American Studies


RAT FILM
RAT FILM

2017  Urban Studies  Environmental Studies  Political Science  Sociology  Cultural Studies  Cinema Studies  Anthropology  American Studies  Architecture  African-American Studies 

A documentary that uses the rat to explore the complicated history of Baltimore and how racial segregation, redlining, and environmental racism built the American city we see today.

FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT: a crooked family history
FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT: a crooked family history

Pacific Street Films  Family Relations  American History  American Studies  Criminal & Law  2017  Literature 

Based Helene Stapinski’s best selling memoir “Five-Finger Discount: A Crooked Family History.” The book and the film tell the story of Helene’s childhood, of her growing up working-class in Jersey City, New Jersey – in a family nearly overrun with crooks, petty criminals, corrupt politicians, mobster wannabes and murderers – and how she became a journalist and a best-selling author.

FAREWELL FERRIS WHEEL
FAREWELL FERRIS WHEEL

Labor Studies  2017  American Studies  Latino Studies  Business  Cinema Studies 

Follow the day-to-day lives of Mexican migrant workers as they travel the United States to work for the struggling carnival industry. They are legally employed through the controversial H-2B work visa program and may be the last hope for the carnivals. Farewell Ferris Wheel takes a good hard look at the crossroads between economic need and human rights through one of the most emblematic symbols of Americana.

ALMOST THERE
ALMOST THERE

Kartemquin Films  Art History  Aging / Gerontology  Psychology & Psychiatry  Disabilities  Cinema Studies  Media Studies  Family Relations  Criminal & Law  Health  American Studies  Photography  Human Sexuality  2017 

Humorous and candid, Kartemquin Films' documentary Almost There is a fascinating portrait of eccentric "outsider" artist Peter Anton. Living in a home that has been consumed by mold and filth, the octogenarian has produced a startling collection of unseen paintings, drawings, and notebooks. The film’s remarkable journey follows this witty and gifted artist through startling twists and turns.

RAISING BERTIE
RAISING BERTIE

2016  African-American Studies  American Studies  Sociology  Criminal & Law  Education  Family Relations  Alcohol & Drug Abuse  Directed by Women  Kartemquin Films 

Recorded over six years, Raising Bertie delivers an authentic and tender portrait of the lives of three young boys as they face a precarious coming of age within Bertie County, a rural African-American community in North Carolina. Another harrowing work from the acclaimed documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films, the film shows the process of growing up in a place afflicted by generations of economic and educational segregation.

CITY OF TREES
CITY OF TREES

2016  Kartemquin Films  Environmental Studies  American Studies  Labor Studies  Criminal & Law  African-American Studies  Urban Studies  Political Science  Sociology  Health  Business 

A complex tale of social justice, urban forestry and community politics, City of Trees portrays the struggles of a DC non-profit to challenge the cycle of poverty and violence in blighted urban areas by implementing an ambitious "green jobs" program that hires 150 unemployed residents to plant trees in underserved parks.

HERE COME THE VIDEOFREEX
HERE COME THE VIDEOFREEX

Cinema Studies  Women's Studies  2016  Cultural Studies  American Studies  Media Studies  American History  Directed by Women 

Here Come the Videofreex tells the enthralling story of a pioneering collective of video journalists known as the Videofreex who in the 60s and 70s became the forerunners of public access television and the modern internet news era as they deployed the first handheld video cameras to report and observe the world around them.

DEEP TIME
DEEP TIME

2016  Environmental Studies  Native American Studies  Labor Studies  American Studies  Business  Anthropology 

A kaleidoscopic study of the recent oil boom in North Dakota, Deep Time is an award winning documentary that focuses on the impact the fossil fuel business has on the environment and on how it affects local landowners, state officials and the Indigenous Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. A complex take on a timely issue by the director of Crude Independence.

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.

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.

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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