Jack London: 20th Century Man is a multipart documentary for PBS that examines the extraordinary life and work of one of the world’s most popular yet misunderstood writers. This film paints a fresh portrait of an artist whose incredible life story formed the template for his writing.

Undocumented immigrant Rogelio Cortea, loses the family truck to the local police when he can’t provide a driver’s license. With the family’s future in jeopardy, his 10-year-old son Jaime salvages scraps and car parts from the endless acres of farmland that make up his world, and embarks on the ambitious task of building a car. At the end, Jaime learns what it means to be a Mexican immigrant in the American farmlands.

After a string of failed pregnancies left her infertile, Christine succumbs to a deep depression. Her marriage is strained, but her sole concern is for the life that she most recently lost. Her desire for a child is so strong that her mind creates one. She does not question his existence; she names the child Jakob and embraces him. In time, Jakob reveals himself to be far more menacing then Christine could ever imagine.

Sculptor Jerry Barrish is an original. After successful careers as a bail bond’s man and independent filmmaker, Barrish at age 50 made a seamless transition to figurative sculpture mostly from plastic refuse. Twenty years later, a film will celebrate his vitality and drive as an artist in mid-career. The visual narrative will follow his artistic process of assemblage and construction of a bronze sculpture commissioned by the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. Attention will be given to Barrish’s fascinating life-stories that will shine a light on the essence of his art: gesture, form, compassion and wit. The film culminates with the installation of a new bronze sculpture in the City of San Francisco.

The Joyce Ann Gaines Story tells the compelling story of how young Joyce Ann Gaines became an unwitting provocateur, on the evening of August 11, 1965, of the horrendous LA Watts Riots. While her name was mentioned in many publications of the time, much false information was given out about her role. Now, after 46 years of silence, she is ready to put herself on the line and tell the world the truth about what happened to her that day.

Four Muslim women in the Bay Area find that in post-9-11 America, their choice to wear or not wear hijab (the Muslim headscarf), has become a focal point for debate and education. Their stories raise deeply human questions – What boundaries define me? How do I travel across those boundaries to be true to myself, my community, and my faith? How do I transform the stories that limit my potential?