2015


THE MULBERRY HOUSE
THE MULBERRY HOUSE

2015  Middle Eastern Studies  Women's Studies  Family Relations  The Arab Spring  Directed by Women 

Arriving at the heart of an emerging revolution after living abroad for ten years, a young female filmmaker redefines her place in Yemeni society, as well as her relationships with her father and grandfather. In a unique examination of the uprisings in Yemen, The Mulberry House shifts the focus from events on the streets to the impact of the revolution on the lives of one family. An incredibly moving and intimate story by the director of Academy Award nominated Karama Has No Walls.

JOURNEY TO THE WEST
JOURNEY TO THE WEST

2015  Cinema Studies  Narrative Films  Religion & Spirituality 

An immersive and transporting experience directed by Taiwanese auteur Tsai Ming-liang (Stray Dogs), Journey to the West focuses on the figure of the Walker, a character loosely based on the life of Xuanzang, a seventh-century Buddhist monk who painstakingly traversed Asia for seventeen years in search of "the void."

FROM IRAN: A SEPARATION
FROM IRAN: A SEPARATION

2015  Cinema Studies  Middle Eastern Studies  Media Studies  Cultural Studies  Directed by Women 

A gripping and moving story that illustrates the impact cosmopolitan recognition has on an isolated population, From Iran: A Separation details the reception of the speech Asghar Farhadi (About Elly) gave when his film A Separation won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

COUNTING
COUNTING

2015  Cinema Studies  New York City  Russia  Urban Studies 

In fifteen linked chapters shot in locations ranging from Moscow to New York to Istanbul, Counting merges city symphony, diary film, and personal/political essay to create a vivid portrait of contemporary life.

PRINCESS OF FRANCE (narrative)
PRINCESS OF FRANCE (narrative)

2015  Narrative Films  Cinema Studies  Spanish Language 

Victor returns to Buenos Aires after his father’s death and a stay in Mexico to prepare a radio production of "Love’s Labour’s Lost." Reuniting with his repertory, he finds himself sorting out complicated entanglements with girlfriend Paula, sometime lover Ana, and departed actress Natalia, as well as his muddled relations with the constellation of friends involved with the project.

HORSE MONEY (narrative)
HORSE MONEY (narrative)

2015  Narrative Films  Cinema Studies  Europe 

A visionary masterwork from the renowned director of Colossal Youth, Pedro Costa’s Horse Money is a mesmerizing odyssey into the real, imagined and nightmarish memories of the elderly Ventura, a Cape Verdean immigrant living in Lisbon.

ABOUT ELLY (narrative)
ABOUT ELLY (narrative)

2015  Narrative Films  Middle Eastern Studies  Cinema Studies 

With the return of their friend Ahmad from Germany, a group of old college pals (two married couples and a brother and sister, along with three young kids) decide to reunite for a weekend outing by the Caspian Sea. The fun starts right away as they quickly catch on to the plan of lively Sepideh, who has brought along Elly, her daughter’s kindergarten teacher, in hopes of setting her up with recently divorced Ahmad.

JAUJA (narrative)
JAUJA (narrative)

2015  Narrative Films  Cinema Studies 

Jauja is the story of a man’s desperate search for his daughter, a solitary quest that takes him to a place beyond time, where the past vanishes and the future has no meaning.

VIVA LA LIBERTA
VIVA LA LIBERTA

2015  Narrative Films  Europe  Business  Political Science 

In this chilling story about world politics, the great Toni Servillo (THE GREAT BEAUTY) defies expectations playing two roles, imbuing each character with brilliant nuance. In the first, he personifies political failure in the role of the disgraced ideologue and party leader, Enrico Oliveri. In the second, he embodies the shrewd genius of a madman as Oliveri’s unhinged twin brother who seizes control of the nation amidst the void of his brother’s disappearance.

DRESSING AMERICA: tales from the garment center
DRESSING AMERICA: tales from the garment center

American Studies  Art History  Jewish Studies  New York City  2015  Business  Pacific Street Films 

A captivating documentary that depicts the history of New York’s garment center, Dressing America explores how this business grew from humble beginnings into an industry that’s dressed America.

THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF DORIS PAYNE
THE LIFE AND CRIMES OF DORIS PAYNE

Psychology & Psychiatry  American Studies  African-American Studies  Women's Studies  Criminal & Law  2015 

A sensational portrait of a rebel who defied society’s prejudices and pinched her own version of the American Dream, The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne relates the fascinating story of how a poor, single, African-American mother from segregated West Virginia became the world’s most notorious jewel thief.

JOANNA
JOANNA

Eastern Europe  Family Relations  Health  Death & Dying  Women's Studies  2015  Academy Award Winners & Nominees  Short Films  Medicine  Directed by Women 

2015 Academy Award Nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject, Joanna is a tender and heartbreaking portrait of a young wife and mother facing terminal cancer who, wishing to leave something behind for her eight-year-old son, begins writing an online journal that resonates with and becomes embraced by millions of devoted readers.

SHE'S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE'S ANGRY
SHE'S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE'S ANGRY

Political Science  American History  American Studies  Women's Studies  2015  Directed by Women 

An essential documentary about the birth of the women's liberation movement. Featuring never-before-seen archival footage and new interviews, She's Beautiful When She's Angry tells the story of one of the most important social movements of the 20th century, bringing to light the efforts of lesser-known activists and grassroots organizations from across the country who played a pivotal role in the struggle.

LETTERS TO MAX
LETTERS TO MAX

Political Science  Cinema Studies  Russia  Eastern Europe  2015 

What is the job of a diplomat for a country that does not exist? With this question, acclaimed filmmaker Eric Baudelaire initiates a wide-ranging correspondence with his friend Maxim Gvinjia, former Minister of Foreign Affairs for Abkhazia, a country with physical borders, a government, and its own flag, but has not been recognized as a nation.

BECAUSE I WAS A PAINTER
BECAUSE I WAS A PAINTER

2015  Art History  Jewish Studies  World History  Europe 

In 1945, when the Allies liberated the concentration camps, they discovered thousands of secretly created artworks. These drawings, hidden from the Nazis, offer an unparalleled understanding of life in the camps. Featuring interviews with surviving artists, this fascinating documentary considers the ability of art to capture, reflect and survive under unimaginable conditions.

STRAY DOGS
STRAY DOGS

Cinema Studies  Asian Studies  2015  Narrative Films 

A haunting masterpiece and possibly the last film from the great Tsai Ming-liang, Stray Dogs is a visually powerful work about a single father and his two young children trying to survive on the streets of Taipei. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.

1 WAY UP
1 WAY UP

2015  Urban Studies  Europe  Education  Children & Young Adult  Directed by Women 

From the producers of the Academy Award winning documentary Inocente, 1 Way Up tells the inspirational story of two teenage boys hoping to escape one of the toughest gang neighborhoods in London with the only thing they have—a bike.

ACTRESS
ACTRESS

Women's Studies  Sociology  Family Relations  Cinema Studies  2015 

The roles women are expected to play in today's society, and the difficulties in balancing career and family, are the central issues deftly explored in Robert Greene's acclaimed documentary Actress. Using elements of melodrama and cinema verit", the film follows the travails of a former actress-turned-housewife as she prepares to make a comeback.

ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL

2015  Sociology  Education  Anthropology 

2014 César winner for Best Documentary, On the Way to School interweaves the stories of four children from around the world whose desire to learn and better their lives through education forces them to contend with arduous, often perilous journeys every day on their way to the classroom.

ALL ABOUT ANN: governor richards of the lone star state
ALL ABOUT ANN: governor richards of the lone star state

2015  Women's Studies  Political Science  American Studies  Alcohol & Drug Abuse 

Feisty, fiery, a force of nature, and funny as hell. These are a few of the terms used to describe Ann Richards, one of the most charismatic American political figures of the last 30 years. This compelling portrait tells her remarkable story, from the young girl who grew up poor in rural Texas to the beloved national icon and Democratic leader who rose to power in a conservative stronghold.

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