Current Projects
Bamako Chic: Threads of Power, Color and Culture
Maureen Gosling, Maxine Downs
Maureen Gosling, Maxine Downs
Interweaving the personal stories of five cloth dyers, BAMAKO CHIC tells the little known story of self-empowered Malian women whose artistic creativity became a force for alleviating poverty and affirming identity in post-colonial West Africa. Through its vibrant mix of compelling characters, vivid textile art and the challenges of daily life, BAMAKO CHIC will enrich American perceptions of Africa—a continent more often portrayed in terms of its political and public health tragedies.
The Beachhead
Marc Smolowitz
Marc Smolowitz
The Beachhead is the next feature documentary by award winning director/producer Marc Smolowitz (The Power Of Two) Inspired by the ground breaking work of journalist/advocate Daniel Heimpel, The Beachhead tells the bittersweet story of the United States child welfare system in the second decade of the 21st century. Focused on Heimpel's lively vision for what he calls "THE CHILD FIRST MOVEMENT", the film will shed light on a broken system that is poised to unleash great solutions that can change the lives of children in foster care across our great nation.
Beard Club
Laura Lukitsch
Laura Lukitsch
In Beard Club, one woman's chance encounter with some extreme beard competitors leads to a five-year journey that looks into the social politics of facial hair. Filmmaker Laura J. Lukitsch travels to six different countries examining men's relationship to their beards and uncovering the hidden meanings associated with facial hair.
Being Human, Being True: A Journey with Lloyd and Marion Wake
Amelia Chua
Amelia Chua
Being Human, Being True is a story about Lloyd Wake, a Japanese American farm boy whose internment experience awakened his lifelong passion for social justice. His wife Marion, the other great love of his life, will hold him to his vows to honor and cherish her. Two powerful commitments stake their claim on him. Is it humanly possible to be true to both?
The Best and Worst Days of George Morales' Unnaturally Long Life
Seth Cuddeback and Benjamin Dohrmann
Seth Cuddeback and Benjamin Dohrmann
George and Susie Morales own a Mexican restaurant in East Los Angeles and have been happily married for thirty years. They are also immortal. Their secret lies in a recipe for chicken mole. It has kept them from aging. It has kept them together. But when Susie decides that she would like to finally end her life, George is forced to make a difficult decision: Join her in death, or face eternity alone.
Billy Mize and the Bakersfield Sound
William J. Saunders
William J. Saunders
Billy Mize's contributions to country western music helped shape the industry. His charm and golden voice are legendary among country music's elite as is his passion for music. A performer on the brink of fame, his is a spectacular tale about identity and sacrifice amidst a country music revolution.
The Blue Boat
Derek Dabkoski
Derek Dabkoski
There is a dearth of films highlighting the magic of San Francisco’s maritime landmarks. The Blue Boat will fill this void by exposing their once forgotten luster, taking viewers on an adventure across the city's storied seaside treasures, to a place where a broken man grapples with the burden of the past, and a boy realizes his dream of sailing the great Pacific.
Boundless: Dancing on Air
Lisa Landers
Lisa Landers
Go behind the scenes with Bandaloop, a dance troupe that combines rock climbing and choreography to create gravity-defying performances on the sides of buildings and mountains. Joining the aerialists on their latest world tour, we reveal the many challenges of staging a show on the side of a skyscraper. Along the way we discover the power of vertical dance to captivate diverse audiences, change how we see our cities, and reach beyond the boundaries of our lives.
Brown Bread
Sarah Gross
Sarah Gross
An intimate portrait of a transracial adoptive family. Black, white, middle class, ghetto: adoption gave the same last name to six children from very different backgrounds. But did they develop a common identity? A frank look at racial and social integration within the microcosm of a single family.
Burning the Village
Liz McBee
Liz McBee
This feature-length documentary film will examine the darker side of motherhood. Exploring postpartum depression and maternal anxieties, the film reveals how the village of support for raising children in America has been painfully undermined. Opening an honest dialogue about American motherhood and mental health, the core of the film resonates this simple truth: A happy mother equals a happy home, equals a happy community, equals a happy society.