will find much food for thought and discussion in remarkable
scenes capturing a young child being removed from his parents and taken
into protective custody; social workers and police serving a search warrant
to a parent accused of neglect; a "model" foster-care family suddenly
being investigated by child welfare workers; a social worker "burning
out" from frustration; and a mother's struggles to stay off drugs and
regain custody of her children. The film is a co-production of Matthew
Eisen Productions and KPBS-TV, San Diego. |
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| Crashing the Parties | |
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| This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Al Ward In the wake of the chaotic Presidential election of 2000, Americans are asking: Does every vote count? Does every vote matter? Is voting your conscience -- for a candidate you know cannot win -- a wasted vote? These and other critical related themes are explored in this cogent and thought-provoking documentary, which examines in depth the 2000 campaigns of six third-party Presidential candidates -- each of whom garnered enough votes to have tipped the 2000 election. The six campaigns profiled are those of Ralph Nader (Green), Pat Buchanan (Reform), Harry Browne (Libertarian), John Hagelin (Natural Law), Howard Phillips (Constitution), and David McReynolds (Socialist). The film also relates the historical contributions of third-party candidates on American politics (such as the abolition of slavery and the women's right to vote), studies the pros and cons of the Electoral College process, and probes the challenges that third-party candidates face in gaining ballot access, debate access, media attention, and funding. Commentators include CNN's Wolf Blitzer, former Presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy, and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. "Crashing the Parties" is a vital and timely case study that asks students
to consider whether a two-party or a multi-party system is best for our
democracy. It will generate analysis and discussion in a variety of courses
in American government, history, and studies; sociology; and political
science. It was written and produced by Darren Garnick and directed by
Al Ward. |
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"A thought-provoking look at the role of third parties in American elections. It is particularly effective in connecting contemporary third-party movements with broader historical and political trends." -- James B. Millikan, Assoc. Prof. of Political Science, Stonehill College "I loved this production, which required a great deal of research and which treated the candidates respectfully while not missing the humor and conflict in the 2000 election. This was excellent journalism in a year when a third-party candidate probably did determine the outcome of the election. A great choice of topic treated in an informative and entertaining way." -- Norman Sims, Prof. and Chair of Journalism, Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst
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Death in the Hood |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Grassroots News 29 min. Color 1997 Catalog #38421 Sale: video $150, Rental: video $50 |
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 Ably captures the fears and realities of today's youth, their families, and communities. The video provides a thoughtful analysis of America's growing problems with youth violence and homicide and the contributing factors that make the inner city vulnerable to gang development. It also offers practical insights from parents, social service providers, law enforcement officials, and community organizers on what it takes to keep young people safe and what it takes to keep young people out of gangs. -- Sharon McCormack, Mgr., Crime Prevention Programs, City of Portland Natl. Educational Film Festival Award Northwest Region Alliance for Community Media Award |
| Different from You | |
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| This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Milton Kogan - Pistachio Productions One of the most glaring social problems of American cities is homelessness, but only recently have we realized that most homelessness reflects psychiatric disease. This unflinchingly honest but humane documentary follows the medical rounds of an urban family physician as he services the homeless mentally ill. Through his interactions and through commentary by the mentally ill and by mental health professionals, the film illustrates how patients experience symptoms, deal with vagrancy, drug abuse, and societal hostility, and maintain hope and aspirations. "Different from You" demonstrates that only a small societal effort
is needed to help keep people off the streets, relieve unnecessary
misery, and improve the conditions of our cities. It will foster understanding
of the mentally ill, living on and off the streets, in their struggle
to find self-respect amid a flawed social-support system. The film
will provoke thought and discussion and will reward viewing in a wide
variety of courses in psychology, sociology, mental health, medicine,
and public policy. It was produced by Milt Kogan, M.D., and produced
and directed by Demetrio Cuzzocrea. |
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"An exceptional film! In fact, I've never seen a more authentic, more gripping portrayal of Schizophrenia, and I have watched dozens of such films over the years. I look forward to showing this film both to my undergraduate and graduate students." -- Gerald C. Davison, Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Psychology, Univ. of Southern California "A clearer picture of what mental illness is than 'A Beautiful Mind.' This film expresses what it is really like in the trenches of the fight against mental illness." -- Mark Powers, M.D., Chief, Emergency Psychiatric Services, Glendale Adventist Hospital, Glendale, California "This film gives a voice and a face to the often silent and private struggles of people with mental illness. Hearing their personal stories is an invaluable educational tool for all who wish to learn about or work with people coping with mental illness." -- Marian Williams, Ph.D., Exec. Vice President, Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health Center
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Displaced in the New South |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC 57 min. Color 1995 Catalog #38317 Sale: video $225, Rental: video $70 |
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The best treatment of the emerging ethnic and cultural complexity of the "New South" that I have seen. In the classroom the film provokes intense discussion. The film's fast and colorful pace mirrors the pace and impact of new populations on Atlanta and its people as Phad Tai and Mole mix with Grits and Collard Greens. -- Arthur Murphy, Chair, Dept. of Anthropology, Georgia State Univ. Natl. Educational Film Festival Award Latin American Studies Assn. Award of Merit Assn. for Asian Studies honoree Worldfest Houston Gold Medal Chicago Latino Film Festival honoree Atlanta Film Festival honoree PBS National Broadcasts |
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Farmworkers' Diary |
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| This thought-provoking documentary provides an inside view of a day in the life of
Chicano farmworkers at a farm labor camp in central California. In the farmworkers'
own words it captures their dreams and aspirations as well as their anxieties, their
longing for their families, and their fear of becoming unemployable as farm mechanization
increases. By Paul Shain. 10 min. Color 1991 Catalog #38064 Sale: video $99, Rental: video $40 |
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Fender Philosophers |
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| In an era when entire political platforms are boiled down into 30-second sound bites,
bumper stickers offer a unique forum for Americans to express their most fervent
opinions with unrivaled speed, wit, and audacity. This lively and often humorous
documentary explores the power and diversity of bumper stickers, perhaps our most
populist and ubiquitous form of public expression -- a veritable town hall meeting
on wheels, with everyone having an equal opportunity to sound off. The video introduces a wide variety of people who create, produce, sell, and display bumper sitckers -- liberals and conservatives; environmentalists and ranchers; hippies, surfers, cynics, and conspiracy theorists; as well as entrepreneurs and impassioned activists across the entire political and social spectrum. The film shows that bumper stickers are not only a medium for the expression of opinions. They also serve as important selling devices for candidates and products, tools for advocating radical social change, insider codes for minority groups and organizations, and a key barometer of public opinion. This fascinating video will stimulate discussion in a wide variety of courses in popular culture, sociology, social psychology, American studies, and communication. It was produced by Lisa Leeman in association with KPBS Television. 27 min. Color 1998 Catalog #38434 Sale: video $175, Rental: video $60 |
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 A provocative study that retrieves bumper stickers from the wastebasket of American pop culture and reveals their significance to political speech and self-expression. A valuable addition to any class in which American popular culture is a topic. -- Barbara Osborne, Prof. of Journalism, California State Univ., Northridge Demonstrates in a fast-paced and clever style how ordinary citizens use popular culture to make political and cultural meaning in their lives. This engaging look at the underexamined medium of bumper stickers is a welcome addition to classes on popular culture, speech communication, and American Studies.. -- Prof. Marita Sturken, Annenberg School for Communication, USC Bumper stickers are a surprisingly accurate reflection of the state of our popular culture at any given time. Fender Philosophers is a visual treat that will stimulate useful discussion in the classroom. -- Jeffrey J. Gordon, Assoc. Prof. of Geography, Bowling Green State Univ. Natl. Educational Film Festival Award Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival honoree Natl. Social Science Assn. honoree "Best Documentary 1998," San Diego Press Club Awards |
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Forgotten Fires |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC Filmed over a one-year period in Manning, South Carolina, Forgotten Fires goes behind simplistic news headlines and examines the historical, economic, and social contexts to the epidemic of church burnings in the 1990s. Skillfully interweaving Ku Klux Klan home movies with gripping live sequences, informative historical footage, and startling confessional testimony, the film traces the coming of the Klan to this sleepy rural town and shows how the group's twisted logic of racial enmity found fertile ground among the region's dirt-poor whites. In a place where blacks and whites had lived side by side for years, the fiery oratory of the Klan attracted eager white converts ready to blame their black neighbors for their own lost opportunities and impoverished lives. One young man who found purpose in the Klan's seductive rhetoric was Timothy Welch. As a boy, he would perch in the pecan tree outside Macedonia Baptist Church and listen to the Sunday service, waiting for his black friends to come out and play. At age 23, Welch would burn that same church to the ground. He now resides in a federal prison, sentenced to 12 years for civil rights violations. Through his remarkable commentary Welch initially emerges as a starkly candid homegrown white supremacist, but his portrait gradually softens to reveal a troubled youth, with deep ties to the black community he betrayed and a burdoned conscience turning from hatred toward remorse. Equally compelling is the quiet fortitude of black pastor Jonathan Mouzon, whose musings on the meaning of the church to the black community and its ties to the past give us a profound insight into the roots of community. His compassion for the perpetrators of the church burnings is a marvel of racial tolerance and empathy. Rarely has a film on race relations granted such deep humanity to all its participants, and it is this inclusiveness that gives Forgotten Fires its overwhelming impact. It will inspire thought, discussion, and analysis in a wide variety of courses in American history and studies, African American studies, sociology, psychology, criminology, and multiculturalism. Forgotten Fires was produced by Michael Chandler and Vivian Kleiman for the Independent Television Service with funding provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Forgotten Fires is a presentation of the Independent Television Service. 57 min. Color 1999 Catalog #38447 Sale: video $295, Rental: video $95 |
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 If we wanted a real dialogue about race in America, we'd start with this film. Its strong dose of reality begs for an honest response from a wide audience. -- Bill Moyers A remarkable journey into a young racist mind. This film is a disturbing reminder of the attractiveness of hate to the vulnerable among us. -- Morris Dees, Southern Poverty Law Center The furor over church burnings in recent years often seemed to decline into the sort of political squabble in which each side merely presents the facts it deems most advantageous to previously staked-out ideological positions. This film allows us to go deeply into the interior of one of these tragedies and witness, with our own eyes, the human cost of such an event. With excruciating even-handedness and generous compassion -- even for those who might not deserve it -- the film shows us the victims and the victimizers, the blacks whose church was burned and the Klansmen who burned it, and in the process reveals the true, heartbreaking dimensions of the tragedy and the ongoing suffering and struggle for redemption of all involved. The film provides a clear window into the connections and disconnections of a small southern American town, which becomes, as the film plays on, a microcosm for the nation as a whole. It is a stunning film, deeply felt, deeply moving, and worthy of repeated viewings. -- Anthony Walton, author of Mississippi, An American Journey and Visiting Asst. Prof. of English, Bowdoin College Golden Spire Award, San Francisco Intl. Film Festival Gold Medal, Flagstaff Intl. Film Festival Juror's Choice Award, Charlotte Film Festival PBS National Broadcasts |
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From One Prison... |
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| This unforgettably powerful documentary exposes the failures of America's police,
legal, criminal justice, and penal systems with regard to the human and civil rights
of women. Shot inside a Michigan prison, the film is entirely narrated by four women
who are serving life or long-term sentences for killing abusive men in self-defense.
The women's stories, echoing and reinforcing one another, are told with warmth, dignity,
and eloquence. Their faces fill the screen, bringing the viewer into visceral contact
with the realities of the women's lives as they relate their stories and recount
the injustices and abuse they have suffered. The four women are neither heroines
nor vigilantes. They reflect on the social institutions that have failed them --
police, health care, social service agencies, courts -- and reveal that virtually
their entire defenses were left out of their trials, since in most cases they were
not allowed to testify or bring up their histories of abuse. They also relate their
experiences in prison, where rape and sexual harassment by guards, nonexistent medical
care, unsafe, non-nutritious food, and rat-infested, overcrowded living conditions
are the norm. This is essential viewing for a wide variety of classes in women's
studies, the social sciences, law, public health, and criminology. Produced by Carol
Jacobsen. 70 min. Color 1995 Catalog #38313 Sale: video $225, Rental: video $70 |
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Provides powerful images and new understanding of women serving long sentences for killing their batterers. The video makes an extremely important contribution to an area in which there is so little visual material available. This is a Must See for students of sociology, women's studies, and criminology. -- Prof. Mary Lou Dietz, Chair, Dept. of Sociology, Univ. of Windsor A riveting, appalling documentary. Here is an expose that will make you think twice. Sadly, that's not enough. -- Critic's Choice, America Online Natl. Educational Film Festival Gold Apple Award Human Rights Watch Intl. Film Festival honoree Women in Film Foundation honoree |
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Graffiti Wars: A Matter of Pride |
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| This unique documentary shows both sides of the conflict over graffiti: those who
write graffiti and those who fight it. Filmed in Los Angeles, the video provides
an insider's look at the underground graffiti culture by taking viewers "mobbing"
with local writing crews. It also shows the complexity of the problem: while thousands
of graffiti writers "bomb" the streets every day in a continual search
for attention and fame, the county and private citizens spend millions every year
in an effort to clean up after them. Through commentary by taggers, gang members,
graffiti artists, judges, scholars, and concerned residents, the video explores the
frustrations and motivations of everyone involved. With Malcolm-Jamal Warner. Produced
by Shannon Sells and Christine Smith. 30 min. Color 1992 Catalog #38153 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $50 |
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An excellent resource for junior or senior high school classes and for college courses dealing with urban problems, gangs, or social issues. -- Dr. Sherrie Mazingo, School of Journalism, USC Natl. Educational Film Festival Award American Film Festival Award American Anthropological Assoc. selection CINE Eagle Award |
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Homeless Not Helpless: Opening Doors |
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| This eye-opening documentary on homelessness
is unique in that it focuses on solutions. It shows what is working
and what is merely perpetuating poverty. The video explores a wide spectrum
of programs, including those of traditional inner-city storefront missions,
of government social service agencies, and of the Union of the Homeless,
a nationwide activist group made up of the homeless themselves. This
story is told by the people involved -- in the streets, the missions,
the shelters -- and concludes with a dramatic occupation of abandoned
housing in Oakland, Calif., by the Union of the Homeless. Narrated by
Julian Bond; produced by Jerry Jones.
44 min. Color 1992 Catalog #38144 |
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"An important film, for it shows what positive steps the homeless are taking for themselves." -- San Francisco Chronicle American Film Festival 1992 Grierson Award ("Best Social Documentary") American Psychiatric Assn. honoree |
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How Does It Work? |
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| This informative and entertaining video follows several teenagers as they seek out
information about their city government and how it works. The students learn about
their city charter, meet a city council member and the city Controller, and are introduced
to the role and functions of city council committees. The video stresses that young
people should be informed about and involved in local issues. The video mixes fiction,
documentary, and comic-like drawings, and catches students' attention through its
fast pace, humor, and contemporary style. An excellent enhancement to high school
civics classes. Teacher's guide. Produced by Aubin and Regis Hellot. 29 min. Color 1995 Catalog #38316 Sale: video $175, Rental: video $50 |
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In the Shadow of the Law |
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| An outstanding portrait of four families who have lived illegally in the U.S. for
many years. This acclaimed documentary explores the daily lives of the family members,
showing their constant fear of apprehension by the INS and their vulnerability to
exploitation by those who capitalize on their illegal status. For these families,
recent changes in immigration laws represent both hope and apprehension: will they
qualify for amnesty and, finally, be able to come out of the shadows? Produced by
Paul Espinosa for KPBS San Diego. 58 min. Color 1990 Catalog #38065 Sale: video $295, Rental: video $60 |
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 Captures every major obstacle - legal, social, and cultural - that individuals have to overcome to meet even the most basic necessities, like feeding their families. This will be a welcome addition to all courses in sociology, anthropology, and American studies. -- Prof. Carlos Velez-Ibanez, Dept. of Anthropology, Univ. of Arizona Emmy Award Latino Film and Video Festival Award Houston Intl. Film Festival Award Natl. Educational Film Festival Award |
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Justiceville |
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| Eileen Brennan narrates this compelling documentary about a community built from
discarded crates and other urban refuse by 63 homeless men, women, and children on
a vacant lot in Los Angeles -- the "homeless capital of America." This
new community, called "Justiceville," provided a unique opportunity for
the poor and disenfranchised to organize and take control of their lives. Commentary
by experts adds a national perspective on homelessness. Accompanying discussion guide.
Produced by Gary Glaser. 28 min. Color 1987 Catalog #37573 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $50 |
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CINE Golden Eagle Award Natl. Educational Film Festival Award Media & Methods Award American Psychological Assoc. honoree Society for the Study of Social Problems honoree American Assoc. for Counseling & Development Award |
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Laid to Waste |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC Laid to Waste documents a community's attempt to deal with the complex issues of environmental injustice. The story unfolds dramatically as the residents seek to discover and confront the forces that have chosen their community for such facilities. Though CRCQL receives threats and its office is vandalized, the group continues to protest and to challenge the waste industry. Ultimately, a controversy surrounding an obscure legal maneuver used by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court draws statewide attention to the situation, and brings the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee to Chester's West End to investigate allegations of corruption and collusion at the highest levels of government and the waste industry. Laid to Waste is a must-see in any course dealing with environmental issues, urban studies, public policy, or social problems. It was produced by Robert Bahar and George McCollough. 52 min. Color 1997 Catalog #38427 Sale: video $225, Rental: video $75 |
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 photo courtesy of CRCQL I highly recommend this powerful video for classroom use. It exposes the ugly underbelly of environmental racism and is an excellent treatise on grassroots organizing and networking. -- Robert D. Bullard, Dir., Environmental Justice Resource Center and Ware Prof. of Sociology, Clark Atlanta Univ., author of Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class and Environmental Quality A devastating expose of environmental racism and an inspiring documentary of a community's determination to take control of its own destiny. The catch-22 of the politics of waste disposal in the State of Pennsylvania is balanced by the inspirational dedication of grassroots leadership. This is essential viewing for everyone committed to environmental justice. -- Donald K. Swearer, Charles and Harriet Cox McDowell Prof., Swarthmore College This filmed case study presents a microcosm of contemporary American social relations: environmental racism, development of grassroots leaders, coalitions that cross racial and ethnic divisions, the structure of political and corporate power, the impact of de-industrialization on old urban centers, and the will of a community to protect itself and survive. The camera allows the residents of Chester to relate their own story. This is an outstanding resource for classes in American studies and history, sociology, public policy, the environment, and law. -- Elizabeth Petras, Prof. of Sociology, Drexel Univ. Natl. Educational Film Festival Award World Population Film and Video Festival Award |
| The Last Graduation | |
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| America's prison population is swelling at an
alarming rate -- tripling in just the last 15 years. Education in prison
has proven to be one of the few effective tools for turning inmates' lives
around and reducing the rate of recidivism. So why have federal and state
governments slashed funds for effective college prison programs?
This powerful and provocative documentary explores the issues surrounding this vital question. It examines the history of college prison programs -- from their advent in the wake of the Attica uprising in 1971 to the last graduation from the Marist College program at Greenhaven Prison in 1995. The film eloquently advocates reinstatement of college prison programs by allowing involved educators and prisoners to tell their own stories. But it also includes scenes of "show-'em-no-mercy" legislators as they make their case in the halls of Congress. "The Last Graduation" will open eyes and stimulate discussion in a wide
array of courses in African American studies, criminology, sociology,
public policy, and education. It was produced by Barbara Zahm. |
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 "One of the most provocative video documentaries ever made about prison issues. No better argument can be made for the funding of educational programs than to see men who received college degrees while in prison back in the community working with troubled youth to keep them from going to prison." -- Eddie Ellis, Founder and President, Community Justice Center, Harlem, New York "When the lights came on, many of my students were wiping their eyes.... The film is so honest and straightforward that the final full-scale discussion of the class had a tone we hadn't to that point ever achieved." -- Buzz Alexander, Prof. of English, Univ. of Michigan "A Challenge, an inspiration, and an incitement to action. A must for all students of criminal justice and law." -- Susan Feathers, Dir. of Public Service Counseling and Programming, Yale Law School "Puts a human face on those who have been demonized by politicians and shows that people who have made serious mistakes can turn their lives around." -- David Levin, Executive Dir., Prisoners' Legal Services of New York
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| The Last Stand: Ancient Redwoods and the Bottom Line |
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This title is no longer distributed by UC Extension. For distribution information, contact: Berkeley Media LLC Along the fog-shrouded coastline of Northern California are the tallest and oldest living beings on earth: the Coastal Redwoods. These giants can live more than 2,000 years, measure a colossal 22 feet in diameter, and reach heights of more than 360 feet. Although this towering species once blanketed the entire Northwest coast of the continent, it has been decimated by decades of relentless logging. Today, fewer than four percent of the pre-historic redwoods remain standing. The profound human and biological ramifications behind this environmental tragedy are nowhere more evident than in the Headwaters Forest of Humboldt County. A pristine grove of old-growth redwoods in the heart of northern California's boom- and-bust timber region, the Headwaters is the largest unprotected redwood forest in the world. "The Last Stand" explores the dramatic history of the 15-year battle to save these trees. This riveting history is one of junk bonds and endangered salmon, car bombs and clear-cuts, corporate takeovers, collusion, corruption, greed, and murder. It is also one of courage and conviction, vision and values. There's a broad social and historical sweep and an unforgettable cast of characters, including Texan financier and corporate raider Charles Hurwitz; his accomplice, convicted securities manipulator Michael Milken; Daryll Cherney, Earth First! activist and target of a deadly car-bombing campaign; Julia Butterfly Hill, whose two-year tree sit-in gained international attention; and such notable environmentalists as David Brower, Paul Hawken, Fritjof Capra, and David Harris. Calling for the emergence of a social-ecological literacy, the film goes beyond environmental issues such as deforestation, bio-diversity and sustainability. With intellectual clarity and investigative rigor, it disentangles the web of government policies and corporate agendas that compromise the public interest and threaten our nation's natural heritage. Through striking testimony from economists, scientists, forest activists, and the Humboldt County residents who have seen their communities and back yards torn apart, "The Last Stand" questions how we as a society will value our relationship to the environment as we enter a new millennium. "The Last Stand" will provoke spirited discussion in a variety of courses
in environmental studies and issues, sociology, American history and studies,
development studies, public policy, and law and political science. It
was directed by Holiday Phelan and produced by Todd Wagner. |
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 "An extraordinarily poignant and stirring portrayal of the efforts by citizens and environmental activists to preserve some of the last remaining old-growth Redwood forests in the world. An effective and carefully prepared case study, this film is ideal for provoking discussion and reflection in the classroom and I'd recommend it for any curriculum dealing with the environment, conservation, or natural resource management." -- Steven R. Beissinger, Chair and Prof., Dept. of Environmental Science, Policy & Management, Univ. of California, Berkeley "A clear, concise, and compelling exploration of an extraordinarily complex issue. With clarity and conviction, the film illustrates the need for a shift in values; one where ancient redwoods and other environmental treasures are no longer treated as dispensable commodities and profit centers but rather as critical components of our planet's living systems. The strongest case to be made for saving the Headwaters Forest is attained by visiting this natural cathedral in person. Viewing The Last Stand is the next best alternative and I highly recommend it as an essential classroom experience." -- Bruce Hamilton, National Conservation Director, The Sierra Club "The economic issues underlying the destruction of ancient forests and neighboring human communities is well-explained for the first time in this admirably executed film. I hope every young person has an opportunity to see the film, and to understand the issues at stake in the debate about what is required of us if we are to develop sustainable communities." -- Susan R. Clark, Executive Director, Columbia Foundation "Portrays the devastating impact of unchecked commercial logging on a resource-based community and its environs. Bringing to task the prevailing economic and development paradigms of the modern world, which are primarily market-driven, the film effectively illustrates how these models are fundamentally incompatible with ecological sustainability on a finite planet." -- Adam Werbach, Former President, The Sierra Club
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Let's Own It!: The Struggle of the Lincoln Place Tenants Association |
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| All across the nation affordable housing remains an elusive goal and, often, the
cause of bitter conflicts and struggles. Nowhere is this truer than in urban areas
of California, with its large populations of ethnic minorities, the elderly, and
immigrants. This excellent case study follows the decade-long struggle of a group
of tenants working toward the creation of a permanently affordable housing community
in Venice, Calif., a traditionally liberal beach neighborhood on the west side of
Los Angeles. The video documents how a group of retired residents joined forces with
younger residents -- primarily women and single parents -- to fight against a demolition
and redevelopment proposal that would effectively displace 1,500 people from a large
apartment complex called Lincoln Place. Built in 1950, Lincoln Place is one of the largest sources of affordable housing in the area. Its residents are ethnically diverse and of mixed ages and incomes -- a vibrant community which inspired residents to dream of ownership of the complex and defend their homes. Their strategies, anxieties, and conflicts with the owner/developer, their efforts to gain the support of other Venice residents, and their unprecedented victory over the owner at City Hall make this important video an outstanding teaching tool for a variety of courses in sociology, social psychology, urban studies and planning, anthropology, and women's studies. It was produced by Karen Brodkin and Mary Hardy. 31 min. Color 1998 Catalog #38438 Sale: video $150, Rental: video $50 |
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 A wonderfully well-made testimony to the human spirit. This video will be very effective for a number of purposes: in the classroom, in the interstices of classroom and community (such as in internship courses and other community work that students do), and in annual and occasional programs on campus such as Women's History Month. Because the video deals with so many key issues -- working class people, women, seniors, ethnic diversity, community-building, grassroots organizing, and the preservation of communities, neighborhoods, and culture, I plan to use it in several of my classes. -- Sondra Hale, Adjunct Prof., Anthropology and Women's Studies, UCLA The video captured the attention of my class of first-year urban studies students. They loved seeing renters fight back to claim their community and they immediately connected with the role of the seniors, with more time, working to make a vital neighborhood which included the young families with children, but little time. -- Dorothy Remy, Prof. of Urban Studies, Univ. of the District of Columbia A must for a range of courses on women and aging. The video dispels stereotypes of elderly people and shows them as alive and vibrant forces for community change. -- Emily Abel, Prof. of Public Health and Women's Studies, UCLA |
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Lobbying for Lives: Lessons from the Front |
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| This riveting documentary is the best case study available illustrating how lobbying
is carried out, how public opinion is influenced through the mass media, and how
laws actually get passed in a legislative democracy. Called by Science Books &
Films "a superb lesson in civics that is readily transferable to the U.S.,"
the film shows how an underfunded and diffuse group of health interests were able
to unite into a powerful grassroots coalition that successfully lobbied for the passage
of landmark legislation banning cigarette advertising in Canada. By MediCinema Ltd. 30 min. Color 1990 Catalog #38107 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $50 |
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A terrific video. It highlights what's actually required to lobby successfully.
High school and college students are fascinated by the story of how legislation really
gets passed. -- Prof. Joanne Clark, Wilfred Laurier Univ. Gold Apple, Natl. Educational Film Festival Columbus Film Festival honoree |
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Lost Angeles: The Story of Tent City |
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| A uniquely powerful and intimate look at the lives and struggles of homeless people
who have been moved to an "urban campground" in downtown Los Angeles. Focuses
on the personal stories of several camp residents - a young street flower-seller,
a likable Vietnam vet and his wife, and a young mother of five children who aspires
to a singing career - while homeless leaders and city officials attempt to deal with
the problem of homelessness before the campground must close. Directed by independent
filmmaker Tom Seidman with a crew that included camp residents, this eye-opening
account unsentimentally portrays the complicated realities of life on the streets.
Accompanying discussion guide. 50 min. Color 1989 Catalog #37874 Sale: video $195, Rental: video $50 |
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Extraordinarily honest, a raw look at a real problem unvarnished by any wishful thinking or a need for a happy ending. Watching it gives us a jolt and maybe that's what we need. -- David Gritten, Los Angeles Herald Examiner American Film Festival Blue Ribbon Natl. Educational Film Festival Gold Apple American Psychological Assoc. honoree PBS National Broadcasts on P.O.V. Emmy Award Nominee |
| Methamphetamine: From the Streets of San Diego | |
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| Lurking behind San Diego's sunny image of swaying
palm trees and beautiful beaches is a drug subculture that is so pervasive
that it affects the lives of most Americans. This subculture knows no social
boundaries. School-age children, affluent women, and the working class have
all been seduced by the intoxicating effects of methamphetamines, only to
lose control of their lives.
This chilling investigative documentary explores the reasons why San
Diego has become the center of methamphetamine production and distribution
in America. The film traces the history of the drug, examines its effects
on users both young and old, and demonstrates how it has been a factor
in some of the nation's most bizarre and violent crimes and contributed
to the flooding of courts, jails, and hospital emergency rooms with meth-related
cases. Produced by Lee Harvey for KPBS-TV. |
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No Place Like Home |
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| This brilliant documentary explores eight months in the life of a broken family in
Seattle and powerfully depicts the cycles that keep families tied to poverty and
violence from one generation to the next. The film focuses on a young girl, Barbara,
who lives with her mother, brother, and sister in homeless shelters and cheap motels.
They spend their days stretching welfare checks and shuttling between shelters while
they wait for public housing and a future that never seems to arrive. Barbara's mother
recounts a childhood of abuse and violence and a period of imprisonment as an adult.
As Barbara tells her story -- trying to make sense of a legacy of domestic violence,
poverty, and abandonment -- she emerges as the primary target of her own anger. At
ten, she's "tired of moving, tired of packing... everything." She speaks
dispassionately of being beaten by her father, of homelessness and the fears it engenders,
of her mother's prison time. Her eerie calm belies the dangers she faces, and it
is clear that her home is only the latest in a long series of losses. Her resignation,
her acceptance of the unacceptable, is heartbreaking. The film makes no pretense
of providing answers, but it clearly shows, through the eyes of one young girl, the
questions. Produced by Kathryn Hunt (see also Take This Heart). |
